Looking Ahead

Here's a Press Herald/MaineToday.com article looking ahead at who might be on the Sea Dogs next season.

Guys who will definitely be gone: Jon Lester, Hanley Ramirez, Craig Hansen (all promoted to Pawtucket or above); Jared Sandberg (minor league free agent, I really doubt that he will return).

Guys who are possible promotion candidates, depending on how the Red Sox construct the PawSox roster: David Murphy, Brandon Moss, Chris Durbin (I'm guessing that Murphy and maybe Moss will be promoted), David Pauley, Charlie Zink, Randy Beam, Edgar Martinez. I believe that Pauley has a good shot at a promotion, while Zink will follow the fluttering fortunes of his knuckler. Beam and Martinez will definitely finish the year in Pawtucket if they don't begin there.

Players who I think will be with other organizations: In addition to Sandberg, I'd say that Jim Mann, Denny Tomori, Sheldon Fulse and Raul Nievez will probably be elsewhere, unless they are retained for organizational depth (quite likely in the case of Nievez). Mann might be looking for another shot at the big leagues, which I think is more possible in another organization, but he might be retained a la Marc Deschenes last year. Conor Brooks is also a free agent, and I find it unlikely that he will return to Portland, though the Sox might give him a shot in Pawtucket.

Scott Youngbauer is an interesting case. He really energized the Portland lineup after his arrival in late July. He plays hard and I think he endeared himself to the organization. At the same time, I really think that his hitting was at the upper end of what you can expect from him, and that his bat will regress next year. He doesn't really follow the Red Sox prototype of players who work the count and draw some walks. He's up there to swing. He might return, but I don't think he's got a long-term future with the Red Sox, his 2005 performance notwithstanding.

Returning to Portland: In addition to one or two of the outfielders and a couple of the pitchers, my guess is that Jeremy West will be back along with both catchers, Alberto Concepcion and Jim Buckley. I think West will tear up the EL given another go-round. Concepcion's status depends on what happens to Kelly Shoppach. With Varitek and Mirabelli under contract for 2006, the Sox might look to shop Kelly around for some pitching depth (no sense having him waste away in the minors any longer). If he goes, Concepcion will likely land in Pawtucket. I'm guessing that Anibal Sanchez will start the season in Portland but not finish here (again, unless he's traded), and that Chris Smith will return in hopes of fully reestablishing himself. Kason Gabbard is another candidate to bring his Jekyll-and-Hyde performance back to the Hadlock confines.

Also in this category, you can definitely pencil in late season callups Chad Spann and Matt Van Der Bosch into the Portland lineup. Spann will be manning the hot corner, while the speedy VDB will fill the sparkplug role and likely patrol center field. Zack Borowiak is another guy in this category, and he's the likely second baseman. Such late season pitching callups as Barry Hertzler and Kyle Jackson will probably also be on the Portland roster.

There are going to be some players worth watching, particularly Sanchez, but the 2006 Sea Dogs aren't going to be as laden with hot prospects as the 2005 team was. Such is the existence of a minor league team. We were fortunate to see lots of top players this season, many of whome (Hansen, Ramirez, Jonathan Papelbon, Manny Delcarmen, Cla Meredith) have already made it to Boston and others (Lester, Dustin Pedroia) who will likely be patrolling Fenway at some point next season. It's only a matter of time before the next wave of draft picks, particularly Jacoby Ellsbury, Jed Lowrey, Clay Buchholtz and Luis Soto (all of whom were on the short-season Lowell roster this year), are leading the Sea Dogs on their next championship run.