By Sun Journal Staff

PORTLAND – The Boston Red Sox have announced the 2006 Opening Day roster for their Double-A affiliate Portland Sea Dogs. Highlighting the 2006 roster are five members of the Red Sox 40-man roster including pitchers Craig Hansen, Edgar Martinez, and David Pauley along with outfielders Brandon Moss and David Murphy. The Sea Dogs open the season on Thursday, April 6th against the Connecticut Defenders in Norwich, Connecticut. The Sea Dogs hope opener is scheduled for Thursday, April 13th at 6:00 PM against the Binghamton Mets.

The Sea Dogs 2006 roster consists of 15 returning players from the 2005 Northern Division Championship team. Portland will carry 12 pitchers and 12 position players. The team features 21 players with Double-A expierence.

Craig Hansen was a first round draft-pick of the Red Sox in 2005. In ten regular season appearances in the minor leagues he did not surrender a run in 12.2 innings pitched. In September he became the first Red Sox player to appear in the Major Leagues in the same year he was drafted. He appeared in four games with the Red Sox, posting an 0-0 record and a 6.00 ERA.

Catcher turned pitcher Edgar Martinez posted a combined 1-1 record with 8 saves and a 1.89 ERA in his first full season of pitching with Single-A Wilmington an Double-A Portland. He was honored by At The Yard Magazine as their “Breakout Player of the Year.” David Pauley recorded a 9-7 record with a 3.81 ERA with the Seas Dogs in 2005.

David Murphy hit .275 with 14 homers and 75 RBIs for the Sea Dogs in 2005. He was selected by Portland fans as the Sea Dogs MVP for 2005. The Red Sox honored him as their Defensive Player of the Year. Brandon Moss hit .268 with 16 home runs and 61 RBIs for Portland and was selected to the Eastern League All-Star Game.

The Sea Dogs will maintain the same outfield as last season with Chris Durbin, Murphy, and Moss. Matt Van Der Bosch who appeared in 11 games with Portland in 2005 will be the fourth outfielder.

The infield will be compromised of returning Sea Dogs Jeremy West, Chad Spann, and Zachary Borowiak. West led the team in doubles in 2005 with 32. Spann made his presence known in the playoffs hitting three home runs including a walk off grand slam in game one of the Northern Division Championship. Joining them are three players from outside the organization David Bacani, Keoni De Renne, and Luis Jiminez. Bacani was an Eastern League All-Star in 2005 with Binghamton.

Alberto Concepcion returns for his second season behind the plate for the Sea Dogs. He’ll be joined by Dusty Brown who spent the 2005 season in Single-A Wilmington.

Kason Gabbard, Barry Hertzler, Chris Smith, and Charlie Zink join Hansen, Martinez and Pauley as returning pitchers. Joining them from Single-A Wilmington is Jose Vaquedano. In addition, the pitching staff includes four players who spent the 2005 season in another organization: Kevin Frederick, Devern Hansack, Victor Ramos, and Jonathan Searles. Frederick did not pitch in 2005 due to right elbow surgery. He has appeared in 30 Major League games with the Twins and Blue Jays. Hansack has not pitched professionally since 2003 when he was with the Houston organization. He did play Winter Ball in 2005 in Nicaragua and led the league in strikeouts with 89.

Todd Claus returns to manage the Sea Dogs for a second season. Last season he led Portland to a 76-66 record and the Northern Division. Russ Morman returns as the teams hitting coach. Ace Adams joins the team as the pitching coach, last season he was in Single-A Wilmington. Masai Takahasai will return as the teams’ trainer in 2006.

Tickets for the home opener and all Sea Dogs homes games are currently on sale. Tickets can be purchased over the phone at 207-879-9500 or on-line at www.seadogs.com.