Portland Sea Dogs vs. Bowie Baysox, April 29 to May 2 at Prince George’s Stadium
Tuesday, April 29 – 7:05 p.m. RHP Chris Tillman vs. LHP Dustin Richardson
Wednesday, April 30 – 7:05 p.m. LHP Chris Waters vs. T.B.A. (Justin Masterson’s spot in the rotation)
Thursday, May 1 – 11:05 a.m. RHP Brad Bergesen vs. RHP Matt Goodson
The Eastern League Northern Division leading Portland Sea Dogs bring one of the Eastern League’s top pitching staffs to Bowie for a three-game series.
The Sea Dogs lead the league with a 2.72 team ERA and 223. There is some debate whether recent Red Sox call-up Justin Masterson or Michael Bowden is a better prospect, but don’t ignore the rest of the rotation.
Justin Masterson making his major league debut on April 24
Dustin Richardson is an aggressive, 6’5” lefty with an 89-92 mph fastball, a curveball with good movement and a change up. Matt Goodson is a 6’3” righty with a low-90s fastball, a curve, a slider and a change. Both have K/9s above 10 (Richardson 11.14 in 21 innings, Goodson 10.29 in 14 innings). Kris Johnson, who the Baysox won’t face, struggled early, but was named EL Pitcher of the Week for April 21 to 27 after posting a 0.77 ERA in 11.2 innings.
Portland’s closer Hunter Jones (9.20 K/9, 1.23 BB/9, 14.2 innings) is a lefty who is more effective against righties with an 88 to 89 mph fastball, a slow curve and a circle change. The Sea Dog’s long-reliever Daniel Haigwood has used a low-90s fastball, curveball, change, and slurve to log a 9.87 K/9 and a 1.56 ERA in 17.1 innings.
Other levels of Boston’s number two-ranked farm system have better hitting prospects, but Portland has some interesting story lines. First baseman Aaron Bates brings a 12-game hitting streak into the series. And catcher Mark Wagner is considered by some as the top candidate to replace the Red Sox 37-year-old captain and backstop Jason Varitek.
Sea Dog’s hitting prospects such as Bates and outfielder Bubba Bell have struggled making the transition from the Red Sox’s hitter-friendly High A ballpark in Lancaster, California to the off-speed pitches and cold weather of the Eastern League.
