MLB Rosters Loaded with Former Sea Dogs

It's the most wonderful time of the year! Major League Baseball's opening day serves as an appetizer to our main course that is the Minor League season. The Portland Sea Dogs get set to embark on the 21st season in franchise history; a history rich with tradition and outstanding former players from two different affiliates. Below is a detailed list of the 40 players, 3 managers, and 2 coaches that have earned a spot on the 25-man roster or staff of 15 different Major League teams, all with direct ties and connections to the Portland Sea Dogs. 

Being the Red Sox's Double-A affiliate, it should come as no surprise that Boston's 25-Man roster and coaching staff boasts 15 former Sea Dogs. 

Jon Lester will lead the charge in Baltimore as he makes his fourth consecutive Opening Day start for the Sox, the most by any Southpaw, passing Babe Ruth and Mel Parnell (three apiece). Lester trails both Pedro Martinez and Roger Clemens for the most in franchise history as both stalwarts delivered the first pitch in sever straight openers.

Joining Lester on the Opening Day roster are homegrown talents Clay Buchholz, Felix Doubront, Junichi Tazawa, Will Middlebrooks, Dustin Pedroia, and Daniel Nava. 

Fresh off a World Series win in their first taste of the Bigs, Jackie Bradley, Jr., Brandon Workman and Xander Bogaerts will begin the 2014 season with the Sox and look to - once again - make a lasting impact with Boston. 

The Sea Dogs have hosted many Red Sox players on Rehab assignments, but even with their brief stays, they are a huge part of the family. This group includes David Ortiz, John Lackey, David Ross, and Craig Breslow who begins the season on the DL.

Last, but certainly not least, on the list of former Sea Dogs with the big league club, is first base coach, Arnie Beyeler. Beyeler was the skipper for Portland from 2007-2010 and compiled a 282-283 (.499) record before being promoted to Pawtucket. This marks his second season on the coaching staff with the Boston Red Sox.

Both the Chicago Cubs and Los Angeles Dodgers follow the Sox and have four former Sea Dogs on their rosters. 

The Cubs' skipper Rick Renteria enters his first season at the helm of the North Siders. Renteria was the manager of the Portland Sea Dogs in the 2000 and 2001 seasons and guided the then Florida Marlins affiliate to a 148-135 (.523) record.

Former Portland standouts Anthony Rizzo and Ryan Kalish have made the opening day roster and will be joined by Ryan Sweeney, who made a rehab appearance with the 'Dogs in 2012.

The Dodgers have three former long-time Sea Dogs on the roster; Adrian Gonzalez and Josh Beckett from the Marlins days and Hanley Ramirez from the Boston tenure. Beckett finds himself on the DL to begin the 2014 season with a right-thumb injury. Carl Crawford is the fourth member of the Dodgers with Sea Dogs roots as he spent some time in Portland on a rehab appearance in 2012. 

Next down the list are the Detroit Tigers and Oakland Athletics, both with three former Sea Dogs players on the roster. 

Detroit boasts the arm of Anibal Sanchez on its pitching staff and the slick fielding duo of Alex Gonzalez and Jose Iglesias on its roster. However, Iglesias will start the season on the 60-Day disabled list with stress fractures in both shins.

The Athletics, known by many in Red Sox Nation as Fenway West assigned three players to the Opening Day roster, all from the Sea Dogs' time with Boston. Jed Lowrie, Brandon Moss, and Josh Reddick all cracked the 25-Man squad once again this year and all three should be in the lineup tonight against the Indians. 

Six big league squads have two former Sea Dogs on the Opening Day Roster: Baltimore, Cleveland, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Colorado, and Atlanta.

The Orioles have Miguel Gonzalez and Michael Almanzar on the team, but Almanzar will start the season on the DL, after he was selected in the Rule 5 Draft following his 2013 season with the Sea Dogs.

The Indians will send Justin Masterson to the hill on opening night for the third season in a row. David Murphy will join the pitcher on the squad in his ninth season, with his third team (Boston, Texas, Cleveland).

The Pirates have jumped back to the forefront of baseball and have two former Dogs on their 25-Man squad. Stolmy Pimentel and Jason Grilli fill the two spots. Pimentel spent parts of two seasons with the Sea Dogs and Grilli made a rehab appearance as part of the Marlins team back in 2001.

The Phillies have one player from the Marlins days and one from the Red Sox days. A.J. Burnett, a Sea Dog in 2001 during the Marlins days, joined the Phils in the offseason. Jonathan Papelbon is the other former Portland player on the squad as he enters his third season with Philadelphia. 

The Rockies feature two southpaws on their staff with Portland ties. Jorge De La Rosa gets the ball on opening night for Colorado; he was with Portland in 2003 as a Red Sox farmhand. Franklin Morales returns to the team that first signed him after he spent three years with the Red Sox. The reliever made three appearances on rehab with Portland in 2013. 

The Braves don't have any former Sea Dogs players taking the field on Opening Day, although manager Fredi Gonzalez and bench coach Carlos Tosca are both part of the Portland Sea Dogs Hall of Fame. Gonzalez, inducted in 2007, was the manager for the 1997 Portland Sea Dogs squad that went 79-63 (.556) and earned a Northern Division title in the Eastern League. He was tabbed Eastern League Manager of the Year by Baseball America for his efforts. Carlos Tosca was inducted in 2005 for his time as manager of the Sea Dogs from 1994-1996. Under Tosca, the Sea Dogs went 229-195 (.540) and captured two Northern Division titles. He earned Eastern League Manager of the year honors and Minor League Manager of the Year Honors in 1996.

Four other teams begin the 2014 campaign with one former Sea Dogs player on the roster or coaching staff; New York (AL), Miami, San Diego, and Houston. 

The Yankees signed former Portland and Red Sox outfielder Jacoby Ellsbury to a huge contract in the offseason. He gets set to patrol center for the pinstripes on Opening Day.

At the helm of the Miami Marlins is Mike Redmond, another member of the Sea Dogs Hall of Fame. Redmond was inducted in 2010 and spent parts of three seasons with the Sea Dogs, during the Marlins days. The catcher played in 233 games with the Dogs and holds the Portland record for most games behind the plate with 231. He enters his second season as the skipper of the Marlins. 

The Padres look to have some production from Casey Kelly when he bounces back from a stint on the DL. The righty spent 2010 with Portland and is looking to return to action for the first time since 2012 after missing last season with Tommy John surgery.

And finally, the Astros feature Josh Fields as the lone member with Portland ties. The reliever looks to lock down the back-end of the Houston bullpen for the second year in a row. Fields joined the Dogs in 2012. 

There it is 40 players, 3 managers and 2 coaches across 15 teams on Opening Day, all having spent time with the Portland Sea Dogs. Who will be next?