Tag Archives: Blake Swihart

July 15, 2014 · 1:12 pm

Prospect Blake Swihart sighted at Portland in 6-2 win over New Hampshire

Blake Swihart was the Portland catcher today. How much longer?

Danny Bethea returns to the Portland dugout after getting an RBI in his first at-bat with the Sea Dogs

(Portland ME) The Portland Sea Dogs are playing so well that when you arrive at Hadlock Field and find a player missing you assume that there has been a promotion to AAA Pawtucket.

Henry Owens and Sean Coyle were absent from the Sea Dogs, 6-2, win over the New Hampshire Fisher Cats on Monday afternoon. No promotions (yet) for either of them. They had been participants in the All-Star Futures Game on Sunday afternoon in Minneapolis.

Why Henry hasn’t moved up is a mystery to this reporter. The 21-year-old lefty has statistically dominated the Eastern League so far in 2014. Henry tops the EL in wins (12), strikeouts (111), ERA (2.21) and WHIP (1.03).

The Sea Dogs (63-34) have the best record in the Eastern League. The Binghamton Mets, however, are just 4 1/2 games behind in the Eastern Division of the EL. The Sea Dogs dropped four straight in Binghamton this month so the race for the top spot in the EL could become very interesting the rest of the way. And if Henry gets promoted, as well as Sean Coyle and catcher Blake Swihart, that top spot would be even harder to hold onto.

Blake Swihart

But on Monday Blake was on hand and Henry and Sean were due back when the EL season resumes on Thursday.

Portland did promote a catcher to Pawtucket but this time it was reserve Matt Spring. They also brought a new catcher in from the Lowell Spinners, Danny Bethea.

Danny got his first at-bats at the AA level versus New Hampshire (Toronto Blue Jays affiliate) and picked up an RBI in his first at-bat. That RBI came on a slow dribbler down the first baseline that NH starter Casey Lawrence opted to go to first with allowing Jonathan Roof to score.

Portland starter Mike Augliera gave up his tenth homer of the season to Andy Fermin but benefited from a matching homer from teammate Heiker Meneses. Mike is now 4-8 and hadn’t won a game in nearly two month.

Part of the Sea Dogs’ success this season has been the way they have dominated the Cats from New Hampshire. With today’s win the season record favors Portland 10-4.

It was Campers’ Day at Hadlock and the camps each had their own tee-shirts. On a hot afternoon (the game started at noon) there was plenty of action at the concessions stands.

Slugger has spent the season riding on a jeep instead of working on his base running.

It was another sorry day for Slugger in his season-long quest to beat someone (anyone) on the race around the bases. For some reason Slugger’s opponent always gets a half-base lead. That seems unfair since Slugger hasn’t won yet this year! In today’s race Slugger was matched up against a girl. This kid was small but fast but Slugger is big and fast and crossed second base with the lead. Then for some unknown reason the Sea Dogs mascot decided to head out between first and second for a brief chat with an umpire. I ask you, what would they have to talk about at this point? But Slugger still had a chance because as he got to first the little girl was just getting to third….this race was even. But what happened next, is worthy of a full-blown investigation. A Sea Dogs’ staff member, standing at first base, offered Slugger a drink of water. I now believe that the staff member and the little girl are related. Of course, Slugger stops for the drink instead of taking it on the fly. When the mascot resumes running the little girl is home the winner. Very disappointing.

I’ve seen Slugger lose after falling over second base, but losing because of time wasted chatting and drinking is unacceptable. I would recommend that he spend some pre-game time running the bases instead of riding around recklessly on the back of a jeep!

Michael Almanzar score first Portland run

Prime photo target for me at Hadlock was catcher Blake Swihart. I suspect that his days with Portland are numbered. Blake was a first-round compensation pick for Boston in 2011 after the Red Sox lost Adrian Beltre. In today’s win Blake caught a NH runner trying to steal. The 22-year-old has 10 homers and 48 RBI.

I was part of a good crowd (6,552) enjoying the game. Portland games are affordable and offer glimpses of future Red Sox players. Think Mookie Betts!

Thanks to Chris Cameron for setting me up to see the game.

(All of the pictures above and below will enlarge considerably if you click on them.)

Michael Almanzar

Blake Swihart

fun with young fans

Heiker Meneses (home run in game)

Shannon Wilkerson

Jon Berti (28 stolen bases)

Blake Swihart consoles starter Mike Augliera after home run pitch

Andy Fermin in home run trot

Jonathan Roof scores as Casey Lawence throws to first

Danny Bethea batting for the first time in Portland

Peter Hissey

newspaper toss

NH starter Casey Lawrence

shortstop Ryan Dent sets to throw to first

Olympian Julia Clukey threw out the first pitch

Derrik Gibson back after short time with Pawtucket

Jonathan Roof

Top Red Sox prospects litter Portland Sea Dogs roster

Mookie Betts and Deven Marrero

catcher Blake Swihart and pitcher Henry Owens

(Portland ME) Do you want to see the top Red Sox prospects? Portland, Maine should be your destination real soon.

The Portland Sea Dogs’ roster (according to MLB.com Prospect Watch) currently has three of the top five Red Sox prospects (Henry Owens, Blake Swihart, and Mookie Betts) as well as #13 Deven Marrero. Highly regarded Sean Coyle is also on the team along with recently arrived Bo Greenwell (Yes, Mike is his father.).

I was at Hadlock Field this morning/afternoon as the Sea Dogs pushed their won/loss record to 35-18 with a 2-1 win over the New Britain Rock Cats.

The Thursday weather for the 11AM start was downright awesome: sunny but not too hot.

Hoping to see some of the six prospects, I was blessed into a game in which all six took part. You talk about photo ops!

Henry Owens

#1 prospect Henry Owens was very impressive. The tall lefty went seven innings facing only twenty-five batters. Henry allowed three hits and kept the Rock Cats from making solid contact most of the time.

This was the first time I have seen #3 prospect Blake Swihart catch. Henry’s control gave Blake an easy-to-handle game.

I came to this game suspecting that it might be a last chance to see Mookie Betts (#5 prospect) in action. I am envisioning Pawtucket in his June future. The Sea Dogs centerfielder had a rare game for him………never got on base.

The best play I saw today? Easily it was what shortstop Deven Marrero did with Kennys Vargas’ grounder up the middle. It would have been a terrific play if Deven had just stopped the ball but he added to it by getting off the ground and getting the out at first. Granted, Kennys Vargas (6’5 – 275 pounds) appears to have David Ortiz-like speed, but the play was remarkable nonetheless. I have read in several places that Deven’s glove is major-league ready. Today I confirmed the fact for myself visually.

This young fan toasted Slugger

Mascot Slugger added to his losing streak as yet another young fan got the best of him circling the bases. This race should be under review because the young fan started halfway up the first baseline. This unfair start put Slugger way behind early and he just didn’t have the closing kick needed to win the race. Of course the way I saw it, the young fan should have been disqualified. I am starting to think these races may be fixed.

Plenty of Maine school kids in the house. There were some educational activities before the game and fun activities during the game. The Portland Sea Dogs management aims to please the attendees and again today they hit the target.

Thanks to Assistant GM Chris Cameron for arranging my visit.

(All of the pictures above and below will enlarge considerably if you click on them.)

Deven Marrero dives back to first

Tony Thomas (former Sea Dog)

Sean Coyle

Mookie Betts signs

Henry Owens

Deven Marrero

Mookie Betts pregame

Blake Swihart

Deven Marrero

Blake Swihart

Nick Kvasnicka

Bo Greenwell

Deven Marrero steals second

pregame rocket launch

Mookie Betts, Blake Swihart, and Sean Coyle sighted at Portland Sea Dogs home opener

Peter Hissey and Sean Coyle

Sluggo circles Hadlock Field

(Portland ME) I saw my first home opener for the Portland Sea Dogs on Thursday night.

Cold, windy (normal April weather in these parts) but worth the trip.

I acquired a sense of urgency about getting to a game because of the terrific prospects that are on the Portland roster.

One thing I have learned the hard way is that prospects don’t always stay at AA very long. I missed seeing (photographing) both Matt Barnes and Anthony Ranaudo despite the fact that they were at Portland for quite a while.

Blake Swihart

So when players like Blake Swihart, Mookie Betts, and Sean Coyle are at Portland for the first time I want to get pictures of them while I can.

Blake wasn’t in the starting lineup but there were opening game activities that allowed me to get some shots of him. There were plenty of opportunities to get Mookie and Sean.

Henry Owens never appeared. He pitched on Wednesday night. I do have some shots of him from the Field of Dreams game at the end of last season. Probably a good thing, as Rob Bradford’s WEEI.COM posed this question today, “When will Henry Owens be moved up?”

There were plenty of activities to keep the fans interest during pre-game ceremonies. I had hoped to get a picture of my nephew’s son marching in the pre-game parade but he arrived late. He qualified to walk by completing a reading challenge from the Portland Library.

Mookie Betts in the Sea Dogs dugout

The Sea Dogs (4-3) defeated New Britain, 6-4, in the game although I confess that the adverse conditions had me heading south long before the game ended.

I greatly appreciated having Assistant GM Chris Cameron handle the arrangements for my visit.

Here are some of the things I got pictures of (they all enlarge if you click on them) on opening night: