Special to the blog by Matt McLaughlin

Spoiler Alert

Though they’re on the outside looking in, the Sea Dogs can still make a Playoff impact

13.5 back.

That’s how far behind the Sea Dogs are to the Trenton Thunder, the
leaders of the Eastern League Eastern Division. The second place team,
the New Hampshire Fisher Cats, are 12.5 games up on the ‘Dogs. It’s
never a fun thing to think or say, but it doesn’t look like the Sea Dogs
will be making a playoff push this season, but don’t think that
Portland will not have an impact on the possible playoff teams.

The Sea Dogs have the remainder of their series with Bowie (2nd place in
the EL West) and Richmond (5th in the EL West) on this road trip. They
return home to play Altoona (1st in the EL West) and Trenton (1st in the
EL East) for six games at Hadlock. This is followed by a seven game
road trip through Harrisburg (3rd in the EL West) and New Hampshire (2nd
in the EL East). The season ends with an eight game home stand versus
Binghamton (4th in the EL East) and New Hampshire.

That’s 19 remaining games against teams holding first, second, or third
place positions in their division. Just by the number of games remaining
against playoff-caliber teams, the Sea Dogs are some how going to
factor in to how the potential playoff teams will finish. The Portland
offense has enough potency to give starting pitchers fits, and with a
team full of young prospects and an always professional coaching staff,
this will not be a team who’ll give up and quit.

So while it’s unfortunate that the Sea Dogs probably won’t be
celebrating a playoff birth, they will be affecting the Eastern League’s
playoff picture.