PORTLAND – The Portland Sea Dogs were rained out Monday at Hadlock Field.

How fitting.

During a season interrupted by rain delays and postponements, the Sea Dogs could not get their final game in. Portland’s game with Trenton Thunder was canceled because of the wet conditions.

It was the sixth rain-out at Hadlock this season. Other games were played in wet conditions, which kept the crowds away. The weather was one of the reasons why the Sea Dogs finished with a franchise-low attendance average of 5,096.

Overall, Portland ranked fifth in the 12-team Eastern League, just behind No 4 New Hampshire (5,125) and No. 3 Trenton (5,373).

Monday’s canceled game had some players getting an early start on their travel plans, while others, including Manager Kevin Boles, are staying around Portland for a few days.

Boles finished his third season at the helm of the Sea Dogs, who finished 68-73. Portland was in the hunt for a playoff spot until it was eliminated on Saturday.

But Boles’ most important scorecard includes how many players were promoted from his Double-A team. Ten Portland players were sent up to Triple-A Pawtucket and three of them — pitchers Brandon Workman and Drake Britton, and infielder Xander Bogaerts — reached the big leagues.

“As far as developing guys, and guys putting themselves in position to one day play in Fenway Park, we had a lot of guys do a lot of good things here,” Boles said.

“It’s absolutely satisfying. It’s disappointing in one aspect (in not making the playoffs), but we were in it to the end.”

Boles, 38, said he does not know if he is returning to Portland next year. Those decisions are normally announced after all the Red Sox teams are finished playing. If Boles returns for a fourth year, he will tie Arnie Beyeler for the longest term as Sea Dogs manager.

Boles will be busy in the off-season. He leaves in less than two weeks for Margarita Island off of Venezuela. Boles will be the bench coach for the Bravos de Margarita in the Venezuelan winter league.

NOTES: Those with tickets to Monday’s game will be able to exchange them for tickets to games next season, in April, May or June. Tickets to next season will go on sale Nov. 2. The Sea Dogs will announce their full schedule soon. They will open on April 3 in Reading, and begin their home schedule on April 10, against the New Britain Rock Cats. The Eastern League named Binghamton Mets first baseman Allan Dykstra its MVP for 2013. Dykstra hit .272 with 21 home runs. His .434 on-base percentage was the second-best in the minors (to Garin Cecchini’s .443 mark).

Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at:

kthomas@pressherald.com

Twitter: ClearTheBases

 

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