PORTLAND

First-year Portland Sea Dogs manager Carlos Febles used one word to describe the upcoming season at Media Day — “COLD!.”

The Sea Dogs, who finished 53-89 last year, were back in full uniform at Hadlock Field on Tuesday, prepping for their season that begins tonight at the Reading Fightin Phils (7:05 p.m.).

The home opener for the Seadogs is slated for April 14 at 6 p.m. against Eastern League newcomer the Hartford Yard Goats.

Febles comes to the Sea Dogs from the High-A Salem Red Sox, where he managed the past two seasons with a record of 134-141. Many of the Portland players on the 2016 roster spent time in Salem under Febles, who is already embracing his new role.

“I’m very happy to be here,” Febles said. “This is an unbelievable franchise and it’s something I was always looking forward to working here — not just as a manager, but as a coach in general. I’m going to have a blast here and so far, it’s been great.”

Febles said the team consists of “a bunch of guys that will play the game hard, work their tails off every day,” and that he can’t ask for much more as a manager.

“On paper, we look pretty good,” Febles said. “If we stay healthy, it’s no doubt that we’re going to have a good season. It’s going to be about health, and if that’s the case, it’s going to be interesting to see what they can do.”

Pitching depth

The pitching staff is slated to be a strength for the Sea Dogs this season, as it features a number of Red Sox prospects. One of those top prospects is pitcher Ty Buttrey, who is ranked in the top 20 by Sports Blog Nation. Buttrey, age 22, split time between Salem and the Greenville Drive last season, posting a 9-10 record and 3.92 earned run average.

“We do have some great arms,” Febles said of the pitching staff. “Our bullpen is pretty good. We’ve got three or four guys that can finish games for you — that’s a luxury that not many teams have. I’m expecting a lot from them.”

Febles pointed to Buttrey with “a great fastball” and Teddy Stankiewicz with a “four-pitch mix” as two key arms for the Sea Dogs. Stankiewicz also featured for Salem last season.

“It’s a pretty good team,” Wendell Rijo said. “We have a lot of talent here. A couple veterans, a couple guys are new like me. It just feels good to be in this type of league. I know it’s tough, but I think the team will do a good job this year.”

Rijo is one of the Red Sox top 20 prospects according to soxprospects.com and is the youngest player on the team at just 20-years young. A second basemen, Rijo said the infield is “pretty awesome” and that there’s a couple guys that can play every position.

Individually, Rijo said that the key to his development is simply focus. He just has to “keep playing baseball and trying to get better every day.”

“We got a great group of guys,” pitcher Justin Haley said. “We’re really excited for the season. I’m really excited, personally, for this group. I think we’ve got a lot of young, very talented guys.”

Haley said most of the team spent the better part of two months down in Florida together and have gotten to know each other. There are no “big heads in the clubhouse” and everyone gets along while also knowing their roles.

As far as moving on to Pawtucket, the Triple-A affiliate of the Red Sox, or even the Major Leagues — like several Sea Dogs have done before — Haley said he and his teammates are only focused on what they can control.

“One works for the other,” he said. “You’re successful for this club, you stay here, you win, you put your heart and soul into every game that you play here at this level, and the rest of it takes care of itself. I think that’s definitely my approach — I know that’s the approach here for a lot of these guys. We’re not worried about what’s down the road. We’re focused on now.”

“It’s there. You don’t have to even talk about it,” Febles said of players moving up. “They know they’re getting close to their goal. It’s just there. All they have to do is perform and go about their business and stay healthy. For them, it’s just come in and compete and have a good season. Let the front office decide what they’re going to do.”

Haley, a California native that posted a 5-16 record and a 5.15 ERA with the Sea Dogs last season, also said the cold weather in the opening weeks of the season is tough to adjust to.

“It’s something you have to be mindful of,” Haley said. “You have to prepare yourself for it. You have to throw on your long johns, you have to throw on your compression and everything that you can to stay warm.”

Though, at the end of the day, baseball must be played, and Haley has been talking to some of the players that haven’t been in Portland about getting used to the cold.

“Once you get into it, you’ve got to put it out of your head. You can’t think about it. It’s not that bad. You’re playing ball, and you’ve got to enjoy that fact and go out there and play the game, whether it’s 100 degrees or 32.”

The Sea Dogs will play 71 games at Hadlock Field. After hosting Hartford, the Trenton Thunder, the Double A affiliate of the New York Yankees, pays a visit (April 22-24). Throughout the season there are several promotions scheduled, including fireworks shows on May 27, June 23, July 3, July 23 and Aug. 24.

Adult ticket prices for the 2016 season are $11 for box seats and the right field pavilion, $10 for reserved seats and $9 for general admission. Children and seniors pay a dollar less for box, pavilion and reserved seats, while general admission tickets run for $6.

For those wishing to purchase season tickets, the cost is $497 (box seats). A three-year commitment runs for $461.50 a season. General admission season tickets run for $355.

For more information on the Sea Dogs, go to www.seadogs.com. For tickets, call (207) 879-9500.