Dustin Brisson admits he put too much pressure on himself.
Dealt by the Red Sox along with former first-round pick Rick Asadoorian and Luis Garcia to the St. Louis Cardinals for pitcher Dustin Hermanson in December of 2001, Brisson felt he was on the baseball’s fast track.
“When I first got traded, I thought it was a good opportunity,” said Brisson. “I figured it was a big trade, I’ll to get to the big leagues within a year.”
A little over six months later, Brisson was looking for a new team after being released by the Cardinals.
When the first baseman for Boston’s Class A team in Sarasota went down with an injury, the Red Sox turned to Brisson.
The return to the organization couldn’t have come at a better time for the Florida native, both personally and professionally.
Not only was he about to marry a girl from western Massachusetts, but he also found a comfort zone being back around the familiar faces in Sarasota.
“When I came back to Boston, I felt like I was home,” said Brisson. “You grow accustomed to being around the same guys every day. It just felt right.”
Brisson finished strong in Sarasota and earned a spot with the Sea Dogs to start the season.
He endeared himself to the home fans with the go-ahead double as Portland rallied for a win on Opening Night.
Three days later, Brisson suffered a high ankle sprain while trying to hold up at third base during a game against New Britain and ended up on the disabled list.
He started to show signs of improvement a couple of weeks later and began working in the batting cage, but the ankle flared up.
“It was the size of a grapefruit again,” said Brisson.
Brisson finally returned to the line-up on Tuesday against Bowie after missing a little over a month. The fact that the Sea Dogs were winning and moved into first place when he was out did little to appease him.
“It was tough sitting and watching,” said Brisson. “You do what you can. But you really don’t feel like you’re part of the team.”
On the day he was activated, Andy Dominique was promoted to Triple-A Pawtucket, opening the door for Brisson, who will see time at first base and as the designated hitter.
“We needed to create at-bats for him,” said Portland manager Ron Johnson. “This is his opportunity.”
Movin’ on up
No one was happier about Dominique’s promotion than Johnson, who lobbied hard for the 27-year-old catcher/first baseman with Red Sox farm director Ben Cherington.
“I think it’s the level he needs to be competing at,” said Johnson. “It’s his fourth year in the (Eastern) league and he’s hitting .361. He had nothing left to prove here.”
Dominique’s advancement also shows some of the other older players on the Sea Dogs that if they produce, they will move on.
“It was just the right thing to do,” said Johnson.
Alumni week
One of the more popular Sea Dogs, Quincy Foster, is in town this weekend with the Harrisburg Senators.
Foster played parts of three seasons in Portland, hitting .264 with 58 stolen bases in 156 games.
He was traded by the Marlins to the Expos early last season for a player to be named later (right-handed pitcher Ed Klepacki).
“It’s nice being back here,” said Foster. “I’d like to be here playing, but it didn’t work out.”
Another former Sea Dog, Jeff Bailey is third on the Senators in RBI.
Bailey is one of seven Sea Dogs to have hit a home run over the scoreboard in left-center field.
Earlier in the week, Fletcher Bates returned to Portland with the Bowie Baysox. Bates hit 20 home runs and drove in 115 runs over two seasons (1998-99).
Around the minor leagues
Bowie outfielder Keith Reed, who had a pair of home runs against the Sea Dogs last week, is one of four players still active who were members of the now
defunct Providence College baseball program….New York Mets outfield Jeromy Burnitz completed his rehabilitation assignment with Binghamton with a three-run home run in the Mets’ 6-3 loss to Akron Thursday night….Bobby Rodgers, the only five-time Sea Dog, was released by Montreal and signed by the Chicago Cubs. He was assigned to Triple-A Iowa.
Bill Foley is assistant sports editor. He can be reached by e-mail at bfoley@sunjournal.com
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