The Sea Dogs start playing baseball and there is no snow in the forecast.

Granted, the Sea Dogs-Rock Cats game on Friday is almost a guarantee rainout, but tonight the teams should play in New Britain Stadium.

A few other notes of Sox and Dogs nature:

Center fielders Coco Crisp and Jaocby Ellsbury are seemingly co-existing well with the Red Sox, for now ... so the toughest decision Boston needs to make concerns its bullpen.

With Josh Beckett and Mike Timlin due to come off the disabled list soon, two relievers will have to go. Most media reports I've seen have the likely two relievers being among Bryan Corey, David Aardsma and Javier Lopez. All three are out of options and would have to clear waivers for a move to Triple-A (which is most unlikely).

Who goes?

Two names I haven't seen are Kyle Snyder and Julian Tavarez. While both may be valuable as long men and spot starters, their stuff has not been dazzling. Maybe one of them is gone.

Lopez appears to be the least effective, but is also a lefty. The Sox like Corey a lot, so Aardsma may go.

Some interesting scenes from Sea Dogs media day included the drop-dead, exhausted looks of pitchers Hunter Jones and Jose Vaquedano. They both pitched in the exhibitions in Los Angeles, caught a flight to Fort Myers, Fla., and then drove to Maine, arriving to Hadlock Field minutes before the media showed up. Both said it was a great experience ... except for the travel.

If you want a quick look at the 2008 Sea Dogs, check out the story in today's Press Herald. We look at the team, from A to Z (okay, okay, so it's not an original concept. It works).

And, finally, kudos to Press Herald photgrapher Gordon Chibroski for today's picture of Mark Wagner batting in the indoor cage at USM. To get the shot, Chibroski stretched out on the ground, leaning against the ropes of the cage. Players outside the cage winced as they watched Gordie click away. A low line drive his way would have ... well, I don't want to think about.

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