PAWTUCKET, R.I. — Two Boston Red Sox pitching prospects emerged with the Portland Sea Dogs in the 2004 season.

Both Abe Alvarez and Chris Smith were considered close to major-league ready. Both had superb location. Alvarez, a lefty, used a deceptive delivery, while Smith, a righty, mixed his fastball, change and curveball.

If Boston needed help that year, they were the top two candidates for a call.

By late June, however, Smith was consulting with doctors.

In July, Alvarez was called up for a spot start at Fenway Park.

Smith was shut down after 14 starts that season, headed for shoulder surgery.

Alvarez appeared headed for a certain big league career.

Four years later, neither is in the majors, although one could be close. And it's not Alvarez, who was released last week.

Smith, 27, has resurrected his career with an improbable comeback. Alvarez, meanwhile, had been stuck in Triple-A Pawtucket and was no longer fooling hitters. He pitched only 151/3 innings this year, recording a 6.46 ERA.

As manager of the Sea Dogs in 2004, Ron Johnson got to tell Alvarez that he was being called up to Boston. Now the Pawtucket manager, Johnson delivered the bad news to Alvarez last Sunday.

"It's a business," Johnson said. "I don't think (the release) was a surprise. If you've gone from a starter and big league time and, all of a sudden, you're in the bullpen and being used sporadically, you think something could happen."

So what were we to think of Smith? He began this season with the Sea Dogs, starting a fifth season in Double-A. Smith had hoped to make Pawtucket's roster, but he showed up in Portland with a smile. Sure, he was disappointed, but what could he do?

The better question was: What could we expect from Smith? After his shoulder surgery, his fastball dropped from 90 mph to the low 80s. His curveball had never been the same.

Smith's strengths are location and smarts. But without good stuff, he occasionally got pounded.

But 2008 is turning out differently. Smith never threw a pitch for the Sea Dogs.

When Bartolo Colon was sidelined with a strained oblique muscle and went on the disabled list on April 7, Smith was promoted to Pawtucket.

In his first start he pitched four innings, allowing no runs, two hits and one walk while striking out seven.

Seven strikeouts?

"His velocity is up around 89-90 and he's commanding every pitch," said catcher Dusty Brown, who caught Smith for two years with the Sea Dogs. "He's throwing his breaking ball a lot better, and the change-up is still there.

"But the thing that is different about him this year is he's getting a lot more outs with his fastball, rather than having to go to the change-up. He's punched guys out on three straight fastballs, moving in and out."

Smith, not surprisingly, is thrilled.

"It feels like I never had surgery," Smith said. "I was supposedly back (from surgery) after a year and a half. I felt fine, but there was no life in my arm.

"Now I think I have that extra oomph. I didn't have it the last couple of years."

Smith has been used as both a starter and reliever. After four starts for Pawtucket, he moved back to the bullpen. In 10 games, he has a 1.45 ERA with 28 strikeouts and seven walks in 31 innings. Smith has allowed one earned run in his last seven outings.

"I'm really proud of him," Johnson said. "You know, as I do, how good he was prior to the surgery. He was high on the radar.

"It just took him longer to come back to gain velocity. This is not a fluke."

Smith knows the chance he missed in 2004.

"Abe got the call-up and he got the championship ring," Smith said. "But here I am now. I feel great. I'm happy. Maybe, one day I'll get my chance to get called up, and we'll see what happens."

Boston has to make a decision on Smith soon. He can become a minor league free agent if he isn't added to the 40-man roster by the end of the year.

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

kthomas@pressherald.com