PORTLAND — Jason Place hasn’t felt the chill of a cold New England spring day. yet.

All he knows are the dog days of summer, and the warmth of an approaching autumn.

Still, the Boston Red Sox’ former first round draft pick has heard stories about those frigid April (heck, sometimes June) night games at Hadlock Field, mostly from the Portland Sea Dog teammates he met up with after his last summer’s mid-season promotion.

Now, having returned to Portland for the start of a new season two days ago, Place has seen little that would make him believe that southern Maine is anything but a tropical paradise.

Except, perhaps, for a little springtime drizzle that accompanied the Sea Dogs’ annual Media Day activities.

“It’s nice up here,” said Place, leaning backward in his clubhouse chair in front of his locker, chatting with reporters. “I was fretting about it being freezing cold. But it’s going well. I’m glad to be here.”

Glad for now, at least. Place, who was drafted by the Sox 27th overall as a center fielder out of Wren (S.C.) High School in 2006, is like every other Sea Dog who ever passed through Hadlock.

He’s angling to get to the big leagues, and has learned already that you don’t make it to “the Show” on talent alone.

It takes a lot of hard work, too.

For Place, the effort showed with his strong Spring Training performance.

“I just kept things the same as last year,” he said. “I didn’t change anything. I worked on the same stuff, trying to be consistent. I got my program (from the Red Sox) that is personal for me, and I do it every day.”

Place arrived in Portland last July after putting up modest numbers at Single-A Salem.

His production as a Sea Dog wasn’t particularly eye-catching, either, just four homers (one of them in the Fenway Futures), 16 RBI, and a .262 batting average in 42 games.

However, the Sox thought enough of him during Spring Training to give him ample exhibition game exposure with the big league club.

He soaked up the experience like a sponge.

“I was fortunate to be able to get into a lot of big league games,” he said. “They sent me up there a lot and got quite a few at bats. It was awesome. Last year they sent me up to a handful. This year, I got into

a lot (more) which was a great experience. It was a lot of fun. I got to see all those big guys.”

Place got all that face time, not because he was a threat to put any of Boston’s outfielders out of a job, but because the Bosox like to keep their youngsters focused on The Dream.

The tactic worked.

“You go up there, and you watch those guys like a hawk,” Place said. “You pay attention to every little thing they do. Every little detail. You want to model yourself after the guys who’ve already been there.

Get everything out of it you possibly can. And have fun at the same time. They’ve got some good (clubhouse) spreads.”

As for the matter at hand, Place knows that he’ll be judged over the long haul, not by a few great (or bad) games.

“(I have to) make consistent hard contact at the plate,” he said. “Grinding out at bats. Obviously, you’re not going to feel great, every single at bat. There might be 40 games out of the year where you’re just locked in. When everything you hit is hit hard. The other 100 games, you’re battling your butt off. But (I want to make) consistent

hard contact. And have fun.

“It’s a game that’s meant to be played for fun.”

Fun in the sun.

Now that’s a warm thought.

— Contact Staff Writer Dan Hickling at dhickling@journaltribune.com.