LIGA MVP CESAR TO PLAY IN JAPAN IN 2010

2009 Mexican League Most Valuable Player Dionys Cesar has signed a contract with the Chunichi Dragons of Japan’s Central League for next year.

The Dominican infielder moves to the Land of the Rising Sun after spending most of the past five summers in Mexico.The 33-year-old Cesar, a 15-year pro baseball veteran who has played minor league ball for four different major league organizations, helped the Laguna Vaqueros to their first playoff berth in five seasons this year by leading the Liga with a .380 batting average, 36 doubles and 40 stolen bases after starting the season hitting .288 in 19 games for Yuma in the independent Golden Baseball League.

Cesar's signing is rather unusual because Japanese teams historically import power hitters from the Americas. Last summer, Cesar hit just five homers for Laguna.