NARANJEROS’ GARCIA NAMED MEX PAC MVP

The Mexican Pacific League’s team presidents voted on individual awards for the 2009-10 season last week in Hermosillo, and a somewhat surprising choice was made for Most Valuable Player. The LMP leaders picked Luis Alfonso Garcia (pictured) of the champion Hermosillo Naranjeros as their MVP despite a terrific batting average put up by Los Mochis’ Sandy Madera.

Garcia did have a solid season for the Orangemen, leading the Mex Pac with 23 homers and finishing second to Obregon’s Carlos Valencia with 58 RBIs while hitting .266. All Madera did was bat .413 with 14 homers and 47 runs scored to become only the third player in LMP history to top the .400 mark, joining Matias Carrillo and the legendary Hector Espino in that exclusive club, but that apparently wasn’t enough for an MVP trophy.

Mazatlan’s Pablo Ortega was voted Pitcher of the Year after going 8-2 with a 2.43 ERA for the Venados, leading the LMP in wins and ERA. Madera’s Mochis teammate, catcher Sebastian Valle, was named Rookie of the Year for batting .281 with 11 homers. Navojoa skipper Orlando Sanchez earned Manager of the Year honors for coaxing a talent-starved Mayos team into the playoffs with a 32-36 record.

Hermosillo scored a front office double play, with team president Enrique Mazon voted as Executive of the Year and Naranjeros general manager Juan Aguirre being awarded the Abundio Vargas Trophy as GM of the Year.