Gunther
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http://www.cleveland.com/tribe/index.ssf/2009/09/cleveland_indians_farmhand_car.html
Current rumor mill projects Carlos to play at AAA next season.
Cleveland Indians farmhand Carlos Santana named MVP of the Eastern League
Friday September 04, 2009, 1:16 PM
AKRON, Ohio -- Akron Aeros catcher Carlos Santana today was named the Eastern League Most Valuable Player.
It is the second straight MVP award for Santana, who was acquired from the Dodgers last season in the Casey Blake trade. Last year, Santana was named MVP of the California League. He joins Jordan Brown and Victor Martinez as the only Aeros ever named EL MVP.
"Carlos has had an extremely consistent and productive year, and has not taken for granted that he's exceptionally talented as a baseball player," Indians Director of Player Development Ross Atkins said in a team release. "He has worked to improve upon what is already good enough to afford him Major League opportunity, and he clearly has the opportunity to be one of the best at what he does."
Santana is hitting .289 with 21 home runs and 94 RBI in 127 games for the Aeros. He currently leads the league with a .518 slugging percentage, a .930 OPS, and 89 walks. He ranks second in homers, RBI, and on-base percentage (.412), is third in runs scored (89), and fourth in extra-base hits (52) and total bases (217). Santana, 23, has thrown out 30 percent of would-be base stealers to rank fifth.
Santana was the starting catcher for the Southern Division in this year's Eastern League All-Star game at Trenton, appeared in the prestigious Futures Game as part of Major League All-Star Weekend, and was selected as the catcher for the EL's season ending All-Star team last week. He has already set a franchise record for walks in a season, currently ranks fourth on Akron's single-season list in on-base percentage, and is three RBI away from tying Wes Hodges' single-season record of 97 set just last year.
The award was voted on by Eastern League team managers and coaching staffs, sportswriters, radio and television broadcast personnel and other members of the media. Santana will be honored at Canal Park after tonight's 7:05 game against the Erie SeaWolves, along with EL Manager of the Year Mike Sarbaugh and EL Pitcher of the Year Jeanmar Gomez.
Current rumor mill projects Carlos to play at AAA next season.