PORTLAND — The Portland Sea Dogs, Double-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox, presented their annual team awards for the 2013 season prior to Monday’s final game of the season.
The team awards are voted on by the fans and are presented by Irving Oil and Creative Awards. The team awards are handed out in four different categories: Most Valuable Player, Pitcher of the Year, 10th Player Award and Citizen of the Year.
Christian Vazquez was selected as the MVP and Anthony Ranaudo as the Pitcher of the Year. Matt Spring earned the 10th Player Award and Pete Ruiz was selected as the Citizen of the Year.
Most Valuable Player
Vazquez has excelled both offensively and defensively for the Portland Sea Dogs in 2013. In 95 games with the Sea Dogs, he compiled a .289 (99- for-342) average with 19 doubles, five home runs and 48 RBIs. The 23-year-old leads the team with that .289 average and is tied for eighth in the league in hitting.
He leads all Eastern League catchers in throwing out runners at 47 percent (47-of-101). Baseball America rates him as the “Best Defensive Catcher” in the Red Sox organization and the No. 19 prospect.
Pitcher of the Year
The 2013 Eastern League Pitcher of the Year went 8-4 with a 2.95 ERA and 106 strikeouts in 19 games for the Sea Dogs. Ranaudo opened the season notching a 6-1 record with a 1.48 ERA in his first 10 starts. The 23-year-old earned a promotion to Triple- A Pawtucket on Aug. 2.
At the time of his call-up, Ranaudo was leading the Eastern League in WHIP (1.09) and batting averageagainst (.204). He also ranked third in ERA (2.95), tied for seventh in wins (8) and tied for eighth in strikeouts (106).
10th Player of the Year
Spring provided timely hitting, served as a catcher, first baseman and DH, and was a leader in the Sea Dogs clubhouse.
He hit .222 with 12 doubles, 10 home runs, 34 RBIs and a .716 slugging percentage in 52 games for the Sea Dogs. Four of his 10 home runs were game-winners, including a dramatic walk-off grand slam against the Binghamton Mets on May 18 at Hadlock Field.
The 28-year-old also produced a game-winning threerun double on May 21 against New Hampshire.
Citizen of the Year
Ruiz dedicated much of the 2013 season to community involvement.
In the spring, he made frequent appearances at schools to talk about the importance of education, saying no to drugs and alcohol, and discussing life as a professional athlete.
Throughout the course of the summer, Ruiz volunteered his time teaching children the fundamentals of baseball at several free clinics offered at Hadlock Field.
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