Rangers, Celis reel in the SML hardware

The Ford Rangers finally got tangible proof of their championship season on Friday night as officials of the Saipan Major League Baseball Association doled out team trophies to the first-time first placers as well as to a number of individuals with standout performances throughout the season and playoffs.

Manager Craig Tenorio represented his ball club beneath the Beach Road pavilion to accept the trophy from league coordinator Tony Rogolifoi and president Rose Igitol to the applause and cheers from all who gathered for the event.

The applause continued as John Reyes and Craig Sanchez became the first co-MVPs for the SML playoffs in the history of the league. Reyes’ contributions at the plate and Sanchez’s tireless efforts on the mound and behind the plate were recognized as the key factors in the Rangers’ success.

The Northern Yankees also received a sizeable award for their postseason efforts in the form of the runner’s-up trophy, and then accepted the enormous trophy from Rogolifoi for persevering throughout the regular season to win the pennant with a record of 11-2. The pinstripers earned their laurels following a one-game playoff in which they edged the Miller Lite Brewers (10-3). In the postseason, the Yankees made quick work of the Budweiser Kings before succumbing to the Rangers in four games.

For leading his team to the SML finals for the third time in three years, Tino Camacho of the Yankees won the SML Manager of the Year award, and while he eventually led his boys to the championship as a manager, Craig Tenorio of the Rangers took the Coach of the Year after originally starting out in the coaching ranks.

While the top teams celebrated their accomplishments as squads, league officials gave some of them reason to broaden their smiles when they announced the list of awardees who stood out among the best of Saipan.

Tony Celis cleaned up with the most individual awards for his exploits at the plate—including being named as the league’s most valuable player, as the all-star third baseman took the batting title with a .485 batting average, ruled the list of two-baggers (9), and runs batted in (25).

The list of top hitters continued with Robert Bansil (Yankees) for scoring the most runs, Mel Sakisat (Yankees) and Ben Mesa (Masters) who tied with the most triples (3), and Johnson Jones, Dane Lizama, Mesa, and Sakisat who tied for the most homeruns (1).

In the pitching realm, nobody held a candle to the 0.51 earned run average of Yankees hurler Jonathan Jones. Many speculated that the fate of the pinstripers would have been different if their ace was on-island for the SML championship—something that will never been known for sure. Jonathan Camacho of the Brewers was also in a league of his own with 64 strikeouts that dominated the mound.

The two were dueling all year, but in the end it was Jones who was named the SML Pitcher of the Year.

The award for the best pitch-getter went to Manny Sablan of the Brewers, while top fielding nods went to Dane Lizama and Ben Jones for the Gold Gloves of the infield and outfield, respectively.

While they weren’t able to make much of an impact on the left side of the win-loss column, the San Antonio Mets always displayed a high level of class both on and off the field to earn the Sportsmanship Award. The club also had reason to celebrate as Mike Palacios earned the Rookie of the Year award as the team’s diamond in the rough.