Oakland’s Altuve speeds to SL MVP award

Oakland sparkplug Jose Altuve, the PGBL batting champion who came five hits shy of matching the single-season record, outdistanced the field to win the South League MVP award.
Altuve received five of the 11 first-place votes and totaled 121 points after hitting .345 with 235 hits and a PGBL-leading 56 doubles. He led the SL with 112 runs and 77 stolen bases while helping the Athletes top the PGBL with 116 wins.
Jose Bautista, traded from Memphis to Dublin midseason, received two first-place votes and tied Oakland’s Andrew McCutchen and St. Louis’ Lucas Duda for second with 63 points.
McCutchen and Duda joined Guinness catcher Devin Mesoraco, Las Vegas home run and RBI champ CJ Cron and Clydesdales third baseman Adrian Beltre with one first-place vote apiece.
Altuve is the first second baseman to win the MVP award. He became the third winner for the franchise formerly based in Taiwan, following Manny Ramirez, a midseason acquisition from Tijuana in 2007, and Albert Pujols in 2010.
Voting totals (first-place votes in parentheses)
1. Jose Altuve, Oakland (5) …………….121
2. Jose Bautista, Memphis/Dublin (2) …..63
(tie) Andrew McCutchen, Oakland (1) …..63
(tie) Lucas Duda, St. Louis ……………….63
5. Devin Mesoraco, Dublin (5) …………..59
6. CJ Cron, Las Vegas (1) ………………..54
7. Paul Goldschmidt, Oakland ……………42
8. Starling Marte, Twin City ………………34
9. Oswaldo Arcia, Dublin …………………31
10. Adrian Beltre, St. Louis (1) ………….29
11. Danny Santana, Las Vegas ………….11
(tie) AJ Pollock, Oakland …………………11
13. Johnny Cueto, Memphis …………….10
14. Yasiel Puig, St. Louis ………………….8
15. Carl Crawford, St. Louis ……………….8
16. David Peralta, St. Louis ………………..2
17. Matt Holliday, St. Louis ………………..1
South League Most Valuable Players
2002 – Phil Nevin, Memphis
2003 – Manny Ramirez, Tijuana
2004 – Todd Helton, Louisville
2005 – Jim Edmonds, Key West
2006 – Richie Sexson, Las Vegas
2007 – Manny Ramirez, Tijuana/Taiwan
2008 – Alex Rodriguez, Key West
2009 – Ryan Howard, Louisville
2010 – Albert Pujols, Taiwan
2011 – Joey Votto, St. Louis
2012 – Carlos Beltran, Memphis
2013 – Andrew McCutchen, Louisville
2014 – Hanley Ramirez, St. Louis
2015 – Jose Altuve, Oakland