Kernels' skipper praises Alvarez

CEDAR RAPIDS - We'll find out Thursday night who wins the Fan's Choice Award. Word from those in the know is relief pitcher Dakota Robinson's the guy.

The Brent Del Chiaro Award, if you will, for most valuable Cedar Rapids Kernels player is being announced here. It's infielder Ricky Alvarez.

“On most teams, he's probably batting fifth or sixth. Possibly seventh. But he stepped in here (in the middle of the order) and did a nice job,” said Del Chiaro, whose club lost to Kane County last night, 4-3, before 1,506 fans at Memorial Stadium. “The unfortunate thing is he is finding out how grueling, how much of a grind a long season is. His bat speed is starting to slow down a little bit. Mentally, with some at-bats, he has lost his focus. But ... without him, we're not even close to where we are right now.”

The Kernels were eliminated from Midwest League playoff contention on their last road trip and are playing out the string. They're 59-76 overall, so you shudder to think what they would have been without Alvarez, a 22-year-old from Tijuana, Mexico.

He got in only nine days of spring training because of visa problems and wasn't in the Kernels' original plans. But he got a shot to play first and third base regularly because of injuries and leads the team in doubles (27), home runs (10) and RBIs (62).

“That's it, man. I always have that mentality. Whenever you have a chance, an opportunity, you've got to take it,” Alvarez said. “You've got to hold (on) to it, because you never know.”

Alvarez was drafted in the 27th round in 2007 by the New York Mets but got released after spending that summer in the Venezuelan Summer League. Being a draft pick, he had to play in the United States and had to be declared a free agent.

The Angels signed him shortly thereafter, and he's an MVP.

“Wow. When the manager says that, I've got to thank him,” Alvarez said. “I've been working hard. The whole team has worked hard. For me, the whole team is (MVP) ... It's not just one guy.”

Kane County clinched the final second-half playoff spot in the Western Division with the victory. The teams play again Thursday night at 6:35.