Jennings named Southern League MVP

Desmond Jennings and Travis Wood both played their most recent games at the Triple-A level, but their performances in the Southern League this year were unforgettable.

Their efforts were recognized on Monday as Jennings was voted the Southern League Most Valuable Player Award and Wood was named the Southern League's Most Outstanding Pitcher for his 19 starts with the Carolina Mudcats.

Jennings, a Rays prospect, hit .316 with eight homers, eight triples, 69 runs scored and 45 RBIs with the Montgomery Biscuits. He's still tied for second in the league with 37 stolen bases as of Aug. 31 despite being called up to Durham on Aug. 1.

Wood, a southpaw in the Reds organization, went 9-3 and put up a phenomenal 1.21 ERA over 119 innings for Carolina. He was promoted to Louisville on July 19, yet as of August 30, he was still tied for fourth with 103 Southern League strikeouts. Wood issued just 37 walks during his time with the Mudcats.

Everardo Magallanes, skipper of the Birmingham Barons, was named Manager of the Year. Birmingham had no trouble securing its second consecutive South Division first-half title, posting a 48-21 record before the All-Star break. Magallanes kept the Barons inspired through the dog days of summer, and they enter the final day of August with a 37-25 mark in the second half.

This is Magallanes' first year in the White Sox system (he spent the previous three seasons in the Angels organization), and he has his squad leading the league in hitting, runs, home runs, wins, shutouts and homers allowed.

Five of Magallanes' players -- Tyler Flowers, C.J. Retherford, David Cook, Stefan Gartrell and John Ely -- were named to the Southern League postseason All-Star team, and Retherford was the circuit's only unanimous selection.

West Tenn standouts Ezequiel Carrera and Greg Halman were all also named to the postseason All-Star roster while Mississippi's Matt Young was voted the league's "best hustler."

The awards were voted upon by a committee composed of league managers, radio broadcasters and members of the regional print media.

2009 Southern League Postseason All-Star Team
Infielders/Outfielders			DH/Pitchers
POS.	PLAYER NAME	TEAM	POS.	PLAYER NAME	TEAM
C	Tyler Flowers	Birmingham	DH	Greg Halman	West Tenn
1B	Blake Lalli	Tennessee	RHP	John Ely	Birmingham
2B	C.J. Retherford	Birmingham	LHP	Travis Wood	Carolina
3B	Juan Francisco	Carolina	RP	Matt Peterson	Jacksonville
SS	Pedro Ciriaco	Mobile	Best Hustler	Matt Young	Mississippi
UTIL	Todd Frazier	Carolina
OF	David Cook	Birmingham
OF	Steven Gartrell	Birmingham
OF	Desmond Jennings	Montgomery
Manager of the Year: Everardo Magallanes, Birmingham
Most Outstanding Pitcher: Travis Wood, Carolina
Most Valuable Player: Desmond Jennings, Montgomery