Tre Jalapenos
White Plains, NY
by Chris Lima
Modsquad Reporter

The annual Modsquad Awards Banquet took place at the Tre Jalapenos Restaurant this evening.

The star studded event saw awards ranging from the "2009 MVP Award" to "The Cutest Guy Dating a Girl Named Beth Award" being handed out by evening emcee, Kristen Bladel.

The following is a list of the awards and the citations read for each player/fan/assistant photographer;

2009 Regular Season MVP; Chris Iannantuoni

Chris led the team, for the second consecutive season, in Triples, Runs Score, Batting Average, and On Base Percentage. Iannantuoni followed up his 2008 MVP season by increasing his batting average by 32 points, posting an astounding .706 mark. Known for his obsession with consuming black jelly beans in mass quantities, Iannantuoni put a charge into the top of the lineup, scoring 23 times out of 39 plate appearances.

2009 Gold Glove Outfielder; Chris Lima

Lima led all outfielders in fielding percentage and runners thrown out this season. He also led the team in unnecessary dives, marriage proposals, and articles written on the blog. Offensively, Lima led the team in hits (25) and RBIs (21) this season.

2009 Gold Glove Infielder; Nick Difranza

Nick wowed Modsquad fans this season with countless highlight reel plays. On more than one occasion, Difranza was able to gun down opposing baserunners and was the catalyst for one of the most entertaining pickle plays in Modsquad history. Nick also led the team in doubles, collecting six on the season.

2009 Most Improved Player; Frank Vitale

Vitale followed up his rookie season with a solid 2009 campaign. Vitale filled a void at second base created by John Leahy’s early season injury. Vitale batted .321 and set a career high in runs scored this season, crossing the plate 13 times. Vitale spent countless offseason hours in the batting cages and also used a wall at his local high school to improve on his fielding technique. Vitale was also the only player to use photographs taken by the team’s photographer as a means to correct his batting stance and timing at the plate.

2009 Mr. Consistency Award; Bruce Lin

Bruce Lin followed up his breakout 2008 season with similar results. Lin batted over .500 for the second year in a row and played helped anchor a star studded Modsquad outfield. Lin collected 17 hits, all singles, which qualifies him for the 2009 Mr. Consistency Award.


2009 Moonlight Graham Award; Scott Berns

Scott Berns continues to embody the spirit of Moonlight Graham, a ballplayer turned doctor in the famous baseball film, “Field of Dreams”. Berns’ selfless actions throughout the season makes him a fan and team favorite. His compassion for every Modsquader, whether he’s a fellow vice president or someone who works at the help desk, is not lost on the team. For his outstanding ability on the diamond and his constant drive to offer quality healthcare, Scott Berns is awarded the 2009 Moonlight Graham Award.

2009 Rite Aid Player of the Year; Eric Klein

Klein continues to sacrifice his body for the team, as evident in this season’s newest stat category tracked; pints of blood lost. After suffering a bloody nose during the 2008 playoffs, Klein continued his plasma emitting ways by playing through numerous gashes, scrapes, and ripped cuticles. Klein put to good use the Med-Kit that was purchased at the beginning of the season. He also set career highs in total hits and runs batted in.

2009 Swiss Army Knife Award; Kyle Bobek

Bobek, proud owner of the 2008 Best Player from Minnesota Award, followed up his rookie campaign by posting a .375 batting average and playing six different positions for the Modsquad this season. If we needed a first basemen, Kyle was there. If an outfielder couldn’t play because he tore another 20 ligaments in his knee, Kyle was there. Bobek was even filled in as the team’s emergency catcher. Kyle is the only Modsquad player to win more than one award tonight. Kyle is also awarded the “Third Best Catcher Award”, the “Best Player from Minnesota Award” and the “Cutest Guy Dating a Girl Named Beth Award”. For being the team’s ultimate utility man, Kyle Bobek is awarded the 2009 Swiss Army Knife Award.

2009 Coach’s Award; Bobby Pezzulo

Pezzulo was a member of the 2007 Modsquad team, and after taking a season off in 2008, rejoined the team as a player/coach. Bobby guided the team to a handful of victories in Alan’s absence and set personal highs in every major stat category. Bobby’s words of wisdom before every game were an inspiration to the team and his passion for the game is second to none.

2009 Top Chef Award; Peter Coletta

Following up his 2008 Rookie of the Year win, Coletta mixed a couple of sausage, peppers, and burgers in with his floater and fastball. Always willing to grill at a moment’s notice, the team’s Italian southpaw helped pitch and cook the team to a second consecutive playoff appearance.


2009 Comeback Award; John Leahy

After shattering every bone in his body or arm, I’m not good at examining x-rays, thanks to a horrific accident while participating in a non-Modsquad sanctioned Ping Pong tournament, John Leahy returned to the team late in the season and produced. Leahy batted .571 in his three games with the team and played a solid second base. Most players would be a little gun shy after suffering such a horrific injury, but not Leahy. John never backed down when runners repeatedly attempted to break up double plays and he never held back his powerful stroke at the plate.

2009 Rookie of the Year Award; Vince Sampugnaro

Vince battled fellow rookie Alfrin Vallejo for this year’s honor, but lets be honest, all he had to do was show up. In his one game of action with the Modsquad, Vince collected two hits and drove in a run. Everyone has always suspected that Vince was hiding his softball talent from the team, but after he was let loose against in a game against GRP, Vince solidified his roster spot for the 2010 campaign.


2009 Physically Unable to Perform Award; Alfrin Vallejo

Vallejo entered the 2009 season as a highly touted rookie draftee from the IT department. His medical records indicated that his leg wouldn’t be able to withstand a strong wind, let alone an entire softball season, but Vallejo was cleared to play. After suffering a handful of setbacks and tweaking his surgically repaired knees, the ‘Squad’s cyborg was played on the Disabled List for the remainder of the season. Vallejo showed exceptional team spirit, attending every game despite knowing he wouldn’t be in the lineup. Alfrin’s management team has recently put out a press release stating that he’ll be ready to go next season, as long as he stays away from a basketball court in the offseason.

2009 Roger McDowell Award; Joel Abramson

When things got a little tense in the dugout, Joel could be counted on to lighten things up. Joel’s postgame comedy routines would lift Modsquaders out of a post loss funk or would keep the party going after a Modsquad victory. Joel posted a .563 batting average and anchored the infield by playing a solid first base throughout the 2009 campaign.

2009 Silver Slugger* Award; Todd Dias

Dias constantly produces for the Modsquad, whether its on or off the field. Dias led the team in home run, singular, this season and also collected 17 hits en route to a career high .447 batting average. Off the field, Dias keeps Modsquad reporters Chris Lima and James Halpert on their toes by fact checking and stat correcting moments after the post game article shows up on the blog. If it wasn’t for Dias, all your batting averages would be about 100 points higher. Congratulations to Todd on another successful season.

2009 Coach of the Year Award; Alan Brogdon

This marks the second consecutive year Alan has won the award because “A” he’s managed the team to another playoff appearance and “B” he’s the only person eligible for the award. Brogdon guided the Modsquad through a season filled with ups and downs. After loosing his star first basemen, Brogdon was able to quickly assemble a lineup that was able to make up for the production lost. Alan has also spent countless hours filling out team paperwork and securing the funds needed to participate in the league. It’s a thankless job, but we’re hoping this award helps a little. Congratulation to Alan Brogdon, the 2009 Coach of the Year.

2009 James Halpert Award in Assistive Reporting

This award goes to Ashley Covelli for her photographic expertise when the team’s photographer couldn’t make the games because she was surgically repairing someone’s hip. Covelli’s interesting take on the game of softball often led to award winning shots of everything but the game. For example, her photographic expose of all the Modsquad players butts, which by the way will never see the light of day, has won critical acclaim in the the photojournalism society.

2009 Fan of the Year; Rebecca Smith

Rebecca claims this award a year after Vince took home the honors. Rebecca managed to do everything humanly possible this season, whether it was to help keep an eye on the coach’s son, share an umbrella with the second baseman’s daughter, organize an engagement party for the Modsquad lovebirds, or take snapshots for the blog. Rebecca also helped organize the first ever Car Wash for Babies, which helped shed light on the team’s extraordinary ability to clean a car. Congratulations to Rebecca Smith.