First baseman Gaby Sanchez, who helped lead the Carolina Mudcats to the second-half title in the North Division of the Southern League, has been named Most Valuable Player of the Double-A league.

Through Thursday, Sanchez was leading the league with a franchise-record 41 doubles and hitting .320 with 17 homers and 88 RBIs. Sanchez also had 17 stolen bases.

Sanchez, 24, was on Baseball America's list of top players in the league, recognized by the magazine as the best defensive first baseman in the Southern League.

Sanchez was one of three Mudcats on the league's All-Star team, which was released on Thursday, joining second baseman Chris Coghlan and outfielder John Raynor.

The Mudcats will meet first-half North Division champ West Tenn in a best-of-five series in the first round of the playoffs beginning next Wednesday at Jackson, Tenn. The second game is Thursday at West Tenn, before the teams come to Five County Stadium for Game 3 on Saturday, Sept. 6 at 6:15 p.m. Games 4 and 5, if necessary, will be at Five County Stadium on Sunday, Sept. 7, and Monday, Sept. 8

FROM SOUTHERN LEAGUE/CAROLINA MUDCATS NEWS RELEASES

Boston's Beckett goes on 15-day DL

Josh Beckett was put on the 15-day disabled list because of an inflamed right elbow, and manager Terry Francona hopes the Boston Red Sox ace can return to the rotation next Friday in Texas. Beckett was examined by Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola., Fla., on Friday.

"I don't trust anybody more than I trust him when it comes to stuff like that. Just to go down there and hear it from him. It's something I needed to do, just to clear my mind," Beckett said. "He said my ligament looked fine. That's what I was afraid of. ... It was a big relief."

Now Francona hopes to have Beckett back for the stretch drive for a playoff spot. "There were a number of tests and Josh came through with flying colors," Francona said. "Obviously, we hoped for that. We needed to get some closure."

SHORT HOPS: Baltimore Orioles pitcher Daniel Cabrera began serving his six-game suspension Friday for throwing at the Yankees' Alex Rodriguez after the ruling was upheld by Major League Baseball.

* The San Diego Padres placed outfielder Scott Hairston on the 15-day disabled list Friday because of a torn ligament in his left thumb.

* Cleveland Indians catcher Victor Martinez, sidelined for more than two months with an injured right elbow, was activated from the disabled list before Friday's game against the Seattle Mariners.

* The Houston Astros extended the contracts of pitcher Brian Moehler and outfielder Darin Erstad through the 2009 season.

* Nationals right-hander Shaun Hill is scheduled to have his chronically sore right forearm evaluated on Wednesday and will then undergo arthroscopic surgery on his pitching elbow.

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