8.28.06: New York Honors Pujols with the 2005 Latino MVP Awarde
By Julio Pabón

New York: Sofrito is an ingredient that is used in our Latin food to give it that particular spice that we Caribbean's love. Sofrito is also the name of the restaurant that hosted the 17th Annual Latino MVP Award and I can safely say that Sofrito is what the event was all about. It had flavor. A unique Latin flavor that made all 100 plus guests feel the love and respect that Albert Pujols can generate here in New York City.

This event could have been done in St, Louis, but I don't think that it would have generated the closeness and positive energy that everyone felt throughout the afternoon. In fact, the last two awards were held in St. Louis (Pujols has won the LatinoMVP three consecutive years), the events were very nice, but nothing compared to what we witnessed today.

Pujols was very excited about receiving the award, just as he has the last two previous occasions. I have not met a baseball player that was genuinely interested in winning this particular award more often than Albert Pujols. In his speech, Pujols mentioned how proud he was to have won the LatinoMVP award three consecutive seasons and alluded to possibly winning a fourth. "I am very proud of winning this award that is voted on by Latino sports writers and broadcasters. God willing I look forward to winning again because I am a person that likes to better myself every year. If I hit 41 homeruns one season, next one I want to hit 42." He joked about the possibility that NY Mets Carlos Beltran might be a strong candidate as was mentioned earlier in Omar Minaya's remarks.

Earlier in the presentation, NY Mets General Manager joked and told Pujols that though he was a candidate for a possible fourth, his player, Carlos Beltran was having a stellar year and could also win. Pujols told the audience that he loved receiving this award because he felt he was in his country receiving it. He also joked and stated that though Minaya had stated that Beltran was a candidate as well for the 2006 vote that he really didn't mind. "Beltran is a Puerto Rican and if he wins that is another Latino winning the award and it stays within the family." The crowd loved Pujols comments and gave him a very strong and loud applause. Albert Pujols felt like if he was at home in the islands and that was because their was a lot of "Sofrito" in today's event.