PORTLAND — If there was a player who stayed in Portland all season but should have earned a promotion to Triple-A, it was third baseman Jorge Jimenez.

Jimenez may have been the most consistent player for the Sea Dogs, batting .289 with 13 home runs and 87 RBI.

So it was little surprise that he was named the team's most valuable player in a ceremony before the season finale Monday at Hadlock Field against New Hampshire.

Jimenez, who turns 25 next week, was a 16th-round draft pick in 2006. He seems a sure bet for a move to Pawtucket next year.

"Like I've said before, I'll keep working hard and see what happens," Jimenez said. "You got to work hard to be consistent."

The Sea Dogs announced three other awards before the game.

Felix Doubront, 21, was named pitcher of the year after posting an 8-6 record with a 3.35 ERA and 101 strikeouts.

Catcher Juan Apodaca received the 10th player award. He batted .246 with five home runs and 29 RBI. Since July 1, he batted .300.

Pitcher Blake Maxwell was named citizen of the year for his several public appearances.

DANIEL NAVA never cooled off after joining the Sea Dogs on Aug. 5. He went 3 for 4 with a walk Monday to finish with a .364 batting average and .479 on-base percentage.

THE SEA DOGS broke the 400,000 mark in attendance for the fourth straight year, totaling 404,707. Portland ranked second in the Eastern League with an average attendance of 6,139. Reading averaged 6,678.

CHAD RHOADES entered in the ninth inning to make his 56th appearance of the season for the Sea Dogs, which ranks second in franchise history for a pitcher. Mike Pageler made 60 appearances in 1998.

DYNAMIC DUO: Jimenez and Jon Still became the first Portland players to each record at least 85 RBI in the same season since Kevin Millar and Ryan Jackson in 1997.

Still, who homered twice Monday in Portland's 12-4 win, finished with 89 RBI.

THE SEA DOGS will open their 2010 schedule on April 8 at a site to be announced. Portland's home opener next season is April 15. Tickets will go on sale Nov. 7.

ONE REASON no teams have finalized their 2010 schedules is the pending announcement that a team is moving to Richmond, Va. The team expected to move is the Connecticut Defenders, who play in Norwich.

BEFORE CONNECTICUT leaves, it will be in the running for the Eastern League championship. The playoffs begin Wednesday, with Connecticut hosting New Britain and Akron hosting Reading in the openers of their best-of-five series. The winners will meet next week in the finals.

SEA DOGS radio announcer Mike Antonellis was named Eastern League broadcaster of the year in a survey of his peers and league media relations directors.

Antonellis' predecessor, Todd Jamison, has been the team's director of video operations the past four years. Jamison, who first interned with the Sea Dogs in 1997, is leaving the organization to join Front Row Marketing.

Staff Writer Kevin Thomas can be contacted at 791-6411 or at: kthomas@pressherald.com