David Freese wins World Series MVP awesome

With his walk-off home run in game 6, David Freese etched in name in World Series lore, but he did so much more than this this post season.

In sum this World Series, the third baseman hit .348, with five of his eight hits going for extra bases. For good measure, he added a slick catch on Josh Hamilton’s foul pop in Game 7.
Tack those feats onto his postseason totals and Freese finished with a .397 average, five home runs and a Major League-record 21 RBIs in 18 games.
Many of them were big hits, important hits, especially at the end. Freese’s double in Game 7 tied things after the Rangers had taken a quick lead. His 11th-inning, walk-off home run in Game 6 capped one of the most improbable comebacks in World Series history, after his ninth-inning, two-run triple gave the Cardinals a chance.



Freese became the sixth player to win the MVP in the league championship series and then winning the World Series MVP award. He gets a black Corvette to remind him of this classic World Series.
He’s also an example of the importance of having a short memory in sports. He had some tough plays in the field, and his errors cost the Cards some runs, but he came back and delivered in the clutch.

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The St. Louis Cardinals Are Your World Series Champions

There was a method to Tony LaRussa’s madness. The St. Louis Cardinals are your World Series Champions, after defeating the Texas Rangers 6-2 in Game 7. Mr. Clutch and Hometown Hero David Freese is your World Series MVP. Bud Selig just had to read that off a script, which is why they pay him the big bucks, really big bucks. Thankfully, the playoffs are now over, so we can progress to what baseball fans truly care about: the Red Sox and Yankees hot stove.

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World Series Game 7 Pitching Factoids

There is nothing quite like a World Series game 7. To get you ready I thought I would throw a few pitching factoids out there, courtesy of the indispensable Baseball-Reference Play Index:

Greatest Game Score in a Game 7? Sandy Koufax in 1965 (88)
Worst Game Score in a Game 7? Smokey Joe Wood in 1912 (15)
Greatest Game score in a Game 7 loss? Mike Cuellar in 1971 (72)
Last pitcher to win a Game 7 in the World Series? John Lackey in 2002
Pitcher with the most Game 7 appearances? Bob Turley and Bob Gibson (3). Gibson started all three games (most all time).
Most intentional walks issued by a team in a Game 7? Atlanta in 1991 (4)

Starting pitcher with the fewest strikeouts during a Game 7 win? Joaquin Andujar in 1982 (1, tied with four others)
Starting pitcher with the most walks in a Game 7 win? Jesse Haines in 1926 (5, tied with two others)
Fewest basrunners allowed by a starting pitcher in a Game 7 win? Ralph Terry in 1962 (4)
Most baserunners allowed by a starting pitcher in a Game 7 win? Jeff Tesreau in 1912 (17)
Most runners picked off in a Game 7? Mickey Lolich in 1968 (2)
Fewest innings pitched by a starter in Game 7? Hank Borowy in 1945 (didn't record a single out--faced three batters, all reached with singles). And you thought LaRussa had a quick hook! Also, last Cubs pitcher to win a World Series game.
Only Game 7 in history where both team's starting pitchers threw at least 9 innings? 1968, Tigers 4 St. Louis 1. Both starters went the full nine innings.
Most total bases allowed in a Game 7 win? Pittsburgh Pirates in 1960 (20 to the Yankees.

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Best game 7's in World Series History

Earlier, we posted the best Game 6′s to force a Game 7 since 1960. Now, it is the best Game 7′s. In the 19 Game 7′s since 1960, the team that won Game 6 went on to go 10-9 in Game 7. So while Texas may be down after coming so close to winning it several times last night, it doesn’t always work out that the team coming off the win goes on to win the Series.
Sometimes the Game 6 overshadows the Game 7 in history, but these games lived up to the hype. Again, with apologies to Enos Slaughter racing from first in 1946 or Walter Johnson coming in relief to pitch 4 scoreless innings for the Senators only World Series’ win, these are the best Game 7′s since 1960.

1975, Reds 4, Red Sox 3: It was hard to top the dramatic ending from the prevous game, but the Big Red Machine and the Red Sox played another classic in game 7. The Red Sox went up 3-0 early, but the Reds slowly came back. Tony Perez hit a 2-run homer off Bill “Spaceman” Lee, then tied it in the top of the 7th on a Pete Rose single. In the top of the 9th, the Reds scored the winning run on a Joe Morgan bloop single.

1997 Marlins 3, Indians 2 (11th inning): The Indians had a 2-0 lead on their way to the first World Series title since 1948. The Marlins scored 1 in the bottom of the 7th, then Craig Counsell delivered a sac fly against Jose Mesa in the bottom of the 9th. Two innings later, Counsell came home on Edgar Renteria’s single to win the Series for the fledgling franchise in just its fifth season.

 

1991 Twins 1, Braves 0 (10 innings): The game that made Jack Morris into a larger than life figure for his complete game. A night after Kirby Puckett won game 6 with a dramatic extra inning home run, the Twins won another one in dramatic fashion. The Braves had a chance to score in the top of the 8th but squandered it when Lonnie Smith slowed going around second and only went to third on a double. In the bottom of the 10th, Dan Gladden doubled to lead off, and then Bobby Cox intentionally walked Puckett and Hrbek, bringing Gene Larkin to the plate. Larkin delivered the game winning single.

2001, Diamondbacks 3, Yankees 2: This memorable pitcher’s duel between Roger Clemens and Curt Schilling delivered on the hype. The Yankees were three-time defending champions, and took a 2-1 lead in the 8th on an Alfonso Soriano home run. In the bottom of the 9th, Rivera gave up a single to slump buster Mark Grace, then committed an error on the throw to second after the bunt. The Diamondbacks tied it on Tony Womack’s double, then Luis Gonzalez delivered one of the biggest singles in World Series history.

1960, Pirates 10, Yankees 9: In the wildest game 7 with massive swings, the Yankees came into the final game as the heavyweight. In the 3 wins over the Pirates in the Series, Mantle, Maris and company had outscored the Pirates 38-3. The Pirates jumped to an early 4-0 lead, but the Yankees erased it with 8 straight. In the bottom of the 8th, the Pirates scored 5 runs to take a lead into the 9th, but the Yankees manufactured two runs, with the final one scoring while Mantle was almost tagged out returning to first after a wild force play. In the bottom of the 9th, Bill Mazeroski, the light hitting, slick fielding second baseman, hit the first walk off home run in a game 7 in World Series history.

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