David Ortiz was obviously enjoying the moment Wednesday night, soaking it all in as he stood on the field at Fenway Park and accepted his World Series MVP trophy.
Ortiz provided the bulk of the offence for the Boston Red Sox as he punished the St. Louis Cardinals with his powerful performance at the plate in the 109th World Series.
"I am back baby," Ortiz said after the Red Sox dominated the Cardinals 6-1 to clinch their first title at home in 95 years with a 4-2 series win in Major League Baseball's best-of-seven championship final.
"Should I keep it clean," he screamed into the microphone. "This is our bleep city."
The 37-year-old Ortiz, of the Dominican Republic, didn't have one his most productive nights Wednesday as the Cardinals chose to walk him four out of five times he stepped up to the plate.
But he finished an otherworldly 11-for-16 with a .688 batting average in the Series.
Ortiz also contributed a rousing dugout speech in the midst of game four on Sunday, inspiring his teammates to rally for a 4-2 victory that knotted the series at two games apiece.
He became the third player in Red Sox history to be named Most Valuable Player of the World Series, joining Mike Lowell (2007) and Manny Ramirez (2004).
Ortiz is the last remaining veteran from the Red Sox 2004 championship team.
He now has three championships and says this ring is the one he will cherish the most.
"Winning this World Series is special," Ortiz said. "I think it might be the most special out of all the World Series that I have been part of, to be honest with you, because this is a team that we have a lot of players with heart.
"We probably don't have the talent that we had in '07 and '04, but we have guys that are capable to stay focused and do the little things," he said. "And when you win with a ball club like that, that's special."
Ortiz produced his seventh 30-homer/100-RBI season and hit .309 this season. He changed the course of the American League Championship Series with his game-tying grand slam in game two against the Detroit Tigers.
A full-time designated hitter in the American League, he even adapted to playing first base when the World Series shifted to the National League ball park in St. Louis.
"I like to take things personal, you know. And it has been like that my whole career, a challenge," he said. "I wasn't trying to be the guy, but I know I had to get something done to keep the line moving."
The Cardinals gave him a free pass the first three times he came to the plate on Wednesday, and Ortiz struck out in the sixth inning.
It was the first strikeout of the Series for the man they call "Big Papi".
"Thank God, everything worked out well, and I didn't even have to do anything today, I guess, the rest of the team took over," he said.
Source: DSG
