Pablo Sandoval Named World Series MVP

Pablo Sandoval of Venezuela was named the World Series MVP after the San Francisco Giants swept the Detroit Tigers to win this year’s edition of the Fall Classic.

The infielder nicknamed the “Kung Fu Panda” made World Series history when he became the fourth player to hit three home runs in one game.  His offensive prowess did not end with Game 1, however, as he averaged .500 and hit four RBIs in his sixteen Series at-bats.

“It's just an incredible moment you're never going to forget,” said Sandoval to ESPN after Sunday night’s 4-3 Series clinching victory.  “Have fun, like a little kid, fight for everything, never lose faith. It's important when you have teammates thinking that way, you are that guy,” he added.

Sandoval’s MVP is certainly well deserved though it could have easily gone to any one of his teammates who played spectacularly during the World Series. NLCS MVP Marco Scutaro drove in the championship clinching run in extra innings while Sergio Romo struck out the side in the tenth inning to record his third save in the Series.

While the Giants captured their second crown in three years, the Tigers were left reeling and without a title since 1984. 

"It's very sad, what we're feeling right now, " said Miguel Cabrera to the Detroit Free Press.  "I feel embarrassed. I struck out. I made the last out in the World Series," added the slugger whose bat was largely silent throughout the Series despite becoming the first Triple Crown hitting champion since 1967.

A record twenty-two Latino players participated in this year’s World Series including nine each from Venezuela and the Dominican Republic.  In remarks to Fox News Latino, baseball historian Rob Ruck praised the Latino presence in the World Series as well as the emergence of star players from Venezuela:

Panda Power! Sandoval Pushes Giants to World Series Game 1 Win

Venezuelan slugger Pablo Sandoval became the fourth player to hit three home runs in a World Series game, a feat he accomplished in last night’s 8-3 victory by the San Francisco Giants in the first game of the World Series.

The man nicknamed the “Kung Fu Panda” hit his round-trippers in the first, third and fifth innings as part of a dominant performance by the Giants over the Detroit Tigers.  Two of the homers came over Tigers ace Justin Verlander who was outpitched by the duo of Barry Zito and Tim Lincecum.

"Man, I still can't believe it," Sandoval said to the press after a game that electrified the hometown San Francisco crowd. "When you're a little kid, you dream of being in the World Series. But I [wasn't] thinking of being in this situation, three homers in one game," Sandoval added.

Sandoval thus joins Babe Ruth, Reggie Jackson and Albert Pujols as the only men to hit three homers in a World Series game.  He also made it to the Venezuelan baseball record books by hitting as many World Series home runs as all the other major league players from his homeland had ever hit in all their previous World Series appearances.

Sandoval is one of a record nine Venezuelans participating in this year’s World Series, which includes teammate Marco Scutaro and Triple Crown champion Miguel Cabrera.  As a result, Sandoval and company have become an immense source of pride among their countrymen: