Phillies' starting pitcher Cole Hamels was named the MVP of the World Series after the team's five-game defeat of the Rays in the Fall Classic.

Game 5 of the World Series resumed on Wednesday night after nearly a 46-hour delay, and a little more than an hour later the Phillies defeated the Rays 4-3 to win the World Series. The Phillies didn't waste any time, scoring in the bottom of the sixth inning, just a few minutes after the game was resumed, on an RBI single by Jayson Werth to shallow center. Rocco Baldelli answered quickly for the Rays, hitting a solo home run off Ryan Madson in the top of the seven, but Philadelphia answered back just as quickly in the bottom of the inning. Pat Burrell led off the inning with a double, and Pedro Feliz then singled home Eric Bruntlett, who ran for Burrell, to give the Phillies a 4-3 lead. Philadelphia reliever J.C. Romero recorded four outs before closer Brad Lidge came on in the top of the ninth. Lidge got Evan Longoria to pop out to Chase Utley behind second base for the first out of the inning, with the crowd at Citizens Bank Park waving their white towels in anticipation. Dioner Navarro then singled to right to put the tying run on the base pads with Ben Zobrist, pitch-hitting for Baldelli, coming up to bat. Fernando Perez, running for Navarro, stole second before Zobrist lined out to right. Perez was forced to stay at second on the play, and manager Joe Maddon sent Eric Hinske to the plate to hit for Jason Bartlett with Tampa Bay down to their last out. Lidge then struck Hinske out to win the game and the World Series for the Phillies and the city of Philadelphia.

Rangers' outfielder Josh Hamilton won a Players Choice Award on Tuesday when he was named the American League's Most Outstanding Player. Getting such an award from his peers "Means more than anything," Hamilton said. Hamilton batted .304 with 32 homers and an AL-best 130 RBIs. He beat out two other finalists Minnesota's Justin Morneau and Boston's Dustin Pedroia for the award. However, he doesn't appear content with the honor. "I want to come to spring training in even better shape than I did last season," said Hamilton.

Tim Lincecum and Cliff Lee have been named the 2008 Sporting News' Pitchers of the Year, voted on by a panel of 314 Major League players. Lincecum, 24, was dominant in just his second season. He was 18-5 with a 2.62 ERA and led the majors with 265 strikeouts in 227 innings. "You don't see many guys his size throwing that hard, but it's not so much his size and deception. It's his stuff. He has 'A' stuff," Phillies' second baseman Chase Utley said. Lee tied for the major league lead with 22 wins -- he finished 22-3 -- and his 2.54 ERA was best in the American League. In 223-1/3 innings, the left-hander allowed just 34 walks and struck out 170. "He's always had the stuff, but this year he coupled that stuff with the ability to locate and trust his pitches," Cleveland catcher Kelly Shoppach said. "He had zero fear of throwing to either side of the plate no matter who the hitter was."

Rays outfielder B.J. Upton hit his seventh home run of the 2008 postseason on Saturday night in Game 5 of the ALCS against the Red Sox. Upton, who hit three homers in the ALDS against Chicago, has smacked four versus Boston through the first six games of the series. He now sits in a tie with teammate Evan Longoria, who has also hit four home runs in this year's ALCS, and six other players. Carlos Beltran (2004), Albert Pujols (2004), Jim Thome (1998), Jeffrey Leonard (1987), Steve Garvey (1978) and Bob Robertson (1971) have also hit four home runs in LCS play. He had just nine home runs in 531 regular-season at-bats, a rate of one home run every 59 at-bats. Through his first at-bat in Game 5, he's hitting a homer every 5.5 at-bats in the postseason. Upton also has 11 RBI in this month's ALCS, moving him into a tie with Boston's David Ortiz, who had 11 RBI against New York in the 2004 ALCS. Upton's home run briefly gave Tampa Bay a 1-0 lead in Game 5, before Kevin Youkilis answered with a homer of his own in the next half-inning.

Rays' outfielder Carl Crawford tied an ALCS record on Tuesday night when he went 5-for-5 in Game 4 against the Red Sox. The five hits tied an ALCS record. It was an amazing feat considering that Tampa Bay thought they lost Crawford for the season this summer when he went down with a right hand injury that required surgery. "I can't explain to you guys how good it just feels to be back in the lineup ? just to be playing baseball," Crawford said. "To have that taken away from you in a blink of an eye, it really does something to you, and it makes you appreciate it more when you come back."

On Monday, Yankees' right-hander Phil Hughes was selected as the Arizona Fall League's Pitcher of the Week for the circuit's first week of action. Hughes won his start in the Peoria Javelinas' AFL opener on Tuesday, striking out seven and allowing one hit over five scoreless innings in a 10-3 victory over the Surprise Rafters. Hughes pitched out of trouble in the start, walking five, and was scheduled to make his second AFL start on Monday. "I never tried to figure out what happened this year -- I just tried to move forward," Hughes said. "I'll go to the Fall League and pitch well there and get some innings in, and then come into Spring Training ready to go." RealGM Note: In his second start of the Fall League, Hughes gave up just one run, a solo job, over five innings.