Sayonara

Ryan Howard was named MVP of the NBP-MLB series as the MLB team completed the sweep of the Japanese team for the first time in over 70 years.

Game 1: 2-3 with a BB. And one run scored. 3 total bases.
Game 2: 2-3 with a BB. 2 runs scored and 3 RBI’s. 2 home runs and 8 Total bases.
Game 3: 3-4 with 3 runs scored and 3 RBI's. 3-run home run and 7 total bases.
Game 4: 1-4 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored. Solo home run with game tied in the top of the 8^th. 4 total bases.
Game 5: 2-4 with 1 RBI and 1 run scored. 3 total bases.
In total: 10-18 (.556); 8 RBI's; 2 BB's; 8 runs scored; 4 home runs; 25 total bases.





























"The Most Valuable Player of the Japan All-Star Series walked into his press conference cradling a victory Big Mac. A man's got to eat, right? Especially one who had done as much heavy lifting as Ryan Howard these past few days."

Could there be another MVP in Howard's near future? The National League MVP will be handed out on Nov. 20, and Howard (58 homers) is a leading candidate.

"Had to go there, didn't you?" quipped Howard.

The humble man is not one to talk about his chances against the likes of Albert Pujols, Carlos Beltran and the like. But he was more than happy to talk about the show he put on in Japan.
"It was great to win the MVP with the talent we had on this team," said Howard. "To do something like that is special. I just wanted to come out here and have fun and try to put on a good show and help the team win. To be able to win the MVP here is great." Howard was a show on to himself in Japan. His smile lit up the cameras and his bat never stopped tormenting pitchers he'd never faced before." -MLB.com
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In the game 5 finale, Jose Reyes hit a walk-off 2-run home run in the 10th inning to give the MLB the sweep.

"FUKUOKA, Japan -- In the United States, it has become universally
known as the walk-off homer. Here in Japan, the adjective they use
for a game-ending blast is "sayonara". We came all the way over
from the States to come here and play, and to win," said Ryan Howard,
the MVP of the All-Star Series. "The Japanese team was great, they
never stopped fighting. They were in every game. They gave us a good
run for our money. Reyes was fortunate to have a little bit of motivation
from myself and David Wright and some of our other teammates to be
able to go up there and hit one."

What did that motivation entail?

"We were just messing around with him," said Howard. "We were
telling him, 'Don't be afraid to do something.' He rose to the occasion."

So much so that the Fukuoka Dome suddenly sounded like Shea Stadium,
with chants of "Jose, Jose, Jose" cascading around the home-run hero.
"It feels good to have some fans on the other side of the country," said
Reyes. "It was exciting for me when I heard my name, Jose, Jose. I felt
like I was playing in Shea Stadium. It was kind of exciting for me."

-MLB.com