Monroe shocks even himself

ST. LOUIS -- David Ortiz was a nontendered free agent when he came to the Red Sox. Craig Monroe is no Ortiz, but he should be an inspiration to late bloomers everywhere.

Monroe was claimed off waivers by the Tigers from Texas four years ago, after eight years in the minors, and has emerged as the slugging star of the postseason for the Tigers. Entering last night's Game 3 of the World Series, in which he went 0 for 4, Detroit's left fielder had five home runs in this postseason, including a ninth-inning blast off Anthony Reyes in Game 1 and a bases-empty shot off Jeff Weaver in the first inning of Game 2.

Monroe, 29, has matched Hall of Famer Hank Greenberg for most postseason home runs by a Tiger. He is also just one of five players to hit a home run in each of his first two World Series games, joining Barry Bonds (2002), Ted Simmons (1982), Dusty Rhodes (1954), and Jimmie Foxx (1929).

The Tigers had hit at least one home run in their first 10 postseason games, something only the 1992 Blue Jays and 2004 Astros have done, before being shut out last night.

"I'm shocked sometimes of myself," said Monroe, who hit just .186 in the season's last month but began play last night batting .324 with nine RBIs in the postseason. "I'm relaxed and having fun. I think that's the big thing.

"I'm not getting caught up in all the things that are going on around me."

Fourteen of Monroe's 28 regular-season home runs came in the seventh inning or later, including a ninth-inning, two-out, three-run shot to beat the Yankees in the Bronx when the Tigers were in free fall. Only one player in the AL hit more home runs from the seventh inning on: Ortiz, who had 17.

Dirty job

On Kiener Plaza, where the water fountains run red in honor of the Cardinals and fans gather before a game, a couple of enterprising locals, Grant Huelskamp and Hal Delcambre, had set up a booth with the sign, "Buy your pine tar here." The idea was hatched, said Delcambre, who sells used Chevrolets, even before Kenny Rogers and the Tigers had finished beating the Cardinals, 3-1, in Game 2. For $3, you could purchase a small piece of brown foam, shaped like the smudge on Rogers's hand, with a piece of Velcro to attach to your hand.

Pujols, Polanco pals

While the longtime friendship between the managers, Jim Leyland and Tony La Russa, has been a well-covered component of this Series, another meaningful bond exists between adversaries. "This is my best friend," Albert Pujols of the Cardinals said, introducing Placido Polanco of the Tigers to an acquaintance outside the St. Louis clubhouse hours before the game. Pujols, who played with Polanco until Polanco was dealt to the Phillies in 2002, is godfather to Polanco's 3-year-old son, Ishmael ... La Russa, who discussed "DirtBall" at some length Monday, refused to be drawn into a further discussion of Rogers yesterday. Asked about allegations made by Cardinals hitting coach Hal McRae that St. Louis had detected scuff marks on "five or six" balls used by Rogers, La Russa said: "My conversation on that is going to be zero. I think it's Game 3 and we've all got work to do, so I'm not involved with it and I don't want our club to be." ... Cardinals shortstop David Eckstein, clearly showing the effects of the left shoulder sprain he sustained in Game 5 of the NLCS, entered the game just 1 for 16 in four games since, including 0 for 9 in the Series, although he singled in the fifth inning last night and finished 2 for 4. Eckstein, who had oblique muscle and hamstring injuries in the last two months, is 10 for 54 (.185) in the postseason. In 28 postseason games before this season, Eckstein had batted .291 (32 for 110) ... Cardinals third baseman Scott Rolen, benched earlier in the postseason because he was slumping, has hit safely in his last eight playoff games (.333, 10 for 30) and is 5 for 12 with a home run in the first three games of the Series ... Red Sox manager Terry Francona is expected to remain hospitalized for a couple of more days while undergoing treatment for an infection in his left foot.

First things first

This is the sixth time that a World Series has been played in a ballpark that opened the same season. Fenway Park makes that list; the Sox won the AL pennant in their first season at Fenway and played the New York Giants. The first Series game played in Fenway, Oct. 9, 1912, was called on account of darkness with the score tied, 6-6, after 11 innings. The Red Sox won the Series in the eighth game, scoring two runs in the bottom of the 10th to beat Christy Mathewson, 3-2. Giants center fielder Fred Snodgrass dropped a fly ball in the inning, the play remembered as "Snodgrass's muff." The other ballparks that hosted a Series in their first year: Forbes Field in Pittsburgh (1909), the Polo Grounds in New York (1911), Yankee Stadium in New York (1923), and Riverfront Stadium in Cincinnati (1970). Fenway and Yankee Stadium are the only parks on that list still in existence.

Tiger is antsy

Tigers third baseman Brandon Inge is not one to sit down and watch a ballgame on TV. "I'm someone who doesn't have much patience to sit and watch a game," Inge said. "Those around me know I'm a little antsy, the ADD kicks in, and I've got to go do something. I would catch bits and pieces here and there, but sitting down and watching a whole game? Not going to happen."

Delgado honored

Mets first baseman Carlos Delgado, who grew up wearing Roberto Clemente's No. 21 in their native Puerto Rico and gave up wearing it only for the interlude in which he was teammates with Roger Clemens in Toronto, was named winner of the Clemente Award, which goes to the player who combines outstanding performance with community service. Delgado's Extra Bases foundation helps underprivileged children in Puerto Rico. Delgado also sponsors two four-year college scholarships and trips to New York City for the top students in Puerto Rico. Ortiz was the Red Sox nominee ... Hall of Famer Stan Musial, a three-time MVP and seven-time batting champion for the Cardinals whose statue sits at an entrance of Busch Stadium, threw out the first pitch. Musial will turn 86 Nov. 21 ... A total of $1.2 million in the proceeds from the World Baseball Classic is being donated to Habitat for Humanity International to build homes for victims of Hurricane Katrina ... Last night was the first time in their last seven Series games the Cardinals did not allow a run in the first inning.

Gordon Edes can be reached at edes@globe.com.