Hamels again is an MVP

He's fifth player to prevail twice

PHILADELPHIA - Cole Hamels, who who started for the Phillies in Games 1 and 5, was named the Most Valuable Player of the World Series.

In the Series, Hamels was 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA, allowing four earned runs in 13 innings.

He started Game 5 but did not factor in the decision when the Rays scored in the sixth to tie it, 2-2, before the game was suspended Monday.

Hamels also was the MVP of the National League Championship Series, becoming the fifth player to win both MVP awards in the same season. The others are Pittsburgh's Willie Stargell (1979), St. Louis's Darrell Porter (1982), the Dodgers' Orel Hershiser (1988), and Florida's Livan Hernandez (1997).

Romero a big winner

J.C. Romero, released by the Red Sox last season, got the win in last night's 4-3 clincher over the Rays. He also got the win in Game 3, both in relief . . . The Phillies were perfect at home in the postseason (7-0). They were the second team to accomplish the feat since the three-round format was adopted in 1995, joining the 1999 Yankees . . . Phillies closer Brad Lidge went 41 for 41 in save situations during the regular season and 7 for 7 in the postseason.

Banned in Boston

Brett Myers, who was scheduled to start Game 6 if there had been one, told USA Today in a story published yesterday that had the Red Sox been in the World Series, he would have asked not to pitch in Boston.

"I did not want to play Boston," Myers said. "If Boston had beat Tampa, I would have gone to [manager] Charlie [ Manuel] and told him, 'I don't want to pitch in Boston.' I don't ever want to pitch in Boston again."

The sentiment stems from an incident June 22, 2006, when Myers was arrested and charged with assault and battery for hitting his wife, Kim, in front of witnesses on a Boston street. He pleaded not guilty, was released, and pitched in the series. His wife later dropped the charges. Myers said he received an unfriendly reception at Fenway Park, with bottles and trash thrown at him.

All the way

No World Series game has gone less than nine innings, though three ended in ties. There have been 40 postponements, 29 because of rain, one because of cold, and 1989's earthquake postponement. That one lasted 10 days . . . James Shields, the Rays' potential Game 6 starter, went to manager Joe Maddon on the day off to ask if he would be required to pitch last night. The answer came in no uncertain terms. "I said, 'I have no problems with pitching a couple of innings,' " Shields said. "And he basically told me that I have a better chance of pinch hitting than I do of pitching." . . . Manuel's first pitcher out of the bullpen last night was Ryan Madson, who allowed two hits and a run in two-thirds of an inning . . . The challenges weren't quite the same last night as they were Monday, but there were weather issues - the cold. The game-time temperature was 40 degrees. "Sometimes it's real cold, the ball is kind of hard to grip, and it's kind of slippery and you've got to keep your hands warm enough, the pitcher does," Manuel said.