San Francisco Giants Name Colombian Edgar Rentería Their Most Valuable Player

Edgar Renteria was named the 2010 World Series Most Valuable Player after his three-run homerun gave the winning advantage to the San Francisco Giants in their first world series in 56 years.

Renteria batted a pitch by Cliff Lee into the center bleachers, and ran around the diamond behind two other teammates in the seventh inning. He had done something similar in ’97 with the Marlins.

“What a moment! Thank God things turned out alright. I feel very happy. In 1997 we deserved to win, and tonight we did too. All this is for Colombia” Said a weeping Rentería after being named MVP, the sixth Latino player in history to earn the title. 

Renteria also played a starring role in San Francisco’s Game 2 win. His solo homerun in the fifth inning opened the score that day, and a two-run single in the eighth helped the Giants get the advantage.

Renteria struggled with injuries most of the season, going on the disabled list three times, and playing the postseason with a torn biceps tendon. Still, he was able to keep taking the field and played better ball in October and November than he had in years.

“It was a tough year for me,” Renteria said after the game, “but I told myself to keep working hard ... because something is going to be good this year for you. ... I feel proud for myself, I feel proud for my teammates.”

Renteria, 34, is rumored to retire following the end of this season—his 15th in the majors. It was all the way back in his second, as a 21-year-old in 1997, that Renteria provided the game-winning hit that gave the Marlins a World Series championship.