The 2010 Major League Baseball season has drawn to a close with the National League’s San Francisco Giants defeating the American League’s Texas Rangers in the World Series four games to one. “I thought it was awesome,” said Dimond physical education teacher Brad Lauwers, a Giants, Mariners, and Cubs fan. “I enjoyed the fact that there were two deserving teams.” San Francisco shortstop Edgar Renteria won the World Series MVP award by hitting two home runs in the five games against Texas. The National League Division Series had the NL East Divison’s Philadephia Phillies taking on the NL Central’s Cincinnati Reds. The Phillies prevailed three games to none behind Phillies pitcher Roy “Doc” Halladay’s no-hitter, the second ever to be thrown in the playoffs after New York Yankee Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series. The NLDS also pitted the NL West champion San Francisco Giants against the Wild Card (best second place team in the league) winning Atlanta Braves. The Giants topped the Braves three games to two following San Francisco pitcher Tim “The Freak” Lincecum’s dominant 14 strikeout performance in game one. The American League Division Series had the AL East’s Tampa Bay Rays playing the AL West champs Texas Rangers, with Texas victorious three games to two. The matchup of the AL Central winning Minnesota Twins playing the Wild Card team New York Yankees, with the Yankees sweeping the Twins three games to none. The NL Conference Series was played by the San Francisco Giants and the Philadelphia Phillies. The Giants won three four games to two, propelled by a strong series by Giants utility player Juan Uribe. The ALCS was contended by the Texas Rangers and the New York Yankees, with the Rangers knocking off the Bronx Bombers four games to two, denying the Yankees their second straight AL pennant. The 106th annual World Series of Baseball was played by the San Francisco Giants and the Texas Rangers. San Francisco won Game One by the score of 11-7, with Juan Uribe’s three run home run being the catalyst for the Giants. San Francisco also won Game Two 9-0 behind pitcher Matt Cain’s gem and Edgar Renteria’s first homer of the series. The Rangers made a comeback, taking Game Three by a score of 4-2. Oddly enough, every run in Game Three was scored by a home run. Texas first baseman Mitch Moreland started the scoring in the 2nd inning by launching a three run shot, and center fielder Josh Hamilton extended the lead in the 5th with a solo homer. San Francisco started a rally on solo homers by Cody Ross and Andres Torres, but couldn’t finish the comeback. Game Four saw the Giants return to their dominance of Texas with a 4-0 victory, on home runs by catcher Buster Posey, and first baseman Aubrey Huff. Game Five, the decisive game in the series, was won in the 7th inning on Edgar Renteria’s three run homer. It was the second World Series winning hit for Renteria in his career, after his RBI hit won the 1997 Series for the Florida Marlins. Rangers right fielder Nelson Cruz got a run back with a solo homer also in the 7th, but it wasn’t enough. The Giants had won their first title since 1954. Dimond Freshman Victor Firme, an Oakland A’s fan rooting for the Giants, said “[The World Series] was awesome, and short.” Lauwers also said, “I wanted the Giants to win. When I was growing up here, the Giants were like the Mariners are now, the closest team.” 2011 MLB Spring Training starts late February, and the 2011 Season kicks off April 1.