--OF So Taguchi, who was part of World Series championship teams with the Cardinals in 2006 and the Phillies in 2008, was released by Philadelphia on Nov. 5. He hit .220 in 88 games this season, seeing most of his action as a defensive replacement and pinch hitter.
--LHP Les Walrond, who appeared in six games for the Phillies this year, was claimed off waivers by the Blue Jays. Walrond spent most of the season in Class AAA. He was 1-1 with a 6.10 ERA in 10 1/3 innings in the majors. --Ruben Amaro Jr., the Phillies' longtime assistant general manager, received a three-year contract to replace retiring GM Pat Gillick. Amaro played in the big leagues from 1991-98, seeing action for the Angels, Phillies and Indians, before joining the Philadelphia front office.
--LHP Cole Hamels started Game 5 but couldn't finish because of the torrential rain that forced a suspension of the game in the sixth inning. Hamels, nevertheless, was named MVP of the World Series, going 1-0 with a 2.77 ERA in two starts. Hamels, who also was MVP of the NLCS, became the fifth player to win the MVP of multiple playoff rounds, joining Willie Stargell (1979), Darrell Porter (1982), Orel Hershiser (1988) and Livan Hernandez (1997).
"That was the last thing on my mind," Hamels said. "I just wanted to go out there and pitch the best I can. I couldn't have done it without my teammates, and shoot, I guess I get rewarded for it."
--2B Chase Utley made the defensive play of Game 5. In the seventh inning, with the game tied 3-3, Akinori Iwamura hit a chopper to Utley, who charged and fielded the ball, faked to first base and threw across his body to cut down Jason Bartlett at the plate.
"That was an unbelievable, heads-up play," hoarse-voiced RF Jayson Werth said during the champagne party in the clubhouse. "Chase is such an instinctual player. That right there just epitomizes his game."
--RF Jayson Werth said fans have been buying him dinner in restaurants across Philadelphia since the Phillies won the NL pennant. 1B Ryan Howard said someone offered to buy him lunch Wednesday. Now that they've won the World Series, the Phillies may never buy another dinner again.
"I don't mind paying," Werth said. "I really don't. This city is awesome, the people in this city. I'm just grateful I can be part of something this big."
--OF Geoff Jenkins didn't play much for the Phillies over the past two months, falling into a bench role after suffering a hip flexor strain in August. But he picked a good time to deliver his first career postseason hit, a leadoff double to open the bottom of the sixth inning after play resumed in Game 5.
"What a great teammate," RF Jayson Werth said. "We started out in a platoon (in right field). He got hurt, and I ended up playing the rest of the way. But he was gracious through the whole thing. For him to get that double, I couldn't be happier for him."
Said Jenkins, "These fans deserve this. They've been waiting a long time, and for us to be able to give it to them, it was great to be on the field and share it with them."
--LHP J.C. Romero got the win in the World Series clincher, pitching 1 1/3 scoreless innings. He also won Game 3, which ended with Carlos Ruiz's squib hit down the third base line. Romero made eight postseason appearances and didn't allow a run in 7 1/3 innings.
BY THE NUMBERS: 2 -- World Series championships in the Phillies' 126-year history.
QUOTE TO NOTE: "We wanted to change the face of the organization. I think everybody who was in this locker room wanted to change the face of the organization. We did that. We're losers no more. The organization is a bunch of winners, and nobody can take that away from us." -- Phillies 1B Ryan Howard.
