Mike Lowell wins World Series MVP

Mike Lowell is much more than some throw-in on a Red Sox trade. He's the World Series MVP.

The steady third baseman capped an outstanding October with a big performance Sunday night, earning MVP honors as Boston finished a four-game sweep with a 4-3 victory over the Colorado Rockies.

Earlier in the Series, Lowell called himself "the throw-in'' on the 2005 deal with Florida that brought ace Josh Beckett to Boston. Nobody looks at Lowell that way anymore.

He homered, doubled and scored twice in the Game 4 clincher at Coors Field, dirtying his uniform with a headfirst slide at the plate that typified his whatever-it-takes attitude. Lowell hit .400 (6-for-15) in the Series with four RBIs, three walks and a team-high six runs.

"I'm on Cloud 9. It's unbelievable,'' Lowell said, his glistening MVP trophy sitting right in front of him. "We've got a lot of people to give credit to.''

When the Red Sox swept St. Louis in 2004 for their first championship in 86 years, Lowell was still in Florida. This time, he's got an invitation to the party.

A key cog in Boston's powerful lineup, Lowell bats fifth behind David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez. Lowell's job is to protect those big boppers by driving in enough runs to make opponents think twice about walking them.

Few could have done it better this year. Lowell set career bests by batting .324 with a team-leading 120 RBIs. Pretty good numbers to show potential suitors in the offseason, when he can become a free agent.

His best sales pitch, however, might be his production under pressure. Lowell, who also won a World Series ring with the Marlins in 2003, hit .348 this postseason with two homers and 13 RBIs. He did it quietly, like almost everything. But that doesn't mean it went unnoticed.

About 15 minutes after the final out, a huge horde of red-clad Boston fans behind the third base dugout chanted "MVP! MVP!'' for Lowell and "Re-sign Lowell! Re-sign Lowell!''

A four-time All-Star, Lowell got tossed into the Beckett trade because the small-budget Marlins wanted to shed his $9 million salary after he had a disappointing season.

The Red Sox made him their everyday third baseman, and they've been rewarded with two fine years of professionalism and leadership in the clubhouse.

"I was the throw-in in the deal. They needed Josh Beckett,'' Lowell said last week. "They needed to get a top right-handed pitcher, and I don't think the Red Sox after the '05 season were like, Lowell has to be in that deal for us to take Beckett. I'm sure that's not the way they were going.''

It was Beckett who won the 2003 World Series MVP for the surprising Marlins.

Now, Lowell has a trophy of his own.