Koji Uehara, 2011 Topps Opening Day #77

Last night as I came to terms with the inevitability of a Cardinals-Red Sox World Series, which was the matchup I least wanted to see at the onset of the postseason, I was at least able to take some solace in the successes of Boston closer Koji Uehara. The ex-Oriole saved the clinching Game Six of the ALCS last night with a scoreless inning of relief, striking out a pair of Tigers and doing it all in just 11 pitches. Moments later, Koji was named the Most Valuable Player of the series. He saved three of Boston's wins, and earned the win in the fourth. His totals: six innings, four hits, no runs, no walks, nine strikeouts. Since I'm not crazy about either the Redbirds or the BoSox, I'll just spend the next week and change rooting for Koji rather than the unappealing laundry that he wears.