Placido Polanco's rehabilitation was well worth it.
The Detroit Tigers second baseman has been named the Most Valuable Player of the A-L-C-S, two months after his season was in jeopardy because of a separated shoulder.
Polanco batted .529 in the series win over Oakland, going 9-for-17 with two R-B-Is and three runs scored. He had three hits in the Game-Four clincher, including a two-out single that continued the Tigers' series-winning rally in the bottom of the ninth.
Detroit was one out from extra innings when Craig Monroe and Polanco hit back-to-back singles. The hits set up a series-winning, three-run blast by Magglio Ordonez, who homered twice in Game Four.