PHILADELPHIA – Like any other kid who grows up swinging a bat or throwing a pitch, Cody Ross dreamt of being the hero of the World Series.  For now, he'll have to settle for being the MVP of the National League Championship Series.  The Giants outfielder, picked up on a waiver claim from the Florida Marlins in late August, earned the award by batting .350 with three homers, three doubles and five RBI as his club dethroned the two-time defending NL champion Phillies four games to two.  "I can honestly say I've never imagined being in the situation I'm in right now,'' Ross said. "This is just so special for me right now. I'm going to cherish it for as long as I can.''  On a team that thrives on getting contributions from different sources, a handful of other players could have gotten the MVP nod. Juan Uribe drove in the winning run in Games 4 and 6, the latter with a solo homer to right off Ryan Madson in the eighth inning Saturday.  And closer Brian Wilson had three saves and one victory and tossed five innings of scoreless ball.  But Ross was a factor from his very first at-bat of the series, when he poked a hole in Roy Halladay's mantle of invincibility by taking the Phillies ace deep in the third inning of Game 1, then doing it again two innings later. The Giants won the opener 4-3 and never trailed in the series.  "This is the most unbelievable experience I've been a part of,'' said Ross, who had hits in all six games. "Two months ago I thought I was going home and sitting on the couch watching people celebrate on the field, and thinking about my next round of golf. It's crazy how this game works.''  The Giants already had five outfielders and claimed Ross largely to keep the Padres, their chief rivals in the NL West, from acquiring him. But general manager Brian Sabean pointed out Ross wasn't just a "garbage find,'' as teammate Aubrey Huff affectionately referred to him. Ross is a versatile outfielder who had 24 homers and 90 RBI with the Marlins in 2009.  "As an all-around player, especially going into our first series, we knew we really needed his type of athleticism,'' Sabean said. "One thing led the another and the rest is history.''  To report corrections and clarifications, contact Standards Editor  . For publication consideration in the newspaper, send comments to  . Include name, phone number, city and state for verification. To view our corrections, go to
Accidental Giant Cody Ross named MVP of NLCS  - Daily Pitch: MLB News, Standings, Schedules & More - USATODAY.com