How does this compare to your other World Series championship?

DAVID ECKSTEIN: It's the best feeling in the game, having the opportunity to win back in 2002, when no one predicted us to win back then, we got on an unbelievable roll. And coming here, pretty much the same type of -- the way it worked out, no one believed in our club, and we just believed in ourself and we went out one day at a time. We did not stay in the past and we weren't looking towards the future. We stayed in the moment. By doing that there's a lot of similarities between the two clubs. And it's just been unbelievable to be able to do it in both places.

David, you're well aware the discussion about the disparity between the American and the National League. Was that coming into the series, was that a motivating force for you guys, and what's your view on that now?

DAVID ECKSTEIN: I definitely can't talk for the rest of the club, but personally, without a doubt, in this game you try to create a little bit of an edge, so it gets you a little bit upset so you can go out and play the game with a little bit more fire. Definitely there's been a lot of things said, especially the way we played interleague this year; we didn't do a good job. We had something to prove that we could compete with the best over the American League. And being one out away from the All-Star Game, being out there, definitely taking that and ending up losing that. And then finally getting a shot in the World Series to prove that, hey, the National League is not that bad. And going out there and getting the victory like we did, I just hope that they know that -- both sides of things. It's good baseball all around.

David, congratulations. Can you talk about the cerebral things, what's going on in your heart and mind right now? What does this mean to you as a person?

DAVID ECKSTEIN: Unreal. When you suit up in Spring Training, your main goal is to win a world championship. That's all you play for. I remember last year losing here and just feeling so pretty much out of it because you worked so hard to accomplish something. Now being able to accomplish it, it's unreal. Just a dream come true. And all the little things that you do to get to this situation is well worth it to be able to hold up the championship trophy and come next year put on the ring.

Eck, you're the consummate component part, team player. For you to rise above that and be the MVP of the series, how do you feel about that?

DAVID ECKSTEIN: It's a great honor, but I feel like I was just trying to do what I usually do, you know. I just got very fortunate. I found some holes. But this club is unbelievable. I think one of the main contributors to this club was Yadi Molina. Yadi did such a great job behind the plate controlling the pitchers, calling the games. And then coming up so big with his bat. I feel like he definitely could be sitting right here with me, with the rest of the guys. Just stuff like that, just the team coming together and playing within themselves and trying to find a way to help the club win.

I apologize if this was asked, but between Games 2 and 3, did anything change, because you'd been struggling at the plate up to then?

DAVID ECKSTEIN: I felt pretty good in Game 2. And so the one thing I wanted to do, especially with the hard throwing Detroit club was to make sure not to chase and not to try to do too much. I believe that I went back to where instead of trying to catch up to the fastball, I just said, hey, I'm going to look for the fastball and adjust, and trust the ability to get there. And a lot of thanks to Barry Weinberg, Greg Howell, George Paletta and Ralph Philson to get my shoulder ready so that it could be able to handle swings.