Buster Posey - This Era's Will Clark, Willie Mac, madison bumgarner, pablo sandoval, cody ross, san francisco giants, giants: Buster Posey became what this generation of Clark. Willie McCovey her. The birth of a legend playoffs.
"This is a prime player," Brian Wilson said. "He is the real deal."
And in prime time in the ninth inning - under enormous pressure, facing one of the greats of the game, in a busy time of opportunity and potential heartbreak - Posey delivered.
He became only the fifth rookie with four hits and two RBIs in a postseason game.
"What a beautiful evening, he had," said Bruce Bochy. "He did all the damage for us, really. It's all a night. All he has to stick up for us."
Posey has been plunged into a serious crisis, reaching only 0,091 in the NLCS before Wednesday evening. There was speculation he might be hitting a wall, or that something was wrong.
Uh, never mind.
Posey has a game for the ages. He had four hits, going for four to five years, and driving in two runs. His play at the plate in the fifth, picking up a short-hop no Aaron Rowand to tag Carlos Ruiz, Phillies kept the damage to handle big check.
"It's harder to play baseball," Bochy said. "You have to handle the throw, you have a rider that weighs on you, you must keep your concentration and make sure you get the ball. There is no tougher to play. "
Just that one play, he was a good night at work for Posey. Instead, he broke his fall dramatically.
"I just went in today and tried to relax and keep it simple at all," he said. "I tried to cut a little movement, just put the barrel on the ball and not try to do too much. "
Posey scored a single in the first Freddy Sanchez, giving the Giants all-important first round. His double in the third Aubrey Huff scored to give the Giants a 2-0 cushion.
But Posey is at bat in the bottom of the ninth to be remembered. Facing the mighty Roy Oswalt, the starter Charlie Manuel called to win a game the Phillies were absolutely desperate to win, Posey was entirely composed.
"It's a mind 30-years in this body," said Huff.
"It was a huge at-bat there," said Manuel, a new member of the fan club Posey. "He really beared down."
He fouled out better than Oswalt could give him. With two strikes, he smacked a fastball to the right-field line fault - a ball that had fans celebrate in the stands. Until it curved foul.
Then he went back to work against Oswalt and single to right.
"I'm just trying to take a step that you can handle," he said. "I was able to work and fouled a couple of touring off and got a slider plate."
The single Huff moved to third with just one out.
Juan Uribe and then came and did exactly what you expect from a player of an army that comes in to play - scored Huff. And the celebration was on. Some players assailed Huff as he scored. Most ran to the envelope Uribe. It was sheer madness - on the ground in the stands.
Then, Posey was as calm as possible. When asked which is harder, being behind the plate or at bat, Posey has been reflected.
"Every day different," he said. "Some days are a grind behind the plate. Some are a grind you are at bat. It's about making adjustments."
When asked if he knew he had made an epic performance in the playoffs, Posey smiled.
"Well, thank you," he said.
An epic night. And he has not forgotten his manners.