The third pick overall of the 1997 draft by the Angels turns 36 today. Glaus hit 350 home runs, including an AL leading 47 in 2000, before hobbling off in the sunset. In fact, 2000 was his peak season with his career high in homers, a .284/.404/.604 line and 7.5 rWAR, all also career marks.

Of course for Angels fans and likely Glaus himself, the highlight of his career came during the 2002 World Series. Glaus hit three home runs and mashed a .385/.467/.846 line to help the Angels win the title and himself the World Series MVP. And for that, let’s wish him a very happy birthday.

Time to break out the ice cream cake and bourbon. Hey, don’t knock until you’ve tried it.

It’s a few days overdue but former Angels third bagger Troy Glaus has decided to retire. Glaus was last seen in the Majors in 2010 meandering around first base for the Braves. It wasn’t pretty so the decision to hang ‘em up shouldn’t come as a surprise. ESPN’s Buster Olney tweeted the news from a Cinnabon at DFW…

Glaus should hold a special place in all Angels fans’ hearts. He was the last third baseman the Halos had who could actually rake. Glaus hit 182 home runs and a .253/.357/.497 line during his 1998-2004 tenure with the Angels.

More importantly, Glaus was what they call the Most Valuable Player during the 2002 World Series. He hit three home runs and a ridiculous .385/.467/.846 line over the seven game series against the Giants.

True story. I listened to game six of the World Series that year over the radio on my way from Los Angeles to Las Vegas. My friend was more enthusiastic about strippers than baseball so I ended up watching game seven on a 19 inch TV at the bar of the Crazy Horse Too. I paid strippers to leave me alone to watch the game. Then I blew $400 playing blackjack at the Bellagio because I felt lucky.

The Angels let Glaus walk as a 27-year-old free agent in 2004 because they were confident in prospect Dallas McPhearson. Haha, good one, Anaheim. Glaus signed a 4-year, $45 million deal with Arizona and left a glaring power hole at third base for the Angels ever since.

After the Diamonbacks, Glaus had stints in Toronto, St. Louis and the aforementioned Atlanta before calling it quits. Glaus wound up with 320 home runs and a career .254/.358/.489 slash line. For me though, he’ll always be the guy who brought a tear to my eye in the middle of a strip club.

St. Louis Cardinals' David Freese (23) reacts to his game-winning home run in the 11th inning that gave the Cardinals a series-tying 10-9 win against the Texas Rangers in Game 6 of the World Series.(Dallas Morning News)

Well that was fun.

David Freese‘s walk-off eleventh inning blast to dead center off little-used Mark Lowe capped off what proved to be another in an ever-mounting list of late inning Game Six heroics in World Series lore. Game Seven may be packed with pressure on both sides, but Game Six is where memories are made.

Tonight’s finale certainly will not be able to live up to yesterday’s predecessor. If it does, I’m not sure my eyeholes can take it. While we still have last night’s epic Epic still fresh in our minds let’s see where it ranks among the best Game Sixes in recent memory:

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