When he arrived in the major leagues in April 2014, George Springer earned a reputation for dancing. The 2014 Houston Astros were still awful, one year short of success, and his energy helped chase the ever-present losses. Hours before every game, he’d blast music in whatever clubhouse they occupied, uniting an odd stew of veteran retreads and incipient talent.
He has always found joy in baseball. Even now, on a roster infused with leaders last winter, Springer is responsible for setting the tone. Specifically, he picks the pregame playlists and he dances along with them. On Wednesday afternoon at Dodger Stadium, he started with a 1980s-inspired, synth-heavy mix before segueing into Puerto Rican reggaeton, seeking to please all by loosening Game 7-related tension.
“The jams today, I can say,” Springer said, “were on point.”
Hours later, Springer danced through the night as the Astros secured their first World Series title, only three years removed from their status as league outcasts. For his energizing efforts in Houston’s 5-1 Wednesday win and throughout the latter six games of this delirious series, Springer unanimously won the series’ Most Valuable Player award.
Springer, 28, was not the first Astros’ star from this team to debut, nor is he the biggest. Jose Altuve is the former, Carlos Correa may prove to be the latter. But Springer is steady power and playlist contributor, the tone-setting leadoff hitter.
“George really is at the top of our order for a reason,” Astros manager A.J. Hinch said amid the on-field celebration. “He provides a lot of energy. When he’s hot, we’re hot. He started off the game with a ton of energy tonight in the most critical game of the year.”
Springer finished the American League Championship Series in poor form, and he began this series with the worst performance possible. Facing both Clayton Kershaw and Kenley Jansen for the first time in his life, he struck out in every Game 1 opportunity he had.
“Nothing was wrong with him,” Hinch said. “He just faced the best pitcher in the world.”
Hinch fielded questions about whether he should drop him in his lineup. He said it was not a consideration.
“Enjoy this,” Hinch texted Springer the morning of Game 2. “This is the best time of our baseball life.”
So many Astros have similar stories. Last summer, Hinch approached Alex Bregman after he began his career with five hitless games, saying he was moving him up in the order as a show of confidence.
The gestures have worked. Springer began Game 2 with a double and ended it with the winning home run. On it went in the World Series. On Wednesday, he whacked Yu Darvish’s third pitch for a double and Darvish’s last pitch for a homer.
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The Houston Astros celebrate winning the World Series.
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Houston Astros first baseman Yuli Gurriel, second from left, third baseman Alex Bregman, left fielder Marwin Gonzalez and second baseman Jose Altuve celebrate after beating the Dodgers 5-1.
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Houston Astros players run to celebrate with teammates after beating the Dodgers.
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The Houton Astros celebrate with the Commissioner’s Trophy.
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Astro players spray champagne in the clubhouse.
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The Astros’ Josh Reddick gets sprayed with champagne after his team defeated the Dodgers.
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The Astros’ Josh Reddick gets sprayed with champagne during the postgame celebration.
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The Houston Astros celebrate winning the World Series.
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The Houston Astros celebrate beating the Dodgers, 5-1, in Game 7 to win their first World Series.
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The Dodgers watch the Astros celebrate their World Series title.
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The Houston Astros celebrate beating the Dodgers to win the World Series.
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Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa holds up the flag of Puerto Rico after his team won the World Series.
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The Astros swarm pitcher Charlie Morton after he held the Dodgers to one run over the last four innings to preserve the win.
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Yasiel Puig heads to the outfield in the ninth inning.
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Dodgers watch their World Series dreams disappear with a 5-1 loss to the Houston Astros in the ninth inning.
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Clayton Kershaw leaves the mound after the top of the third inning.
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The Houston Astros celebrate beating the Dodgers to win the World Series.
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World Series MVP Houston Astros center fielder George Springer, left is hugged by teammates after winning the World Series.
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Houston Astros shortstop Carlos Correa holds the flag of Puerto Rico during the postgame celebration.
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Houston Astros catcher Brian McCann jumps on pitcher Charlie Morton after Morton held the Dodgers to one run over the last four innings.
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Augusto Romero, of Granada Hills, left, embraces his girlfriend Lizet Perez, of Sylmar, after Dodgers lost.
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Members of the Dodgers watch the Houston Astros celebrate winning the World Series.
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Astros outfielders George Springer, right, and Cameron Maybin run in to celebrate with teammates after beating the Dodgers 5-1 in Game 7 of the 2017 World Series. (Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)
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The Houston Astros celebrate winning the World Series.
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Yasiel Puig shows his frustration after fouling off a pitch in the fifth inning.
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Cody Bellinger looks down while standing on first base after a force-out in the fifth inning.
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Tyler Howard, center, of Los Angeles, along with other fans watch Game 7 at the Short Stop in Los Angeles.
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Manager Dave Roberts talks with Clayton Kershaw after the sixth inning.
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Corey Seager splits his bat while grounding out to end the sixth inning.
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The Dodgers’ Justin Turner gets hit by a pitch in the third inning.
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Kenley Jansen and Austin Barnes talk during a break in the seventh inning.
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Dodgers fans react at the Down N Out bar in downtown during Game 7.
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A frustrated Dodgers fan watches the game in the fifth inning.
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A lone Dodger fan watches the Houston Astros celebrate their 5-1 victory.
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The Dodgers’ Yasiel Puig slams his bat into the ground after popping up with two runners on base in the third inning.
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Clayton Kershaw walks off the field after striking out Yuli Gurriel to end the top of the third inning.
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Angeles Maurino, center, reacts with Dodgers fans at the Down N Out bar in downtown Los Angeles during Game 7.
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Mescal Miranda, left, of Los Angeles, along with other fans watch Game 7 at the Short Stop in Los Angeles.
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Bartender Nate Joyner wears face paint as he watches the game with Dodgers fans at the Down N Out bar in downtown Los Angeles.
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Dodgers right fielder Yasiel Puig, right, and center fielder Joc Pederson react after pitcher Yu Darvish was taken out of the game.
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Dodgers starting pitcher Yu Darvish looks down after giving up a double to the Astros’ Marwin Gonzalez in the second inning.
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Orlando Villa, of Los Angeles, reacts as the Houston Astros go up 5-0 in the second inning.
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Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, center, and the infield wait for a relief pitcher after starter Yu Darvish was taken out of the game.
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Dodgers starting pitcher Yu Darvish stares into the outfield as George Springer reaches home plate after hitting a 2-run homer to give the Astros a 5-0 lead in the second inning.
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Astros right fielder George Springer, center, celebrates with teammates after hitting a two-run homer against the Dodgers in the second inning.
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The Astros’ George Springer, second from left, celebrates his two-run home run with Carlos Correa in the second inning.
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The Astros’ George Springer runs the bases after hitting a two-run home run against Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish in the second inning.
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The Astros’ George Springer reaches home in front of Dodgers catcher Austin Barnes after hitting a two-run home run in the second inning.
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The Dodgers’ Corey Seager strikes out in the first inning.
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Enrique Hernandez encourages Yu Darvish in the dugout before the first pitch in Game 7 of the World Series at Dodger Stadium.
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Former Dodgers manager Tommy Lasorda arrives to watch Game 7.
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Dodgers fans Greg Uy watches the Dodgers in the first inning with bases loaded at the Down N Out bar in downtown Los Angeles.
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Dodgers fans show concern as the Astros score twice in the first inning of Game 7.
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Dodgers fans boo the Astros’ Yuli Gurriel in the first inning of Game 7.
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Dodgers fan Tim Kell, right, of Rancho Cucamonga, cheers for his second World Series championship game at Dodger Stadium. “This is the ultimate,” Kell said, who attended the 1988 World Series.
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Sarah Keh dances to mariachi music in the right field pavilion before game 7 of the World Series.
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A pair of sportscasters stand beside the Commissioner’s Trophy before the start of Game 7.
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Young Dodgers stars Corey Seager, left, and Joc Pederson take batting practice before the start of Game 7.
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Fans try to get a closer look at players from the corner of left field before the start of Game 7.
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Astros fans watch their team warm up before the start of Game 7.
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A Dodgers fan is literally blue in the face before the start of Game 7.
(Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times) No one ever hit more World Series home runs than Springer’s five in 2017. No one had ever homered in four consecutive World Series games, or notched an extra-base hit in six. His eight extra-base hits were three more than any Dodger logged, and he did it while playing a sturdy center field.
“He’s dynamic,” Astros catcher Brian McCann said. “He’s a free safety playing baseball. He hit the ball 450 feet, played gold-glove center field, scored from first every time there was a double.”
Over the weekend in Houston, Springer watched an MLB Network rerun of Game 3 or 4 at his home with his parents. His father, George Springer Jr., a Connecticut lawyer, asked him what he wanted most out of this World Series experience. After a beat, the camera panned into the Minute Maid Park crowd, and Springer answered that he wanted to bring joy to Houston’s fans.
It was only fitting. He derived so much pleasure from this postseason run. He wanted to extend the privilege.
After it all ended, Springer described a total depletion of his emotions. But he was proud of his and his team’s performance, proud of how he recovered from the bleak beginning.
“If I was going to go down,” he said, “I was going to go down on my accord.”
The Los Angeles Dodgers in the 2017 World Series
pedro.moura@latimes.com
Follow Pedro Moura on Twitter @pedromoura
