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//  Saturday, July 31, 2010

The Class of '09

Wednesday, November 4, 2009
Posted by Eddie Carroll

Was there ever any doubt?

The New York Yankees are the champions of baseball…again.

For the 27th time in Major League history, the Bronx Bombers were crowned baseball’s kings last night after defeating the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies, 7-3.

After closer Mariano Rivera got Shane Victorino to ground out to end the game, the “new” Yankee Stadium suddenly didn’t seem so “new” anymore. In fact, it just seemed…normal.

Queen’s “We are the Champions” echoed from the speakers and throughout a raucous crowd of 50,315 delirious fans, who gazed toward the field as their team celebrated in a heap.

It’s odd to think that, 86 years ago, Babe Ruth was christening the “new” Yankee Stadium in the same fashion – with a championship.

But last night, it wasn’t the Bambino who danced across the diamond.  

It was newcomers C.C. Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett, all of whom were signed last winter (to the tone of $243 million combined) with the same, simple sentiment: World Series title or bust.

It was also Alex Rodriguez, whose turbulent season had him buried in scrutiny throughout Spring, only to find him atop the baseball world come Fall.

And, of course, it was Rivera, Jeter, and Pettite, whose legendary careers only become further cemented in Yankee lore.

Perhaps fans across all of sports, not just baseball, are thinking alike: with a $200 million payroll, you better be champions.

And to be honest, I can’t say I disagree.

But in a game where the season will undoubtedly last seven months or more, it’s hard not to buy into the “anything can happen” approach.

This year, I suppose, “anything” turned out to be the team with an absurd payroll winning the title.  

Still, credit needs to be given where it’s due.

The Yankees overcame controversy throughout the season en route to 103 victories. They swept the Minnesota Twins out of the first round of the playoffs, then defeated a very good Los Angeles Angels team in convincing fashion to seize the American League pennant.

Finally, the 2009 season culminated in a clash between baseball’s best, where the Yankees needed to rip the World Series trophy from the Phillies’ stranglehold.

And they did.

Forgetting about payrolls, or questions of fairness for a moment, and it’s plain to see that the Yankees were undoubtedly baseball’s elite in 2009.

It’s useless to argue otherwise.

New York, in all of its glory, with Jeter, and Rodriguez, and Posada, and Sabathia, and Teixeira, and Rivera, and Matsui, and (deep breath).... yeah, they’re on top.

Now it’s time for the other 29 teams to make a move.

2010 can’t come soon enough.

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