Top 10 Reasons The Yankees Were Great Again In 2009

Now that it appears that the Yankees will be returning to the World Series for the first time in 6 years, here’s a list of reasons the Yankees were great again in 2009:

10. Wang sent to the DL/minors
This one might get me in trouble with some Yankee fans. Chien-Ming Wang was our most reliable starter in 2008, but that was also a season where the Yankees didn’t make the playoffs. Wang started off 2009 horribly. He was awful. His season was eventually riddled with injuries that no one really believed and “rehab” stints in the minors. Basically, he got the Dontrelle Willis treatment. He wasn’t pitching well, so they figured something must be wrong with him. They figured right, the Yankees were much better off without him in the second half.

9. The new stadium means no more “urine tunnel”
You all know what I’m talking about.

8. Mo is Mr. Reliable
Mariano Rivera is washed up? HA, that’ll be the day. Mo wasn’t just good this year, he was great. He’ll get some Cy Young votes, and he’d probably be in the top 5 if that late-season home run to Ichiro weren’t so fresh in the voters memories.

7. Jeter got hot late in the season
The Yankees needed a solid knockout punch to get rid of the Red Sox, and they got it from Derek Jeter. Nobody was hotter in August and September than Jeter, and if it weren’t for a catcher in Minnesota having a historical year he’d win his first MVP award.

6. Nick Swisher saves April
The Yankees were pretty terrible in April. Well, everyone but Nick Swisher. This guy came out of nowhere and was hitting a big home run every other night. He was so hot in April, they invited him to open the stock exchange on Wall Street, hoping some of his success would rub off on the markets. Here’s a video from his pitching debut:

5. George steps down
George Steinbrenner has been the leader of the Yankees organization for decades. He’s also really old. Steinbrenner just didn’t seem to “get” the new way of building a franchise and making a winning ballclub. He constantly seemed to throw aside the Sabermetrics and preferred gut feelings on a handful of players that ended up doing nothing more than rob his bank account. The 2009 Yankees cut payroll while increasing talent over 2008. We had some good times, Georgie, but giving up the reins was the right move. Here’s an interview George gave back before the glory days of the 90’s that I think explains why George was able to let go:

4. Angel Berroa finally designated for assignment
With ARod out much of the first half, we ended up with journeyman (and former ROY award winner) Angel Berroa starting in our infield. Needless to say, he didn’t give us much production, and the broadcasters mocked him endlessly for playing like an old man. I have no idea why.

This is an actual picture of Angel Berroa

3. ARod comes back, Cody Ransom out
Cody Ransom was brought in to play 3rd base while Alex Rodriguez was out. He was terrible. If it wasn’t a strikeout at the plate, it was an error in the field. I think we would have been better off just leaving 3rd base open and taking an out every time ARod’s spot in the lineup came up. At least now Cody Ransom has more time to work on his second career: jumping on to 60 inch high objects

2. CC, AJ, Tex
The Yankees made some big moves in the offseason, and they paid off well. CC Sabathia started rough but settled down and became a 19 game winner. Teixeira was literally the worst player in baseball in the month of April, but recovered so well he’ll probably finish in the top 5 in MVP voting. A.J. Burnett pitched well all season and was also great in the clubhouse. He also made it a tradition to “pie” any player responsible for a walk-off win.

1. Taking out the trash
More important than the Yankees new signees are the players they got rid of after 2008. Carl Pavano, Jason Giambi, and Wilson Betemit were all just taking up space on the Yankees roster. Pavano found some success with the Indians and Twins this season, but who cares? He’ll still be remember as one of the most costly Yankee failures of all time. He’s been referred to as the Hangnail of the Yankees. The Yankees found success by letting go of the past (remnants of the George era, see #5 above) and looking towards the future, which just happens to be now.