Top 20 Yankees Moments of the Decade

This list highlights the Top 20 Moments of the New York Yankees since 2000.

This includes multiple postseason appearances with some of the greatest Yankees who have ever put on the uniform. Includes walk-off home runs, milestones, and monumental victories that have been the best of the Yankees this decade.

Note: I did not make the use of PED's a factor in my list. For example, at the time, we didn't know about the use of PED's for Roger Clemens, Jason Giambi, or Alex Rodriguez. At the time they were not under suspicion of drug use.

20.Matsui's Grand Entrance (2003)

In his first game at Yankee Stadium in 2003 Hideki Matsui blasted a pitch into the right field bleachers against the Minnesota Twins.

The Japaneese-star who had hit 50 home runs the previous season had a perfect introduction to his new hometown fans.

19. Giambi Grand Slam in the Rain (2002)

On a wet night in the Bronx the Yankees and Twins played 14th innings well into the morning hours.

After Minnesota took a 12-9 lead in the top of the inning the Yankees loaded in the bases for their new free agent acquisition.

Giambi who had struggled in his first month and a half in pinstripes now had his defining moment drilling a pitch in the right field bleachers giving the Yankees a 13-12 win.

18. Fastest to 500 (2007)

In 2007 Alex Rodriguez became the fastest player in Major League Baseball history to join the 500-home run club on a Saturday afternoon in the Bronx.

He would go on to the win the American League MVP the same season.

17.Boston Massacre Part II (2006)

The Yankees went into Fenway Park with a 1.5 game lead over the Red Sox in August of 2006. They left with a 6.5 lead on Monday.

Punishing the Red Sox in every way possible, winning low run games and high runs games the Yankees ensured a playoff spot, while pretty much knocking their arch-rival out.

It was a re-enactment of the 1978 season when the Yankees went into Fenway and swept a four game series to tie the Red Sox in late September which was the original Boston Massacre.

16. Clemens 300th Win (2003)

After a few failed attempts, Roger Clemens took the hill on a Friday night in June against the St. Louis Cardinals in search of his 300th career win.

Clemens threw 6.2 innings of two-run ball. Mariano Rivera would get the save and Clemens became the 21st pitcher to win his 300th game.

15. Posada's Bloop Ties Sox (2003 ALCS)

After Grady Little left Pedro Martinez in the game in the eighth inning of Game Seven of the ALCS Posada who had words with Pedro in Game Three came up with a chance to tie the game.

His bloop fell into center field , the game was tied 5-5 and Yankee Stadium was as loud as he ever heard said Posada.

14. Justice Home Run Seals It (2000 ALCS)

A midseason acquisition David Justice came up with the home run that sent the Yankees into the Subway Series against the Mets.

Trailing 4-3 in the seventh inning, Justice smacked a three-run home run that gave the Yankees a 6-4 lead and they would eventually beat Seattle 9-7, clinching their third straight birth in the World Series.

13. Soriano Home Run Wins Game Four (2001 ALCS)

A scoreless pitchers duel between Yankees starter Roger Clemens and Mariners pitcher Paul Abbot changed in the eighth inning when Brett Boone and Bernie Williams exchanged home runs, leaving the game tied at one.

Alfonso Soriano came up in the ninth inning and drilled a two-run home run into right field and the Yankees were up 3-1 in the series against the 116-win Mariners team.

12. Rivera Earns No. 500 (2009)

In a game where Rivera also earned his first career RBI, he also notched his 500th career save, becoming only the second closer in Major League history to accomplished that feat.

11. Jeter First Pitch Home Run (2000 World Series)

The Yankees had just lost their first World Series game in 15 tries and momentum could have swung to the Mets side.

And just like that the Yankees took it right back as Jeter hit a first pitch fastball into left field off of Mets pitcher Bobby Jones.

The Yankees went on to win the game 3-2, taking a 3-1 series advantage, one win away from their 26th championship.

10. Fans Say Goodbye to No. 21 (2001 World Series)

In what was his final game at Yankee Stadium, Paul O'Neill received the ultimate send-off from the fans.

As he went to the field in the ninth the fans became cheering his name louder and louder in the middle of a World Series game in which the Yankees were trailing."

"I can't think of a better way to go out in my last game at Yankee Stadium," O'Neill said.

9. Sojo's Championship Hit

Going into the ninth, the Yankees were tied 2-2 in Game Five of the World Series. A Mets win would sent the series back to the Bronx, but the Yankees went for the kill in Queens.

With Al Leiter still in the game in the ninth Luis Sojo hit a base hit up the middle that scored Jorge Posada, while the throw hit him and brought another run in giving the Yankees a 4-2 lead going into the ninth, three outs away from their 26th World Championship.

8. Jeter Dives Into Stands (2004)

In what was a classic regular season game between the Yankees and Red Sox, Derek Jeter showed why was captain clutch.

With the score tied in the top of the 12th inning Red Sox Trot Nixon hit a ball near the stands and Jeter in a dead sprint caught the ball with no regard for his body and flew into the stands.

Jeter would come up with cuts on his face and would leave the game, however the Yankees won the game in the 13th and swept the Red Sox.

7. Final Game @ Yankee Stadium (2008)

After 85 years at 161st Street and River Avenue, Yankee Stadium closed its doors in 2008.

Yankees captain Derek Jeter thanked the crowd for being the greatest fans in the world and promised to take the memories from that stadium and take them across the street.

"The House that Ruth Built" was no more.

6."The Flip" (2001 ALDS)

With the Yankees down 2-0 in the series and up 1-0 in the game Derek Jeter showed his October magic. This time with his instincts.

As Terrance Long's hit went down the line, Shane Spencer dug the ball out of the corner and threw the ball in high of two cut-off men, but Jeter came out of nowhere and shoveled the ball to the plate, getting out Jeremy Giambi and preserving the lead.

The Yankees would go on to win the series 3-2.

5. Tino Ties It (2001 World Series)

With the Diamondbacks on the verge of taking a 3-1 lead in the World Series, Tino Martinez stepped up to the plate having never before faced Arizona closer Byung-Hyun Kim.

Martinez said he had watched video in the clubhouse and saw that he had thrown first pitch fastballs to all hitters he had faced.

Martinez sat on and drilled a first pitch fastball into the bleachers in right and the Yankees had tied the game with two outs in the bottom of the ninth.

4. Mr. November (2001 World Series)

Just after the clock struck midnight, sending the World Series into November for the first time in history,

Derek Jeter created a new nickname for himself. Hitting a 3-2 pitch over the short porch in right, the Yankees were back in the series.

They won the game 3-2 and tied the series.

3. Brosius Ties It Again (2001 World Series)

"Deja-Vu All Over Again" was the only way to describe what was going on at Yankee Stadiium.

For the second straight night the Yankees were down to their last out and hit a home run to tie the game. This time it was Scott Brosius who sent Yankee Stadium into a complete frenzy and Byung-Hyun Kim to therapy after giving up all three home runs to the Yankees.

The Yankees went on to win the game in extra innings on a base hit by Alfonso Soriano.

2. 26th Championship (2000 World Series)

A three-peat win over the cross-town Mets was the way the Yankees started the new millennium after clearly being team of the 20th Century.

Piazza flew out deep to Bernie Williams and the Yankees were champions for the 26th time in their history.

1. Aaron "Bleepin" Boone (2003 ALCS)

After an amazing comeback in the eighth inning of Game Seven of the ALCS the Yankees and Red Sox bullpens held each other down for three innings.

That was until Aaron Boone, who had not started came up to the plate in the 12th. He told Manager Joe Torre he would just try to get a single, but ended up becoming a legend in Yankee history and another demon in Red Sox history.

His home run gave the Yankees their 39th American League Championship in one of the greatest series and games ever played.