Yankees Face Steep Challenge In Knocking Off Defending Champion Phillies

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While the long history of success the New York Yankees have enjoyed since the 1920's is unprecedented in professional sports with forty American League championships and twenty-six World Series titles, it's a record that will play no impact on who wins in 2009.

The only team to win 100 or more games this season, ironically the Yankees have never won the World Series in the Torre era when they reached the century mark!

While the Yankees are rich in history, defending champions seem to have a slight advantage in World Series play.

In 1976 the New York Yankees got back the World Series for the first time since 1964 only to be swept by the defending champion Cincinnati Reds who defeated the Boston Red Sox four games to three in 1975.

As a defending champion in the Torre era, the Yankees repeated in 1999 and 2000 while losing to the Arizona Dianondbacks in 2001 in the dramatic, Post 9/11 seven game series.

In 1977 the Yankees would win a second straight AL Championship and defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 4-2 and again in six games in 1978. The Baltimore Orioles would represent the American League in the fall classic from 1969 to 1971. They would lose to the Mets in 69, defeat the Reds in 1970 and lose the series again in 1971 to the Pittsburgh Pirates 4 games to three.

The St. Louis Cardinals would win the World Series in seven games in 1967 versus the upstart Boston Red Sox only to lose a 3-1 series lead in 1968 to the eventual winners, the Detroit Tigers led by the pitching performance of lefty Mickey Lolich.

The Los Angeles Dodgers led by Sandy Koufax would win the 1965 World Series in seven games against the Minnesota Twins, but are swept in 1966 by Frank Robinson and the Baltimore Orioles.

Ralph Houk's New York Yankees would defeat the Cincinnati Reds in 1961 and repeat in 1962 by defeating the San Francisco Giants 4 games to three. However, the Koufax led Dodgers would sweep the Yankees in 1963. The Yankees would make a fifth trip to the World Series in five years only to lose to the St. Louis Cardinals, four games to three.

The Oakland Athletics managed by Dick Williams & Alvin Dark between 1972 and 1974 took three straight World Series titles by defeating the Reds & Mets in seven games while vanquishing the Dodgers in five.

Casey Stengel's New York Yankees between 1952 and 1958 appeeared in the World Series six times. They defeated the Dodgers in 1952 and 1953 while losing to the Dodgers in 1955 4 games to 3. The defending champion Dodgers would lose the 1956 World Series 4 games to three.

The Yankees would win there third straight penant in 1957 only to lose the World Series to the Milwaukee Braves four games to three. The Yankees would come back to win the re-match in 1958 and the last of Casey Stengel's world championships. 

While the Yankees have the history, the edge is usually with the defending champions when it comes to World Series play. 

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