Yankees, Not Red Sox, Were MLB's Team of the Decade

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The New York Yankees defeated the Philadelphia Phillies 7-3 Wednesday night in the Bronx to win their record 27th World Series championship.

The Yankees, who went 103-59 to establish 2009's best mark in Major League Baseball, simply outclassed the Phillies over the course of six games.

“I really believe in this club,” said Yankees manager Joe Girardi, who was widely scrutinized for his decision to utilize a three-man rotation throughout the playoffs. “I’ve always believed in this organization, the job the Steinbrenner family has done, Cashman and his staff and it’s where we wanted to be and the guys did it.”

Despite New York’s exorbitant payroll that exceeded $208 million, Girardi stressed that the Yankees chemistry and perseverance is what ultimately brought another crown to the Bronx.

“It’s unbelievable how this team came together in spring training,” he said. Girardi decided when he was hired by the Yankees in October 2007 that the number on his jersey would be 27, to emphasize that his sole mission in pinstripes was to win another championship. “They just kept fighting and fighting and fighting.”

Hideki Matsui, twice an All-Star since he made his Bronx debut in 2003, was named the World Series Most Valuable Player after batting .615 with three home runs and eight RBI.

The Yankees are an extremely deep and talented squad and Matsui, whose contract has now expired, expressed immediate interest in returning to the Bronx to help defend their title.

“I hope it works out that way,” said Matsui, 35, through an interpreter. “I love New York. I love the Yankees and I love the fans here.”

Provided that the Bombers brass makes sound decisions this offseason, the Yankees should be a considerable force again next year.

The Yankees are the most successful organization in North American professional sports.

However, despite the fact that New York averaged an astounding 97 wins this decade, they were deemed a failure by many onlookers because they had not won a championship since they beat the New York Mets in the 2000 Subway Series.

“All of them were great,” said legendary closer Mariano Rivera of the five championships he has amassed with the Yankees. “But this one is special. It was a drought for nine years and we finally got one.”

Largely because of the significant economic advantages that are afforded to the Yankees, nine years without winning a championship is viewed as an eternity in the Bronx.

Still, nine-year drought or not, the Yankees were absolutely the team of this decade.

It has long been touted that, since there was no year zero, the new millennium commenced on Jan. 1, 2001.

Under that rationale, the Yankees 2000 championship would not be considered part of this decade.

In actuality, anyone with even a granule of sensibility understands that when the calendar flipped over to 2000, the 1990s concluded.

Therefore, the New York Yankees captured two championships in this decade and they were baseball’s elite franchise once more.

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