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When the Yankees finished 89-73 and in third place of the American League East division, it found them out of the playoffs for the first time since 1993.
It was a tough thing to swallow for the Yankee fans, players and management. Which is why general manager Brian Cashman vowed changes. Changes for the better.
In November, the Yankees got cracking on how to fix their roster for the better.
Nick Swisher: Acquired from the Chicago White Sox for Wilson Betemit and two minor leaguers on Nov. 13, 2008
This may go down as one of the greatest steals in Yankee trading history. All the Yankees gave up was utilityman Wilson Betemit and two minor leaguers in exchange for Swisher.
At the time, Swisher was possibly going to play first base and right field while splitting time with Xavier Nady. A month later, the Yankees got their every day first basemen, so Swisher's duties for 2009 were moved to being the fourth outfielder. But because Nady went down with a season-ending elbow injury, Swisher became the everyday right fielder.
With Nady out, and Alex Rodriguez out the first month of the season recovering from hip surgery, Swisher carried the offensive load for the Yankees early on and became an instant fan favorite. Swisher ended up hitting .249 with 29 home runs and 82 RBI, but it was his attitude and enthusiasm that changed the Yankees.
Swisher was the laid-back, easy going guy with a smile on his face and loving life to the fullest. He turned up music in the clubhouse, which Joe Girardi praised him for and told him to continue. The Yankees were once seen as a business-style type team, but in 2009, Swisher helped change that around for the better.
CC Sabathia: Signed a seven-year, $161 million contract on Dec. 18, 2008
This was the pitcher Cashman needed to have after balking to trade for Johan Santana a year ago.
On the first day of free agency, the Yankees opened their offer for Sabathia with a $120 million offer, but Sabathia didn't give the Yankees an answer right away. After hearing the Giants, Dodgers, and Angels were going to be offering Sabathia a contract, Cashman showed his persistence by upping the offer to $161 million, which Sabathia accepted.
As the new ace of the Yankees, Sabathia went 19-8, throwing 230 innings and striking out 197 batters and was in contention for the Cy Young Award.
In the postseason, Sabathia went 3-1 and was the Game One starter in each series with the Twins, Angels, and Phillies.
Off the field, Sabathia became an instant leader. During spring training, he took guys like Joba Chamberlain and Chien-Ming Wang to an Orlando Magic basketball game. During April, Sabathia sprung for a couple hundred thousand dollars worth of tickets to see a Cavaliers playoff game, where nearly the entire team went.
On the field and off the field, Sabathia was already establishing himself as a leader.
A.J. Burnett: Signed a five-year, $82.5 million contract on Dec. 18, 2008
Cashman was so dedicated to upgrading the starting rotation. It started with Sabathia and Burnett soon followed. The Yankees passed up on signing Derek Lowe for Burnett, who won games against the Yankees when he was with the Blue Jays.
Burnett and Sabathia were both introduced to the media on the same day a week before Christmas.
During spring training, Burnett was surprised to find out nobody in recent Yankee history ever hit someone in the face with a pie after any game, something Burnett vowed to do to loosen up the clubhouse.
Fifteen walk-off wins and 15 pies to the face later, Burnett has become infamous for the action, something the Yankees fans love and now expect.
On the field, Burnett stayed healthy all year, something the Yankees were concerned with. Burnett finished with a 13-9 record, throwing 207 innings and struck out 195 batters. At times, he looked shaky, but a lot of other times, he looked unhittable.
In the postseason, Burnett went 1-1 and gave the Yankees quality innings en route to the World Series.
Mark Teixeira: Signed an eight-year, $180 million contract on Dec. 23, 2008
The Red Sox nearly got Teixeira, but after a failed meeting with John Henry and Larry Lucchino with Teixeira and Scott Boras, it gave Cashman the opportunity to jump into the mix. Teixeira grew up a Yankees fan and a Don Mattingly fan.
Two days before Christmas, with Sabathia and Burnett already brought in as free agents, Cashman unloaded a nice check for the best slugger on the market and got him to the Bronx.
Just like Tino Martinez and Jason Giambi, Teixeira struggled in his first month with the Yankees, but his defense never struggled and played a Gold Glove caliber level at first all year long.
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