After a nine year drought, the Yankees won the 2009 World Series and would like to build on it in 2010. Complacency is not in the cards for this team. CC Sabathia and Mark Teixeira didn’t sign with the Yankees last winter with one championship in mind. They came seeking multiple championships. Winning in 2009 was a relief of sorts for the Yankees, a team that is expected to win every year, and now that they’ve done it, they will feel some weight being lifted off of their shoulders, but being that they are the Yankees, the team will still feel pressure to repeat in 2010.

The Yankees are a year older, but that’s what was said last year when they were coming off a year in which they didn’t make the post-season. The “Core Four” is growing old together, but there is a great mix of young players and multiple championship-winning veterans that will make up the 25 man roster to start the season.

I hear a lot of talk about the Yankees’ 7-8-9 hitters, of Granderson, Swisher and Gardner, being weak. That may be “weak” when considering it to Yankee standards, but that bottom three is still one of the best in the majors. How many teams can say that they have a guy coming off a 30 home run season batting 7th and a guy coming off a 29 home runs and a .371 OBP season batting 8th? I know Granderson is stymied by lefties and that concerns a lot of people, but I’m willing to deal with him being an automatic out most of the time against lefties if he can tear the cover off of the ball against righties. That becomes a different story in the playoffs, but I’m optimistic that Granderson’s average against lefties won’t be sub-.200 (.183 vs. lefties in ’09).

Another question for the Yankees is which Javier Vazquez will they be getting? The one that struggled somewhat in 2004 (14-10 record, 4.91 ERA) with the Yankees or the one with a 2.87 ERA (15-10 record) with Atlanta in 2009? Since he will be the team’s fourth starter, I’d be extremely happy if he has 13 or 14 wins and an ERA ranging anywhere between 3.40 and 4.00 in 2010. The Yankees haven’t had double-digit wins out of its fourth starter since Jaret Wright won 11 games in 2006 (4.49 ERA). I’d be concerned if Vazquez was being asked to be the No. 2 starter, but as a No. 4 starter, he is more than capable of giving the Yankees more than they’ve had in recent years out of the pitcher in that spot.

Now to the main question. Can the Yankees repeat in 2010?

Yes.

Having a healthy A-Rod for the entire season could mean an MVP season for Mark Teixeira. He finished second in the AL MVP voting last year and he had a poor start to the season. If he can get off to a good start in April and May (unlike last year) he could be looking at an MVP season with 40+ home runs, 140+ RBI and a .315+ average.

A pitching staff of Sabathia, Burnett, Pettitte, Vazquez and Hughes should be better than last year’s staff when they pieced together a fifth starter and the fourth starter, Joba Chamberlain, was on inning restrictions.

If Mr. Consistent, Derek Jeter, stays Mr. Consistent, and Nick Johnson remains healthy the entire season, those two guys will score a ton of runs in front of A-Rod and Teixeira. Robinson Cano becomes a key part of the lineup with the departure of Hideki Matsui. He’ll be counted on to produce with men in scoring position more often while batting either 5th or 6th. He didn’t hit well with runners in scoring position in 2009, so that may be a concern. If he lives up to his abilities, though, it shouldn’t be a problem. We still haven’t seen the best of Cano yet and hopefully we’ll see the peak of his talent in upcoming years.

It’s hard to argue that this team did not improve from a year ago for the mere fact that the pitching staff is deeper now. But other teams have improved as well. The Yankees should be able to hold off the demons in the AL East and get back into the World Series in 2010 barring any major injuries, which sometimes comes with age. I like this team’s chances to repeat as World Series champions.

It’s official. The Yankees, Tigers and Diamondbacks completed a three-way trade today that sent center fielder and center piece of the trade Curtis Granderson to the Yankees. Granderson becomes the Yankees starting center fielder and will bat in the number two spot against right-handed pitchers. It’s uncertain in what spot of the lineup he will hit against lefties. 

The Yankees like that Granderson is a professional player with a good work ethic. They also like that he hit 30 home runs in a ballpark that plays much deeper than the new Yankee Stadium does. With the wind tunnel to right, the lefty-hitting Granderson should be able to eclipse the 30 home run mark again in 2010. 

The 28 year old center fielder hit only .249 with an OBP of just .327 in 2009. Home runs aside, 2009 wasn’t Granderson’s best body of work. He has struck out over 140 times three of the last four seasons. Compare that to Johnny Damon, who has never struck out over 100 times in a season in his career. 

The Yankees are hoping they acquired the Granderson of 2008 who hit .280 with a .365 OBP and struck out 111 times. This is the second year in a row the Yankees acquired a player who had a down season the year prior. The Yankees got Nick Swisher from the White Sox before last season coming off a 2008 season in which he batted a low .219 with a .332 OBP with just 21 doubles and 69 RBIs. With the Yankees in 2009, Swisher improved in all of those categories. 

The depth of the Yankees’ lineup makes hitters better. Granderson will see better pitches to hit batting in from of Teixeira and A-Rod. The Yankees look at Granderson as the first all-around center fielder they’ve had since Bernie Williams. Pretty big shoes to fill, but Granderson’s tools give him the ability to live up to the task.

The Yankees 2009 season started with a trip to the pool hall on an afternoon during spring training. It ended with a World Series championship. The new Yankee Stadium’s inaugural season started with a Boston fan named Gino Castignoli burying a Red Sox jersey under the structure. It ended with champagne and the Commissoner’s Trophy. The 2009 season started with an A-Rod press conference and ended with A-Rod coming up clutch in big postseason at-bats. February was a long, long time ago.

The Yankees needed everyone to win the championship. Not everyone had Hideki Matsui numbers in the World Series but it took a complete team effort to get to October and get through the ALDS and ALCS. Phil Hughes had a tough postseason but was a big reason why the Yankees had such a strong regular season. Robinson Cano didn’t have many hits in the postseason but batted .320 in the regular season.Then there’s Damaso Marte who had an injury plagued regular season and became Girardi’s go-to-guy with outstanding pitching in the postseason.

There’s also the guys that are consistent; The “Core Four”. Jeter, Rivera, Posada, Pettitte were good all season and their postseason experience shined in 2009. Rivera was the only closer in the postseason not to blow a save. Pettitte was the starter in each of the Yankees three series clinching games. Posada came back from an injury riddled 2008 season and led the pitching staff and clubhouse. Jeter was Jeter. What else can be said about the Yankees captain.

On to the newcomers. Sabathia, Burnett, Teixeira, Swisher. The Yankees don’t make it to the World Series without acquiring these guys. Sabathia was incredible in the postseason. He went 3-1 in five starts with a 1.98 ERA in the postseason. Teixeira led the AL in home runs during the regular season with 39. He also had two big postseason home runs. Remember back to the first month of the season and Nick Swisher kept the Yankees going when A-Rod was out with injury and the bats were as cold as the April and May weather.

Finally, A-Rod. He was clutch. Nobody can say he chokes in October anymore. He put his critics to rest. He batted over .360 in the postseason with six home runs and 18 RBI. A-Rod was a big reason why the Yankees won number 27.

The Yankees broke in the original Yankee Stadium with a World Series championship in 1923. In 2009, the Yankees broke in the new Yankee Stadium with a World Series championship.

Joe Girardi has been criticized for some of his decisions during the playoffs this year but in game three of the World Series he made all the right moves. It starts with making the decision to go with Sabathia in game four. That put some pressure on the Phillies in game three, knowing it would be Blanton against Sabathia in the next game. Then Girardi went ahead and started Nick Swisher in right field. Girardi benched Swisher in game two. How did Swisher thank Girardi? A 2-4 game with a double, solo home run, and two runs scored. Girardi used his bullpen well too. Joba gave him a solid 7th inning. Damaso Marte shut down the Phillies in the 8th and Girardi chose to take out Phil Hughes after giving up a solo home run in the 9th with one out. Mariano Rivera came in the got the final two outs. Girardi will also get credit for putting Matsui in to pinch hit. It was an obvious move but Matsui made it look great with a tack on solo home run.

Girardi made all the right moves in game three and the Yankees are up 2-1 in the World Series over the Phillies. With Sabathia ready to go in game four, the Yankees have a great shot at going up 3-1.

The momentum has shifted in the Yankees favor during the last two games after Cliff Lee dazzled the Yanks in game one. After the Yankees tied the series with a huge outing by AJ Burnett, the Yankees won game three in Philadelphia by a score of 8-5 behind some big home runs and a gutsy pitching performance by Andy Pettitte.

Yankee bats awoke from their slumps as A-Rod, Damon and Swisher all came up with big hits. Even Andy Pettitte helped his own cause with an RBI single. A-Rod hit a two-run homer to get the Yankees on the board after they were down 0-3. The original call on A-Rod’s home run was a double but replay clearly showed the ball hitting a camera that was over the fence. The umpires reviewed the play and made the right call. Pettitte’s single tied the game and Damon had a two-run double that put the Yankees up 5-3. Swisher, who went 2-4 in the game, hit a solo home run that gave the Yanks a 6-3 lead. Posada had an RBI single in the 7th and Hideki Matsui, coming off the bench as a pinch hitter, hit a solo home run in the 8th in his only at-bat. The Phillies added to their three runs with two solo home runs in the late innings.

The Yankees are feeling good heading into game four. They have their ace on the mound and a 2-1 game advantage in the series. It was only a matter of time before their bats woke up. They still have some guys struggling like Cano and Melky. This series isn’t over by any means but the Yankees have things set up and the advantage going into game four.

The Yankees and Phillies have boarded the Amtrak to Philadelphia both having one won game each in the Bronx. Both managers have some decisions to make for the upcoming games in the NL stadium.

With no DH, Girardi loses Matsui’s bat in the lineup. Matsui hasn’t played the field at all this season and his only appearances during regular season interleague play came as a pinch hitter late in games. Don’t expect to see Matsui in the outfield for any of the games at Citizens Bank Park. He will be a nice bat off the bench for Girardi.

Beyond game three, neither team has confirmed their starting pitchers. CC Sabathia will most likely go for the Yankees in game four and the Phillies have to choose between Joe Blanton and Cliff Lee. If Charlie Manuel goes with Lee, it would be on three days rest, the same amount of rest Sabathia would be pitching on.

Girardi also has a decision to make on who plays right field. Jerry Hairston Jr. went 1-3 in game two as the Yankees right fielder. Girardi can stick with Hairston, go back to Swisher, or go to the bench. Eric Hinske is a possibility. Brett Gardner could play center field and Melky Cabrera could move to right field. Girardi would rather keep Gardner on the bench and use him as a pinch runner late in games. It worked in game two when he went from first to third on a single and scored the Yankees third run on a single.

Girardi and Manuel will have their hands full answered the media based on their managerial decisions the rest of the series. Both managers will hope they make the right decisions. The only way the series doesn’t go back to the Bronx is if one team wins all the games in Philly. These teams are so good that this series may go the full seven games.

The Yankees need to finish off the Angels in game six. There can be no game seven. The job has to get done tonight. There is so much moaning and groaning around New York right now about if the Yankees blow this series then Girardi needs to be fired. Everyone stop. Finish it tonight Yanks. Let the articles in Sunday morning’s papers be about the Yankees and Phillies’ World Series matchup. Not about the all or nothing game seven that would be Sunday night.

I don’t want to hear people calling for Girardi’s head until it’s over. I don’t want to hear about Burnett’s inability to pitch with men on base. I don’t want to hear about Nick Swisher’s dreadful postseason (which the Yankees should put Melky in right, Gardner in center and Swisher on the bench for game six). Not yet. I don’t want to hear about it being a failure if the $200+ billion Yankees don’t win the World Series. I don’t want to hear those things until the Yankees are done and right now, they have a 3-2 ALCS series lead and have two chances to put it away. Do it tonight, Yanks. Quiet the masses. Worry about the Angels now and the Phillies once Mo gets that final out.

The Yankees and Angels are two teams you can never count out of a game until the final out is recorded. Game five proved it once again. With a couple of questionable, if not just dumb, moves by both managers, the late innings were entertaining to watch and people will be second guessing there calls until the next game.

The Angels scored four runs off AJ Burnett before they made an out. From that point until the 7th inning, the game took it’s course and neither team put up any runs. Lackey was superb through seven innings but it was the 7th inning when the game took a wild turn.

John Lackey was taken out of the game, to his discontent, with the bases loaded and two outs in the top of the 7th.

You could read Lackey’s lips when Angels coach Mike Scioscia went to the mound to take Lackey out.

“You’re (expletive) me,” Lackey said. “This one is mine!”

Scioscia didn’t think so. Scoiscia called on Darren Oliver to replace Lackey and Oliver’s first pitch was pounded by Mark Teixeira to left center for a bases clearing double. The Angels intentionally walked A-Rod and Hideki Matsui followed with a single that drove in Teixeira to tie the game at 4-4. Oliver’s day was over without being able to get that last out in the 7th. Kevin Jepsen replaced Oliver and gave up a triple to Cano that gave the Yankees a 6-4 lead. Swisher popped out to end the inning.

Mark Teixeira couldn’t have picked a better time to get his first hit with RISP this postseason. The Yankees scored six runs in the 7th inning, all with two outs.

AJ Burnett gave up four runs in the first inning before recording an out. After the Yankees broke out for six runs in the top of the 7th, Girardi left Burnett in to start the bottom half of the 7th. Burnett gave up a single and walk and was taken out. Those two baserunners came around to score, being charged to Burnett. The Angels tacked on a go-ahead run with a Kendry Morales single and the Angels had a 7-6 lead.

Both teams knocked on the door the rest of the game but weren’t able to score anymore runs. The game ended when Swisher, who has been struggling mightily, popped up to shortstop with the bases loaded, a full-count and two outs in the 9th.

The series heads back to the Bronx for games six and seven, if necessary.

Derek Jeter’s third inning solo home run was his 19th career postseason home run giving him sole possession of third place on the all time postseason home runs list. He currently ranks behind Bernie Williams (22) and Manny Ramirez (29).

Mark Teixeira said after the game, “It was cold and it was nasty. I was like, ‘Man, let’s have a quick pitchers’ game tonight and win 2-1 and get out of here in an hour and a half.’ It definitely didn’t happen like that.”

About mobbing Jerry Hairston Jr. at home plate, Nick Swisher said, “I didn’t mean to, but I think I knocked Jerry down. The last thing you want to do is have somebody get all busted up in one of those things. But I think he’s good. At that point in time, I don’t think he felt anything.”

A-Rod said, “Wow, what a game.”

A-Rod also said at the after game press conference, “I know you guys are probably looking for something profound. I mean, I’m just in a good place. I’m seeing the ball, and I’m hitting it. I mean, that’s about it.”

The game lasted 5 hours and 10 minutes.

Fans didn't leave until Hairston got pied