Why the Yankees will win World Series No. 27

Hello NY Yankees Universe.

Aren't you excited? Pumped up? Ready to celebrate and go crazy? Yes, we are going back to the World Series after what seems like an eternity, and so many devastating moments. But we still have to take that glorious sensation into winning the World Series No. 27. I want to go to a parade in NY City.



I know that all my fellow Yankees aficionados and true fans are just overwhelmed with this explosive happiness and upbeat emotions. The King of Baseball has returned to the sport's ultimate showcase to compete for the coveted MLB crown.

The sport's top spenders finally cashed in with their first AL pennant in 6 years last night, beating the Los Angeles Angels 5-2 in Game 6 of the AL championship series behind the savvy pitching of that old October pro, Andy Pettitte. It was another marquee moment in the inaugural season of the new stadium, where New York logged the Majors' best home record and remained undefeated in postseason play, authoring a new winning tradition.

When left-hander CC Sabathia signed his seven-year, $161 million deal last December, Sporting News considered making the Yankees the team to beat in 2009.

When first baseman Mark Teixeira came aboard soon after (for eight years, $180 million), we were sold. The Yankees became our pick to win the World Series.

When third Alex Rodriguez was exposed for using performance-enhancing drugs, we didn't waffle. When A-Rod faced hip surgery, we didn't waver. Well, only a bit.

When Sabathia won only once in April and Teixeira hit .200, we didn't budge.

When the Red Sox went into the All-Star break leading the second-place Yankees by three games, we stuck with the New Yorkers.

We aren't about to change our minds now.

Not after the Yankees powered through the second half like a Teixeira blast rocketing through the jet stream at Yankee Stadium. Not after they got huge seasons from dynasty mainstays Derek Jeter and Mariano Rivera and their newest mega-millionaires. Not after they won more games than any team in the majors. Not after they swept the Twins in the ALDS. And certainly not after they finished off the Angels in the ALCS.

As much as the MLB numbers and records favor the Yankees, however, coming up with some reasons they could stumble wasn't impossible. I mean not to bring up bad memories and nightmares, lest we forget their unprecedented collapse against Boston in 2004, and knowing the Yankees have lost five straight times with a chance to close out an ALCS — and six in a row with an opportunity to end a playoff series.

So, to remain in an exciting and powerful upbeat tempo, it was much easier finding 6 reasons the Yankees will prove us right.

OCTOBER OCTANE -- 2009 WORLD SERIES

1. Homer-field advantage

New Yankee Stadium has become baseball's launching pad, partly because of wind conditions that can turn routine flies to right field into cheap homers. The Yankees are built to capitalize on those conditions with a lineup that includes three left-handed hitters and four switch hitters. Well more than half of their major league-best 242 homers in the regular season came at home. Opponents know that ousting the Yankees will take at least one victory at Yankee Stadium because they have home-field advantage.

2. The $341 million newcomers

CC Sabathia and Teixeira didn't figure to wilt under the glare of playing on baseball's Broadway. And they haven't. Sabathia started slowly but quickly warmed to his new environment and tied for the A.L. lead in wins while working his standard 220-plus innings. In his postseason "unstoppable" performance, 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA, he earned the ALCS MVP nod.

Teixeira's transition into pinstripes has gone just as smoothly. He is a leading candidate for his first MVP award because of his power production and Gold Glove-quality defense. Though Teixeira was dismal in the postseason, his Gold-Glove and power shots at the right time helped the Yankees secure their perfect record in the playoffs and earn the World Series berth.

3. Marvelous Mo

The Yankees can smile because they have Mariano Rivera. He will turn 40 in November but still pitches like he is in his prime. "He hasn't lost a thing," says Brewers closer Trevor Hoffman, No. 1 to Rivera's No. 2 on baseball's career saves list.

In 2009, Rivera had the longest consecutive saves streak of his career (36), topped 40 saves for the seventh time and finished with a sub-2.00 ERA for the ninth time. His next blown save in his new park will be his first. And that is just the regular season. Rivera has built his reputation as the game's greatest closer with his postseason performance. Rivera finished up for his record 37th postseason save, and the Yankees had their elusive AL pennant.

4. Yankees Attitude adjustment

In a clubhouse not known for fun, newcomers A.J. Burnett and Nick Swisher have injected a healthy dose of levity. Burnett began slapping walkoff heroes with shaving cream pies in mid-May, and a tradition was born. Swisher has helped put the media in his corner, literally, by turning tabloid headlines extolling the team into wallpaper for his locker.

The looser atmosphere has helped the Yankees deal with the grind of pleasing the game's largest fan (and media) base. "A lot of guys are being themselves. That's what makes good chemistry happen," Burnett says. "That was the one thing I told myself coming over here. I wasn't going to change. I would stay myself, whether it's the pie in the face or goofing off in here, or getting on people. And I think that has helped."

5. A-ROD reborn and Postseason heroics

Alex Rodriguez started his tumultuous 2009 year with a tense news conference to admit steroids use from 2001-03 with Texas, then hip surgery that sidelined him until May. But he proved how special this season would be, as he hit a three-run homer on his first pitch of the season on May 8, and then hit a grand slam on the last regular season game to give him 30 homers and 100 RBIs.

Ridiculed in the past for his October horrendous flops, the three-time MVP played a 'Superman' role in helping his team advance through the playoffs, batting .438 with five home runs and 12 RBIs. Thriving under late-inning pressure this time around, the talented and feared slugger earned his first trip to the Fall Classic during a 16-year career in which he's accomplished almost everything else.

6. Andy Pettitte - the new Master of October

Andy Pettitte who earned $16 million in 2008 signed for $5.5 million in 2009 with incentives that he mostly met increasing his salary to the $10.5 million range. He missed by 16 innings of having met all his innings pitched incentives. Well, he knew with the Yankees, he had a better chance to reach the postseason.

As his destiny would play out, the 37-year-old lefty became baseball's all-time leader with his 16th postseason victory, breaking a tie with John Smoltz, and setting a new record with his fifth career victory to clinch a postseason series.

The NY Yankees are destined to win World Series title no. 27

On Wednesday, October 28, the Yankees will open their first World Series since they lost to the Marlins in 2003. Last night's victory was indicative of a reversal of fortune --- New York had lost a Game 6 the past four times it had played in one, with the club's last win coming in the 2000 ALCS over the Seattle Mariners.
That season marked the Yankees' last World Series title as well, with the Bombers defeating the Mets in a five-game "Subway Series." Only four players -- Jeter, Rivera, Posada and Pettitte -- remain from that squad, and it is a pursuit that has not resulted in the ultimate goal since, for various reasons.

This time, New York will got it done with leadership from Jeter, Pettitte, Rivera and Posada, all part of the late 1990s dynasty under manager Joe Torre, as well as, from strong performances from A-ROD, CC and Teixeira.

So we, the loyal and committed fans, cheer on with unstoppable force, while the Yankees go for their record 27th championship title — in our minds the Yankees will close out the first decade of the new millennium as World Series Champions once more.

Yankees manager Joe Girardi, when hired two years ago, took jersey No. 27 as a reminder of the mission at hand, and the Yankees Universe keeps its eyes on the prize at the end of the line.

Let's GO Yankees!!!