11=27 And One For The Thumb

Greetings, Jay from "On The Sportslines" here, basking in the glow of the Yankees 27th World Series title. Hannibal Smith, George Peppard's character from the 1980's TV show the A-Team was fond of saying "I love it when a plan comes together". Don't know if those exact words are running through Brian Cashman's head right now, but they should be. He deserves as much credit as anyone in the organization for bringing title #27 to The Bronx.

Cashman is the architect of this team. He added the two best available starting pitchers to bolster a rotation in need of depth. He added the best available bat to a line-up that needed another big gun. He added solid role players to a bench that needed it. All these additions laid the foundation for a season that ended tonight with the Core Four of Jeter, Rivera, Posada and Pettitte being able to make like the Pittsburgh Steelers after winning the Super Bowl in 2005 and say they finally got "One for the thumb!"

I've been saying all season long that I've had a feeling about this team. Like I said in my very first post on this blog, the feeling didn't go away when they struggled in April without A-Rod. It didn't go away when they lost the first 8 games to the RedSox. Others may have had doubts or a crisis of faith. Not me.

When they finally turned things around, clinched the AL East and got back to the play-offs I just knew. I knew the Twins didn't stand a chance and I knew this was the year we would return the favor to the Angels for all the post-season heartache they'd given us in the past.

After the Yankee and Phillies split the first two games of the World Series, I told people "No worries, they'll just take 2 of 3 in Philly, win game 6 back in The Bronx and take the series 4 games to 2." When they did just that and people gave me that "How did you know?" look, I simply repeated what I'd been saying all along: "I've had this feeling all season".

Then they asked what the Yankees needed to do to win tonight, I said they needed to be up 2-3 runs after the 3rd inning and force the Phillies to play from behind. Knock Pedro out early and then tee off on the Phillies bullpen. Check, check and check. Like the aforementioned Hannibal Smith, I too love it when a plan comes together.

This Yankee team won like those Torre-era teams did, as a team, getting contributions from everyone along the way. Jeter was once again Captain October, hitting .407 for the series. Rivera was, well, Rivera. I've used every superlative in the book to describe him. This stat sums it up: in his entire career including the post-season, he's come into a game with a 4-run lead 205 times (counting tonight). The Yankees have lost only once. 'Nuff said. Pettitte once again came through in a big post-season game. Only fitting that he's the one to win the series clincher, he's 6-2 all time in those games. A-Rod exorcised his post-season demons, hitting .365 with 6HR, 18 RBI and 15RS. We got timely hits from Tex, Damon and Posada; some really good outings from CC and AJ; the bullpen overall did a great job, getting the ball to Mo for the 9th in good shape.

Last but not in any way least, Hideki Matsui. If Godzilla did indeed play his last game in pinstripes tonight, then I can't think of a better way for him to go out. 3-4; a HR; a World Series record-tying 6 RBI and the World Series MVP. He absolutely WRECKED Phillie pitching going 8-13 with 3HR and 8RBI. Domo arrigato Matusi-san, for tonight and for 7 great years.

When the post-season began Jeter shouted the rallying cry of "Win one for George". Mission accomplished Derek. 11 wins in the books, no more to go. 11=27. The decade ends the way it began. The Yankees are once again World Series Champions. Well done boys, well done.