Trip Down Memory Lane: The 2009 World Series Champions 11 Years later

By Michael Foulks, Sports O’Clock Writing Team Member

It has been 11 years since the New York Yankees last hoisted the Commissioner's Trophy in the air. They have come close multiple times in the 2010 ALCS, 2017 ALCS, and 2019 ALCS but failed to complete the journey to the promised land.

Reflecting on the last Yankees championship team will be a nice refresher of just how dominant that 2009 team was.

Regular Season record: 103-59

American League Division Series: Yankees (3) - Minnesota Twins (0)

American League Championship Series: Yankees (4) - Los Angeles Angels(2)

World Series: Yankees (4) - Philadelphia Phillies (2)

ALCS MVP: C.C. Sabathia

WS MVP: Hideki Matsui

Team Roster and season statistics:

C: Jorge Posada .285 AVG, 22 HR, 81 RBI, .363 OBP, .885 OPS

1B: Mark Teixeira .292 AVG, 39 HR, 122 RBI, .383 OBP, .948 OPS

2B: Robinson Cano .320 AVG, 25 HR, 85 RBI, .352 OBP, .871 OPS

SS: Derek Jeter .334 AVG, 18 HR, 66 RBI, .406 OBP, .871 OPS

3B: Alex Rodriguez .286 AVG, 30 HR, 100 RBI, .402 OBP, .933 OPS

LF: Johnny Damon .282 AVG, 24 HR, 82 RBI, .365 OBP, .854 OPS

CF: Melky Cabrera .274 AVG, 13 HR, 68 RBI, .336 OBP, .752 OPS

RF: Nick Swisher .249 AVG, 29 HR, 68 RBI, .371 OBP, .869 OPS

DH: Hideki Matsui .271 AVG, 28 HR, 90 RBI, .274 OBP, .876 OPS

Bench:

CF: Brett Gardner .270 AVG, 26 SB, .345 OBP, .724 OPS

C: Jose Molina .217 AVG, 3 HR, 11 RBI, .292 OBP, .560 OPS

Pitchers:

SP: C.C. Sabathia 19-8 (.704), 3.37 ERA, 197 SO, 67 BB

SP: A.J. Burnett 13-9 (.591), 4.04 ERA, 195 SO, 97 BB

SP: Andy Pettitte 14-8 (.636), 4.16 ERA, 148 SO, 76 BB

SP: Joba Chamberlain 9-6 (.600), 4.75 ERA, 133 SO, 76 BB

Bullpen:

CL: Mariano Rivera 3-3 (.500), 3.37 ERA, 44 SV, 66 G, 66.1 IP

RP: Phil Hughes 8-3 (.727), 3.03 ERA, 51 G, 86.0 IP

RP: Phil Coke 4-3 (.571), 4.50 ERA, 72 G, 60.0 IP

RP David Robertson 2-1 (.667), 3.30 ERA, 45 G, 43.2 IP

RP:Damaso Marte: 1-3, 9.45 ERA, 21 G, 13.1 IP

RP: Alfredo Aceves 10-1, 3.54 ERA, 43 G, 84.0 IP

This was the 27th World Series championship for the Yankees and the fifth for the Core Four (Jeter, Pettitte, Posada, and Rivera). For George “The Boss” Steinbrenner, this would be his last championship as the owner of the Yankees; he would pass away the following July at the age of 80, after owning the team for 37 years and winning 19 AL East Divisions, 11 AL Pennants, 7 World Series titles.

The 2009 Championship was in fact for you “Boss”.

(All photos are cited properly. No copyright infringement intended.)