Winners of 26 World Series titles, the New York Yankees are the most storied franchise in the history of major North American sports. All that's in the way of the Yankees adding to that record total is the Philadelphia Phillies, who, with their explosive lineup and top-of-the-rotation strength, are certainly a formidable foe. However, not even the defending champions can stop the Yankees from claiming title No. 27, and here are the top five reasons why:
1. The new Mr. October: Whether it was for his inability to hit in the clutch, his drama with Madonna or his steroid use, few players were as maligned as Alex Rodriguez coming into this season. He was barely even able to avoid torment in his own home park, often booed profusely by the Yankee faithful when he underperformed.
But this postseason, Rodriguez is finally silencing all the critics, and he's doing it in a big way. With steroid talks finally dying out and Kate Hudson by his side, Rodriguez has hit .438 with 12 RBIs in nine games. He has been so dangerous late in games — three of his five home runs have tied games in the seventh inning or later — that the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim intentionally walked him with two outs and no one on in the ninth inning of a one-run contest. Rodriguez has been a one-man offensive machine for the Yankees, and if he keeps it up, he could easily carry them past Philadelphia.
2. Enter Sandman: Six elite closers — Jonathan Papelbon, Joe Nathan, Brian Fuentes, Huston Street, Ryan Franklin and Jonathan Broxton — blew saves over the first two rounds of the playoffs, underscoring how valuable a closer can be in October. But for the Yankees, the ninth inning of a close game is never even a fright. For opponents, however, it's a nightmare.
Mariano Rivera is perhaps the greatest playoff closer ever, with 37 saves in 42 postseason opportunities and a sparkling 0.77 ERA over 128.0 innings. In his 15th major league season, Rivera continues to give batters fits with his cutter, as likely league MVP Joe Mauer of the Minnesota Twins can attest. In Game 3 of the ALDS, Mauer came up to bat against Rivera in the bottom of the eighth inning with the tying run on base. But Rivera shattered Mauer's bat, inducing a weak grounder to first to end the Twins' threat. The Sandman has lost nothing with age and even seems to be becoming more dominant.
Rivera is particularly challenging for the Phillies because he can neutralize their powerful left-handed bats, such as those of Chase Utley, Ryan Howard and Raul Ibanez, as well as their top power threat off the bench, Matt Stairs. Lefties managed just a paltry .182 batting average against Rivera this season, and one in four left-handers Rivera faced struck out.
3. Carsten Charles: One of the team's three big-ticket free agent acquisitions, CC Sabathia has been a horse for the Yankees this postseason. Over three starts, Sabathia has allowed 17 hits in 22.2 innings while striking out 20 batters. After two dominant performances against the Angels in the ALCS, the latter on three days rest, Sabathia earned series MVP honors.
Because the Yankees avoided having to use Sabathia in a seventh and deciding ALCS game, their ace should play a major factor in the World Series. Already on track to start the series opener against Cliff Lee, Sabathia could also start Games 4 and 7 on three days rest. Considering how well the entire team's starting staff has performed this postseason, going 5-0 with a 2.55 ERA through 60 innings of work, the Yankees could have quite an advantage in the pitching department.
4. Home sweet home: The new Yankee Stadium has not exactly welcomed its visitors. The Yankees lost a grand total of eight games at home after the All-Star break and posted a league-best mark of 57-24 at home on the year. Having gone 5-0 at Yankee Stadium in postseason play, the Bronx Bombers clearly have the benefit of a significant home-field advantage.
Thanks to the American League's victory in the 2009 All-Star Game, the road to this year's World Series crown will go primarily through the Bronx, a huge edge for the Yankees given how dominant they have been at home.
5. The bench warmers: A strong bench is imperative in the playoffs, when managers start playing mind games with each other in the late innings, and the Yankees have several pieces with which manager Joe Girardi can mix and match.
Brett Gardner provides speed, having stolen 26 bases in 31 attempts on the year, while Eric Hinske, expected to be added to the World Series roster, looms as a power threat. Since he was acquired at the July 31 trade deadline, Jerry Hairston, Jr. has been valuable for his ability to play multiple positions, giving Girardi some flexibility. And even if he no longer serves as A.J. Burnett's personal catcher, Jose Molina can contribute some solid defense behind the plate if called upon to replace Jorge Posada late in games.
