“This is where I wanted to be from Day 1,” he told reporters at his coming out news conference. “I’m sorry it took so long.”

Damon sounded like playing in New York for the past four seasons was just a hiccup in his journey from Boston to Detroit.

Apparently, Damon’s speech writer isn’t aware of the economic climate assailing this country nowadays.  Damon complained that he was offered a pay cut by the Yankees after having what anyone would call a great season.

“We’re coming off a great year and you’re told you’ve gotta take a pay cut,” Damon said to the media present. “You’re kind of like, ‘A pay cut? What the heck?’ It’s a little humbling.”

“You’re like, ‘Wow, is that what they really think of me? Or what I do for the ballclub?’ I did a lot for the ballclub. I even recruited (free agents) for those guys. I did everything.”

Talk about losing touch with reality.  Does Damon realize there are people who have been out of work for years, losing their homes, businesses and having trouble putting food on the table or in their stomachs?  How anyone could complain about being offered $14 million for two years, playing what in essence is a kid’s game, is ridiculous.

Gee, Johnny what were the Yankees thinking?

Maybe Damon should have spoken to Andy Pettitte before turning down the Yankees offer or making these insensitive statements.

In 2009, Pettitte took a sizable reduction in pay when the Yankees offered him a 1-year, $5 million contract to stay in the Bronx.  Pettitte’s salary in 2008?  $16 million.

However, Pettitte had to weigh out what was most important to him.  Turn down the offer and move on or accept it and remain in pinstripes.  Pettitte chose the latter.

“I had to eat a lot of pride,’’ Pettitte said in an interview this past Friday in the New York Post. “But they gave me a chance to make $5 million more in incentives.’’

Pettitte responded by having one of his better seasons over the past four seasons.  After going 14-8 with a 4.16 ERA and 4-0 with a 3.58 ERA in the playoffs the Yankees rewarded Andy with a 1-year, $11.75 million contract to stay in New York.

After turning down the Yankees initial offer Damon remained on the market while the Yankees went looking elsewhere.  After trading Curtis Granderson (Detroit Tigers), resigning Pettitte, signing Nick Johnson (Florida Marlins) and trading for Javier Vazquez (Atlanta Braves) there wasn’t enough money to interest Damon.

“I was in the same position and I could see it coming,’’ Pettitte said about the smaller pot of money. “That’s where I was last year. You need to be careful in that situation.’’

Damon and his agent Scott Boras overplayed their hand with the Yankees and got burned.  If Detroit hadn’t offered this one-year deal what then?  Damon would probably still be sitting at home waiting for the phone to ring.

After the season was completed, the playoffs and World Series over Damon made it clear where he wanted to play.

On November 23 Damon was contacted by the New York Daily News and was quoted as saying,

“I want to continue to be on a team that can win and to play in front of great fans – and we know that the Yankees fill both of those,” Damon said. “I think everyone knows my desire to come back. Still, every time I’ve been a free agent, I’ve ended up switching teams. It’s the nature of the beast. If people are interested, I’m going to listen.”

In another interview with Andrew Marchand of ESPN 1050 Radio in New York Damon told him, “I know where I want to be next year.  I want to be here in New York.”

If Damon would’ve stepped back and looked at the big picture instead of having a myopic view he would probably be a Yankee today.

Perhaps, Yankees’ General Manager Brian Cashman summed it up best.

“When we signed him (for four years, $52 million), he was playing center field, a premium position, and the market was high. Now he’s a left fielder, he’s 36, in a collapsed market. Why would he not expect to take a pay cut?”

Hopefully, for Damon his ego didn’t get the best of him, because he is going to have to go through all of this again next year.  The Tigers, in addition to Damon, got highly touted prospect Austin Jackson from the Yankees in the Granderson trade.  Jackson will get a year in the Tiger organization and will be ready to go in 2011.  Damon will be 37, and probably looking for a new employer.  For the difference of $2 million ($8 million x 2) Damon let the Yankees slip through his fingers.

Damon will be missed, but he is not irreplaceable.  If the new guys in pinstripes can play and hit up to their projected potentials Damon’s departure will be a distant memory.

In the end Johnny Damon will again wear the number 18 on his back, but he’ll wish he was playing for the number 28 in October.

Naturally the assembled baseball media was more interested in getting a perspective of roster moves Cashman was looking at in a short off-season. It is barley three weeks since the Yankees won their 27^th world championship and there are some issues to address before spring training commences down in Tampa Florida in mid February.

“We haven’t game planned yet,” said Cashman dressed in casual attire, not typical for a Red Carpet type of affair. He recently completed organizational structural meetings with team brass and it may be too early as to making major decisions. What to do with the contracts of Johnny Damon, World Series MVP Hideki Matsui and pitcher Andy Pettitte?

And do the Yankees go after some of the high powered free agents that ate available, such as pitcher John Lackey, or trade for an outfielder, or acquire the highly sought Matt Holliday off the free agent market? “We’re going through everything that transpired in the meetings,” said Cashman. “Once I get some firm numbers, I can go ahead and start putting together some ideas,” he said.

Those ideas become interesting, because the Yankees seem to be solid at every position, with the exception of course in the outfield when it comes to the futures of Damon and Matsui. Then there is the obstacle of finding a viable fourth starter as Chien-Ming Wang  continues to rehab from right shoulder surgery.

“I had a couple of agents call me,” said the GM with a smile. There is reason to smile. Players on the market know coming to New York increases their chances of getting a ring, because the Yankees are willing to spend. But how much will it take after Cashman and company spent about a half billion in payroll, last off- season to get pitchers CC Sabathia, A.J, Burnett and first baseman Mark Teixeira?

Cashman alluded to making the right decisions when it came to the financial aspect of getting the top three, players that no doubt were a vital contribution to the Yankees success. “I am real pleased at the financial aspect of last winter,” he said. “It puts us in a much better position than before.”

So the Yankees will shed more salary without Matsui, leaving them the ability to re-sign Damon Their six years of futility to get back on top was done with their core of veterans, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and of course, Pettitte, who became the all-time post season pitcher with most wins after the game 6 clincher against the Phillies.

There was also the mix of players that came together, with some new and returning players that stayed healthy.  To that Cashman said, “Truthfully we won with older guys and stayed healthy.” In particular he mentioned the healthy year that came from Posada and Matsui..

“With the exception of Wang and Nady (Xavier) that’s why we are here today,” he said about the Yankees overall staying free of injuries and getting the contributions they needed.  Nady is one of the options the Yankees have for the outfield, if indeed they decide to tender him a new contract.

So getting younger and reducing payroll also can enable the Yankees to obtain another high caliber type of player off the free agent market. In particular Cashman will take a look at outfield prospect Austin Jackson, and maybe take someone out of the bullpen and make the conversion to starter.

“Do we promote Austin Jackson and way do we do at DH,” said Cashman who was anxious to see the 80 minute DVD that captures the Yankees run to another championship and their post season success.  “Do we get younger, that remains to be seen,” he concluded.

And as Cashman and Girardi posed in front of their new World Series trophy they know the task is ahead to defend the title and get number 28.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

Yes the Yankees deserve the right to cherish and enjoy their nine year futility to get there again, the right to call them world champions of baseball, number 27 the most for any professional sports franchise. But in baseball, as we all know, it is getting harder to build a dynasty and win consecutive championships.

As they received their Keys to the City of New York on the steps of City Hall Friday, the owner Hal Steinbrenner and manager Joe Girardi made their commitment to the fans that they will be in the same place next year Easier to say than done, and they are well aware that the economics of baseball will keep them competitive, but for how long?

Matsui, the World Series MVP has been regulated to a designated hotter role playing with two wobbly knees that presents an issue.  Damon, who had a season for the ages in the Bronx gets a year older   The issue is will the Yankees be willing to give multi million dollar contracts to a team that looks to get younger and not older?

Matsui and Damon become the speculation as a short off-season begins. Spring training convenes down in Tampa Florida in about 94 days.  Sandwiched in between are Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and pitcher Andy Pettitte.  Now with five World Series rings they are the core of four so often discussed and associated with New York Yankees championship history.

Pettitte showed he is valuable as a postseason pitcher, now the all-time leader with 18 wins pitching the clinching games against the Twins in the ALDS, Angels in the ALCS and getting the win in the big one Wednesday over the defending champion Phillies. He becomes another project for Cashman and company. If not the Yankees, with all of their money will find and purchase another starter to work after CC Sabathia and A.J, Burnett.

There is no telling how much longer age will catch up to that core.  Jeter still shows range at shortstop and always has quality at bats as the catalyst leadoff man.  Posada overcame his injury plagued season of 2008, and there was already talk that he could be feeling the pain of a 162 game season and the long postseason.

Does Posada fit in the DH role, assuming Matsui is not re-signed? First base is not an option with Mark Teixiera, one of the half billion dollar acquisitions that Cashman purchased secured there for the long run. Rivera once again put a staple on being the best postseason pitcher of all-time.

Afterwards Rivera revealed he had painful ribs, probably because Girardi had to call on him twice for six-out saves.   “I can go another five years,” said Rivera in the victorious and wild celebration, in that Yankees clubhouse early Thursday morning. Truthfully, how much longer can Rivera be, this dominating at 40 years of age?

As for Pettitte, he deserves the chance to return, that is if Cashman and company make the offer. They took a risk after the disappointing end of 2008 and Pettitte delivered with his one-year deal that included incentives. If Pettitte decides that the fifth ring is enough and returns home to Houston, the Yankees go shopping and become the lead runners to acquire free agent John Lackey of the Angels.

In the equation, again is Joba Chamerlain.  He is much better coming out of the pen and if the Yankees play their cards right he could be groomed to be the successor for Rivera as the closer. And Phillip Hughes becomes the other option to start again, in the event Pettitte does not return, or becomes the set up man for Rivera as the Yankees begin their title defense and try and get number 28.

So the process begins now for Cashman and company in the Bronx. Matsui deserves that chance to be a part of possibly building another Yankees dynasty, as does Damon but for how much and how long?

The Yankees are World Champions again and anything less to them is a failure.  They have to look at getting younger but why break up the nucleus of this 2009 team that may have been as good as the championship 1998 team that won 114 games?

Even with the Yankees it comes down to baseball economics.

Latino pride a part of Yankees world title and celebration: There they were in the victorious New York Yankees clubhouse, in the early hours of Thursday morning, and now world champions for the first time.  A contingent of young Major League Baseball players of Latino decent, also celebrating their heritage with teammates down the Canyon of Heroes the next day.

“It was something special and a moment I will never forget,” said Ramiro Pena the 22-year old native of Monterrey Mexico. He got the call during the season off and on from Triple A and became a valuable contributor to this championship Yankees team. And though he was not a factor much in the Yankees six game World Series win over the Philadelphia Phillies, Pena is one of the elite few.

Getting the ring and calling yourself a world champion only happens to very few. “Yeah” he said in the champagne soaked clubhouse moments after the Yankees clinched their sports best 27^th championship. “This is so special and for my people too it means so much.”

Extra special also for Pena because he celebrated with his mother and father in the clubhouse with the flag of Mexico draped around his body. He boarded the team buses in the Bronx early Friday morning after a long night of celebrating and then waved to the millions gathered along lower Broadway.

The Key to the City was also presented to Pena, along with all of his Yankees teammates on the steps of City Hall. “So awesome,” he said leaving the Yankees clubhouse Saturday morning for the last time. A desolate clubhouse now as players packed their bags earlier, or had their possessions shipped to their respective homes in what now becomes a very short off season.

Spring training will convene in Tampa Florida in a little less than 96 days. Pena is assured to be there and hopes to be a New York Yankee for the long haul. “I hope that can happen,” he said. “They are great teammates and helped me so much.”  He batted .287 with 17 runs, six doubles and 10 runs batted in and filled in at third, second and short in three separate stints this season.

The veterans, Mariano Rivera and Jorge Posada, two of the “core of four” now with five World Series titles were used to the moment of a celebratory clubhouse and the victorious parade. Jose Molina, the catcher for pitcher A.J., Burnett had one ring with the Angels 2002 team   But it never gets old, especially after taking the championship back home after nine years of futility for the core..

So there were those many moments the past few days for Pena, Robinson Cano, Melky Cabrera, Alfredo Aceves, Damaso Marte, Sergio Mitre, Francisco Cervilli and Francisco Guzman to cherish the moments. They all represented a diversity of Latino pride from Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Mexico and the Dominican Republic.   All will now have stories to tell and are of the elite few who will proudly wear a ring that signifies the 27^th World Series championship of the New York Yankees.

Perhaps we don’t understand the significance, those moments they will continue to cherish in the months ahead as they head home to celebrate with other family and friends who could not be with them.   And if this is their only chance at championship fame, which is never a rarity when donning the pinstripes, well they represent the Latino population with plenty of pride and accomplishment.

e-mail Rich Mancuso: Ring786@aol.com

The New York Yankees are World Champions again, and after Robinson Cano made the putout to Mark Teixeira at first that ended the Philadelphia Phillies one year reign as champions the celebration began. The Yankees after a 7-3 win over the Phillies, in their billion dollar ballpark gave their gift to the boss who made it happen.

“The Yankees won,” said team president Randy Levine on the field and moments later in a victorious clubhouse that was wilder than the 26^th Yankees championship in 2000, their last one when they beat the cross-town Mets. So Levine wasn’t kidding when he said, “The world is right again.”  Levine, instrumental in getting a new stadium for the Yankees was also proud that the Yankees won it for New York and people of the Bronx.

Because to the Yankees, it isn’t right unless they win a World Series and they did it by spending money again. Though one Yankee fan outside the press gate felt that that the spending habits of the Yankees is not the way to do it bringing in the players, a half billion dollars worth of talent this season in pitchers CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett and a hitter and defensive first baseman like Teixeira.

Regardless of what that fan was saying, these Yankees set out to accomplish what they had to do when they assembled in spring training back in February.  Every word in that champagne celebration, in the early hours of Thursday morning, conveyed a message to the boss.

Thank you, the players said for putting us together. For bringing the brilliant arm of Sabathia to the Bronx and for signing pitcher Andy Pettitte again, 2-0 in this World Series, a record 18 postseason wins and now a world champion for the fifth time along with other members of the core, Derek Jeter, Jorge Posada and Mariano Rivera.

Pettitte would become the first pitcher in history to start and win all three clinching games in a single season postseason, the ALDS, ALCS and the World Series. Jeter would go 3-for-5, his second three-hit game of this World Series and Rivera pitched 5.1 scoreless innings in four appearances.

“It feels better than I remember it, man,” said Jeter about being world champs again after a nine year hiatus as to being called the best. The Yankees came close as they continued to struggle over that span while spending money, but it came together in May when Alex Rodriguez returned from hip surgery.

It came together with a healthier Hideki Matsui, though playing with two bad knees. Matsui, along with Rodriguez got their first world championship. They too thanked the boss, general manager Brian Cashman and of course the manager Joe Girardi.

“My teammates, coaches, and the organization stayed by me,”’ said Rodriguez who finally became a true Yankee, his first championship with a memorable postseason setting a franchise record with 18 runs batted in. “And now we stand here as world champions,” he said.

Matsui, designated hitter for a majority of the season was named the Series Most Valuable Player the first Japanese player to do so, also the first DH to get that accomplishment.  He made a statement as to the Yankees renewing his contract next season going 3-for 4 with a double, homer, and a World Series record tying six runs batted in and batted .615 with three homers and 8 runs batted in six games.

“No, I have no idea right now,” commented Matsui when asked about next year. “Certainly it’s been a long road and a long journey,” he said about reaching the pinnacle of being with a championship team after a successful career in Japan. “I’m just happy that after all these years we were able to win and reach the goal that I had come here for.”

So eight years to the day, November 4^th 2001, the first time the Series was played that late, the Yankees lost to Arizona in seven games, they are champions this time. And it was a total team effort.

It was also the leadership of Girardi, wearing number 27 to signify what he wanted to achieve. When he took on the managerial responsibilities in his first and disappointing season of last year, when the Yankees failed to make the playoffs for the first time in 13 seasons.

“This is what the Steinbrenner family has strived for year after year, said Girardi. “George Steinbrenner and his family are champions. To be able to deliver this to the Boss, this stadium that he created and the atmosphere he has created around here is very gratifying for all of us.”

And now Girardi becomes the first manager to play and manage with the same team to a World Championship since Billy Martin guided the Yankees in the 1977 world title. ”The joys is the same, but it is different type of joy,” he said.   As a player its what you dream about ever since you were a little boy, and for me it was listening to Curt Gowdy and do all the World Series games.”

And for Girardi there was more satisfaction with the efforts of players who contributed during the course of a long season. Pitcher Sergio Mitre who filled in nicely as a number four starter when Chein-Ming Wang was shut down for the season and infielder Ramiro Pena brought up form Triple A.

They, too were tasting the champagne and on Friday morning will be a part of their first victory parade down the ”Canyon of Heroes” on Broadway. Girardi said all along it was the contributions of every player as we saw in this World Series. Damaso Marte, who struggled with arm problems, had his best pitches out of the pen in the six games against the Phillies.

“It’s an honor to win a championship with those guys,” said Teixeira about Rivera, Jeter, Posada and Pettitte. “It’s my first championship and their fifth, they are Yankee legends.”  On top of the Baseball world again are the Yankees and now Girardi may be looking at wearing uniform number 28.

e-mail Rich Mancuso:  Ring786@aol.com

For years, Hideki Matsui was one of the symbols of a New York Yankees team that never reached the promised land.

Not any more.

In playing what could be his last game in pinstripes, Matsui made the most of his final curtain call, driving in record-tying six runs to power the Bronx Bombers to their 27th World Series title.

Much like his Yankee Stadium debut seven seasons ago, a performance that saw the Japanese slugger called “Godzilla” drive in four runs with a grand slam in a 7-3 win over the Twins, Matsui was the leading man in Wednesday’s victory, by the identical score of 7-3.

Lending even more credence to the idea that the ghosts of championships past have moved across the street, Andy Pettitte was the winning pitcher that cold April day so many years ago.

”It’s mind-boggling the things that happen here at the Stadium,” said Pettitte that day. ”It’s obviously a great moment for him. That was special.”

On a night when the pre-game chatter in the press box was about how the Yankees had to find a way to stop Chase Utley from ruining their season, it was the Phillies who never found a way to keep Matsui from ending theirs.

While it’s certainly true that Matsui never truly delivered the kind of numbers that were expected of him when the Yankees signed him, his career in pinstripes has earned a great deal of respect
from anyone who has ever come in contact with him.

Perhaps it was his first impression, which could be his last. Either way, I leave it to Tyler Kepner, who wrote so eloquently about Matsui on Opening Day, 2003.

“… Matsui unleashed his compact swing and drove it more than 400 feet. When he returned to the dugout, the fans gave Matsui a 30-second standing ovation until he appeared and lifted his helmet to them in a curtain call. Matsui called it the ”greatest moment” of his life.”

That was then. This is now.

But, that may be the thing which prevents the New York Yankees from ultimately holding on to what used to be a seemingly safe three games to one lead over the Philadelphia Phillies in the 2009 World Series.

There’s no doubt that the Yankees’ lineup is loaded and powerful, or that they have the best closer in the game in future Hall of Fame Mariano Rivera. Or even, that on a full four days of rest, the Yankees have a championship caliber starting pitching staff.

After all, those are all of the key ingredients which have pushed the Yankees to the very brink of winning their 27th world championship.

However, what if one of those things changed significantly enough in Game 5, and then in Game 6, and finally, in a Game 7 as well?

Well, we’ve actually already seen the first of those three scenarios, when Yankees’ Game 5 starter A.J. Burnett, going on only three days of rest, was rocked for six runs, all earned, in only 2+ innings in the Yankees’ 8-6 loss which sent the Series back to New York for Game 6 Wednesday night.

Speaking of Game 6, Yankees’ starter Andy Pettitte will also be pitching on just three days of rest.

And, should that not work out as New York hopes, the Yankees’ Game 7 starter, will be the ace of their staff, C.C. Sabathia, but he too, would be pitching after only three days of rest.

That all means that the difference between another Yankees’ championship and a World Series collapse could likely be riding on the one area of their team which doesn’t measure up to any of the aforementioned ones — the Yankees’ bullpen, otherwise known as the all important bridge from New York’s starters to world class closer Mariano Rivera.

So far, Yankee relievers Phil Hughes, Brian Bruney, and Phil Coke have all been ineffective during different times in this year’s World Series, and Joba Chamberlain blew a save in the eighth inning of Game 4, even though the Yankees later won that game.

Of course, more than just the Yankees’ bullpen would be available if needed in a possible Game 7. Any starter other than Pettitte would be ready to throw an inning, or to a batter, maybe even just a pitch, whatever it would take to get the ball to Rivera.

Although, if the Yankees can’t do that against an equally dangerous Phillies’ lineup which can often score late once it gets the opposing starting pitcher out of the game, Rivera might never get the chance to close out a world title as he’s done four times before.

Perhaps Pettitte will get Game 6 to Rivera himself. Or, if Pettitte and the Yankees’ bullpen fail, maybe Sabathia might even throw a complete game a night later.

But, if the short rest affects both Pettitte and Sabathia from this point, the way it seems to have limited Burnett in the Game 5, the Yankees will need their bullpen to play a key role in at least one of the next two games, and be the connection from either Pettitte or Sabathia to Rivera.

Through 103 regular season wins, an AL East title, ALDS and ALCS championships, and three World Series victories, the Yankees have made it this far on their journey.

But, to reach the promised land, they still need to travel to the other side of where they are now and avoid any Phillie pitfalls with a bullpen that might very well be called upon to be their bridge to a championship.

Andy Pettitte has taken the hill in the post season more than any other Yankee pitcher not named Mariano Rivera.  Whitey Ford has the major league record for most wins the World Series with 10, but Pettitte had the most victories in the post season with 16.  Last night he was going for his 17^th.

The Philadelphia Phillies countered with last year’s World Series MVP, Cole Hamels, and the Phillies were banking on the Hamels of 2008 showing up.  As Game 3 unfolded it appeared that the boys from the City of Brotherly Love were going to get their wish.

In the first 3 innings Hamels completely shut down the Yankees.  The only flaw in his game up that point was hitting Alex Rodriguez in the top of the second, but he quickly erased that situation by inducing catcher Jorge Posada to hit into a force at second, striking out Robinson Cano and getting Nick Swisher to fly out to right.

Pettitte also looked like he was ready for the evening.  After giving up a leadoff single to shortstop Jimmy Rollins in the first Pettitte retired the Phillies big bats by popping out Shane Victorino, then striking out Chase Utley and Ryan Howard to end the inning.

The game appeared to be shaping up to another pitching duel, but things got dicey for Pettitte and the Yankees in the second.  In a script tailor made for Halloween Pettitte served up a leadoff home run to Jason Werth before striking out Raul Ibanez.  Catcher Pedro Feliz followed with a double to right and Carlos Ruiz walked.  With runners at first and second Hamels laid down a bunt single to load the bases.  Rollins walked to force in a run and then Victorino hit a sacrifice fly to left scoring Ruiz.  Pettitte finally escaped further damage by striking out Utley for the second time to end the inning.

The teams traded zeros in the 3^rd inning, but it wasn’t looking great for the Bombers as Hamels hadn’t given up a hit and appeared to be cruising through New York’s lineup.

That all changed in the top of the 4^th.

Hamels started the inning like he had the entire game by getting Johnny Damon to fly out to right field.  He walked  Mark Teixeira and up to the plate strode Alex Rodriguez.

Rodriguez, who had had stellar division and league championship series performances was hitless in the Fall Classic.  In eight official at bats A-Rod had recorded six strikeouts conjuring up memories of his preceding post season woes.

A-Rod put a charge into an 0-1 fastball and sent it down the right field line.  Initially, it looked like the ball hit the top of the wall and came back onto the field, causing Rodriguez to stop at second and Teixeira at third.  However, the strange way the ball bounced back onto the field caused Girardi to ask for a video review of the ball’s flight.  All six umpires retreated to a viewing room and in a very quick reversal ruled that A-Rod’s shot had hit a FOX camera located just behind the wall in the right field corner of the park.  It was now a 3-2 Phillies lead.

“I think it was a big hit,” Rodriguez said to reporters after the game. “I think it woke our offense up a little bit. It felt really good.”

Added Girardi about A-Rod’s breakout swing, “It was a big hit for us because it really got us going.  He has been so good for us in the playoffs. He’s a big reason we’re at this point.”

Pettitte pitched a scoreless 4^th and then the Yankees went back to work in the top of the 5^th inning.

Swisher finally got to the party by doubling to left to start the inning.  After Melky Cabrera stuck out  Pettitte helped his own cause by blooping a first pitch curveball into center as Swisher came around and beat the throw to home with a hard slide into Ruiz.

With the score tied Jeter singled to left, moving Pettitte to second.  Johnny Damon doubled to right center scoring Pettitte and Jeter.  Rapidly the game unraveled for Hamels and the Phillies.  After walking Teixeira manager Charlie Manuel took his staggered starter out of the game.

J.A. Happ quickly restored order by getting A-Rod to line out to center and Posada to pop out to second to shut down the Yankee threat.

Leading 5-3 Pettitte faced the heart of the Phillies lineup.  However, as he had done so many times in past post season games, Pettitte came up big getting Victorino to line out to center, followed by Utley grounding out to first and Howard popping out to short.

Both teams traded home runs in the 6^th as Swisher recorded his first knock in the World Series and Werth hit a monster shot over the left field wall for his second round tripper of the game.

In the seventh with two on and two out Posada got on the ledger by hitting a soft single to left scoring Damon as the Yankees took a 7-4 lead.

Pinch hitter Hideki Matsui, substituting for reliever Joba Chamberlain (who pitched a scoreless 7^th inning) finished up the Yankees scoring by hitting an opposite field home run off Brett Myers to make it an 8-4 ballgame.

With the Phillies down to their last 3 outs and the Yankees holding onto a 4-run lead Girardi elected to go with the erratic Phil Hughes to close out the game.  Unfortunately for Hughes, after Feliz grounded out, Hughes threw a 1-1 four seamer to Ruiz over the plate and Ruiz launched it over the left center field wall.  Girardi wasted little time finding his hook and pulling the beleaguered reliever out of the game.

For the third straight game closer Mariano Rivera was given the ball and asked to end the game.  Rivera did so on 5 pitches.  He induced pinch hitter Matt Stairs to ground out to second and Rollins to hit a soft pop up to Rodriguez at third.  Ballgame over.

Losing Game 1, and knowing the last 6 World Series runner ups lost Game 1 the Yankees knew they had a steep, but not impossible mountain to climb.

“We feel like we’ve got a real strong team,” Pettitte told reporters. “Obviously, losing that first game, we weren’t happy with that. We were upset about it, but we feel real good about what we’re doing and we felt good about coming in here.”

Pettitte critiqued his pitching performance as a rough one.  One that came after an 80-minute rain delay.

“It was a battle tonight — I wasn’t able to get ahead,” Pettitte said in the clubhouse. “I wasn’t able to get my breaking ball over. I was able to get some outs when I needed to get some, but it was a grind tonight for me.”

More from Pettitte on Pettitte:

“You’re out there and you’re by yourself,” Pettitte admitted to reporters. “There’s not a whole lot of anything that can help you except just trying to just keep battling and keep trying to get it there and keep trying to get it there, and hopefully, it’ll come around.”

Luckily for the Yankees Pettitte did come around, and so did the Yankees offense.   Although happy with the outcome the Yankees know the battle isn’t over.

“We feel good about being up, 2-1,” Pettitte mused afterward. “But we know there’s a lot of work left to do.”

New York hopes to put the Phillies on the brink of elimination today in Game 4 as their ace CC Sabathia takes the hill on three days’ rest.  The Phillies counter with RHP Joe Blanton.  Game time is 8:20 pm EST. As usual the broadcast will be carried by FOX and anchored by Joe Buck and Tim McCarver.

In order for that to happen the Yankees needed to set aside a Pesky Los Angeles Angels club that has been a thorn in New York’s side in what has seemed like forever.  The Angels took 2-of-3 in Anaheim to pull the series back to Big Apple and only trailing the Yankees 3-2.

As Angels center fielder Torii hunter said, “the pressure is all on them (Yankees).”  Pettitte took the ball and said ‘no problem.’

Pettitte faced off against Halos lefty Joe Saunders.  Saunders last appeared in Game 2 and pitched very well.  He threw 7.0 innings, surrendering 2 runs while striking out 5 and walking one.  The Angels bullpen, specifically Brian Fuentes and Ervin Santana, imploded and gave the Yankees a 4-3 win.

On the other hand, Pettitte started Game 3 and pitched well enough to keep his team in the game.  He was staked to a 3-0 lead before surrendering it and leaving the game tied after 6-1/3 innings of work.  The game went into extra innings and the Angels won it in the 11^th when new Yankee killer Jeff Mathis doubled in the winning run .

No one in the Yankees clubhouse wanted this series to reach a 7^th game.  It was an attitude of winning it now that permeated the team.  Girardi felt there was no better guy to give the ball to than Pettitte.  After all, “AP” had made 37 previous playoff starts and was tied with John Smoltz for career playoff wins at 15 apiece.

Pettitte was masterful in his approach toward the Angels lineup.  He reached back into his past and delivered a vintage Pettitte performance.  He bent , but never broke as he kept the ever dangerous Halos hitters in check.  Andy gave up 7 hits, but the Angels were only able to convert it into one earned run over 6-1/3 innings.  Pettitte surrendered a single to left fielder Juan Rivera before Girardi came and got his trusty lefty.

As Pettitte walked off the field toward the Yankees dugout the Stadium erupted into a din of cheers for the man who has given the pinstriped faithful so many wonderful memories.  Gratefully, Andy doffed his cap and waved it at the crowd before disappearing into the dugout.

Girardi called for embattled right-hander Joba Chamberlain.  It was a huge leap of faith Girardi was showing Chamberlain who entered the game with the Yankees holding on to a precarious 3-1 lead.  Chamberlain faced pinch hitter Maicer Izturis who grounded into a force play as 2B Robinson Cano got Rivera at  second, and then induced shortstop Erick Aybar (sans dreadlocks) to ground out to Mark Teixeira at first to end the inning.

As Chamberlain walked off the mound he thumped his chest as a sign of some personal redemption.

As the Yankees took the field for the top of the 8^th inning Girardi went to the one thing the Angels didn’t have, and that is the best closer in the history of the game.  Mariano Rivera entered the game to the strains of “Enter Sandman” and was asked to get 6 outs.

At age 40 Rivera is still doing things that other relief pitchers can only dream of doing.  At the end of the regular season Mo had recorded his 526^th career save, second only to Milwaukee Brewers closer Trevor Hoffman (591).  However, what separates Rivera from the rest is his performance in the post season where he has recorded 37 saves; more than twice the number of the second place closer, Philadelphia Phillies Brad Lidge.**

The never say die Angels opened the top of the 8^th with Chone Figgins blooping a weak single to left field.  Bobby Abreu grounded out to move Figgins to second, followed by Hunter who grounded to Cano for the second out.  Figgins was unable to advance.

It didn’t matter though as Vladimir Guerrero stepped in and shot a low 3-2 cutter into right field to score Figgins.  That would be the last Angel to cross home plate.  Kendry Morales grounded out to second to end the Halos threat.

In the bottom of the frame Angels manager Mike Scioscia brought in lefty Scott Kazmir after Ervin Santana walked Cano on four straight pitches.

Then in something right out of the Twilight Zone the Angels saw their playoff hopes dissipate as Nick Swisher sacrificed bunted Cano to second.  As Swisher was racing toward first, first baseman Morales picked up the bunted ball and fired to the bag being covered by 2B Howie Kendrick.  Kendrick dropped the ball and everyone was safe.

The speedy Brett Gardner replaced Swisher at first and then it was center fielder Melky Cabrera’s turn.  He laid down a bunt which was fielded by Kazmir.  Instead of firing the ball to first Kazmir lobbed it right over the head of Morales allowing Cano to score and it moved Gardner to third and Cabrera to second.

Derek Jeter grounded out to first as the runners stayed put and then Kazmir walked Johnny Damon to load the bases.  Teixeira hit a fly ball to center scoring Gardner  to make it 5-2.  Scioscia had seen enough and yanked Kazmir for Jered Weaver.

Weaver faced the dangerous Alex Rodriguez, but pitched around him; walking him on four pitches.  With the bases again loaded catcher Jorge Posada who had had a miserable game (hitting into two inning ending double plays) looked at strike three to end the inning.

Rivera took the mound for the Angels last stand.  The Angels went quietly into the night and into the winter as Kendrick grounded out to first, Rivera to fly out to right and as only Mo could do it struck out pinch hitter Gary Matthews, Jr. to end the game and the series.

The Yankees celebrated in the middle of their house before retiring to the clubhouse to enjoy the win and spray champagne on each other.  Honorary American League Vice President Jackie Autry presented the American League Championship trophy to Yankees managing general partner Hal Steinbrenner and lefty CC Sabathia was named series MVP.

For Andy Pettitte it was a game of satisfaction and new heights.  In addition to winning his 16^th career playoff game, breaking the tie with Smoltz, Pettitte set a new major league record with his 5^th career series closeout victory.

Like old times it was Andy Pettitte and Mariano Rivera leading the way for the Yankees to the promised land.

Today is a new day and now the Yankees turn their sights toward the City of Brotherly Love and the Philadelphia Phillies.  The Phillies have a boatload of hitters themselves, in Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and company.  They also have the pitching with Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, et. al.

The 2009 World Series is set to begin in the Bronx on Wednesday evening with FOX Sports televising the series in its entirety.  It will be Sabathia vs. Lee for Game 1 in what should be a classic pitcher’s duel.  The times will be announced by MLB later today.

Congratulations to the Yankees and to the Phillies.  May the best team reign supreme.

4=27.

**Source:  baseball-reference.com

On Sunday night, the left-hander from Baton Rouge did the next best thing, and did his part to propel the 2009 New York Yankees into the World Series.

The Yankees haven’t been to the Fall Classic since 2003. That year marked Pettitte’s last season with the team that signed him as an amateur free agent in 1991. After being allowed to leave (or was pushed out, depending on who you talk to), to Houston for three seasons, he came back to the club in 2007. After going 14-14 a year ago, including a poor second half to the 2008 season, his returning this year was up in the air as well.

It was only after the Yankees had made their high-profile signings that they addressed bringing Pettitte back, which they eventually did. The team is fortunate they did so, because they are going back to the Fall Classic because Pettitte limited the Angels to just one run over 6 1-3 innings, striking out six and walking just one to earn his 16th postseason win, the most in baseball history.

There were 50,173 fans vociferously booing Joe Girardi when the skipper jogged to remove Pettitte in the top of the seventh, but it was quickly turned to a thundering standing ovation, as the tall southpaw tipped his cap to the largest crowd to see a Yankee game this season.

Mariano Rivera made things interesting in the eighth, when he allowed a two-out RBI single to Vlad Guerrero. It was the first earned run he had allowed at home in the postseason since Game 2 of the 2000 World Series.

But in the ninth, Rivera’s margin for error was expanded, as the Yankees scored two more runs in the bottom of the eighth, thanks to some sloppy defense by Los Angeles. He made short work of the Angels in the ninth, retiring the side in order to earn his 37th postseason save, also the best in MLB history.

The Yankee offense took advantage of the Angels in the fourth. After Derek Jeter worked out a walk to load the bases, left fielder Johnny Damon stepped up to the plate. It was Damon, as a member of the Red Sox and in all of his grizzled glory that quieted old Yankee Stadium in the second inning with a grand slam on Javier Vazquez’s first pitch in Game 7, 2004. He had failed in his first attempt with the bases loaded earlier in the night, but delivered in this at-bat, driving in two runs with a base hit up the middle.

Mark Teixeira hit a ball far enough in the hole that shortstop made Erick Aybar’s throw to second base a shade late to force Damon at second base. Then, Alex Rodriguez, whose first year in the Bronx was that miserable 2004 season, and who has been trying to make up for that and several other postseason failures since, drew a bases-loaded walk to make the score 3-1.

It was all the offense they needed.

***

There were three “Yankee Stadium” signature moments before the game, the first being a loud roar from the crowd when Tino Martinez was spotted in a luxury suite and shown on the immense HD screen in center field.

The second eruption came when Bernie Williams was announced as the thrower of the ceremonial first pitch.

The third was the thundering sound of “Welcome to The Jungle” played through the Stadium’s sound system, sending the Bronx into a frenzy.

Then Pettitte took over.

***

CC Sabathia was named the ALCS MVP, and will face Phillies’ left-hander Cliff Lee in Game 1 of the World Series on Wednesday. The two pitchers were teammates on the 2007 Cleveland Indians, a club that blew a 3-1 ALCS lead over the Red Sox.

More at BaseballDigest.com.

There were some questions in early May, before Alex Rodriguez returned to the lineup. After that the Yankees proved they were destined to get back to the World Series. They were the best team in baseball from then on, and now four more wins await them this time, before they can be called the best against the defending champion Philadelphia Phillies

And just like the ALCS battle with the Angels, the Yankees know their destiny to get championship number 27 won’t be easy. They don’t know much about the Phillies with the exception of the three games they played against them in June when the Phils came to the Bronx and took two of three games.

And so the mission for Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and the Steinbrenner owned Yankees is almost complete. It was Cashman, last October, after seeing his team fail to make the postseason making a statement. “We are not satisfied and won’t be,” he said, “unless we are in the World Series.”

So they spent money again to make it correct. They had to with a spanking new billion dollar ballpark. And the hope is it will all culminate in the next week with another World Series trophy.  But these Phillies provide just as much power as the Yankees do, and play just as well at their ballpark as the Yankees do in the Bronx.

“Don’t know a thing about them, don’t know much about them,” said the captain Derek Jeter when asked about the Phillies in the new spacious Yankees clubhouse that got another dose of champagne Sunday evening. Jeter is a part of that core of four with Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada, and Andy Pettitte who now go to their seventh World Series.

For Rodriquez it is his first time going to the Big Dance. And all of the demons of previous postseasons are history. He could have been ALCS MVP that went to Sabathia, but what is more important is how Rodriquez shut the mouths of critics and finally became a Yankee the past few weeks.

He reached base five times in the ALCS finale, batted .429, hit three home runs, and drove in six against the Angels. After two of the core players embraced after the final out, Posada and the closer Rivera, it was no surprise that Rodriquez was the first Yankee on the field that got hugged by Jeter and the rest of his team.

“I felt really happy and really blessed and all I cared about this year was winning games,” said Rodriquez who had a tense spring training with a steroid controversy and then missing time until May with hip surgery.  But all along the goal was to get where he is now, a World Series with the Yankees.

And for the manager Joe Girardi every thing now has gone to plan. Like his predecessor, Joe Torre, management provided the players and opportunity to get the elusive 27^th championship. The moves made out of the bullpen that may have cost a game three win last week are now in the past.

His mission from the spring was to get where the Yankees are, beginning Wednesday evening in the Bronx. “We’ve had big players do big things,” he said. “That’s why we are going to the World Series.” Sabathia is one of those big players with two wins, one on three days rest against the Angels, Rodriguez the other, and of course Pettitte who got a baseball record 16^th career postseason win getting the clinching win against the Twins also in the ALDS.

Perhaps this will be the last time Pettitte and the core are together for this special moment in late October. Pettitte signed a one-year contract to get there again. Jeter, Posada and Rivera still have some time together.  But for now, the agenda for them and these Yankees are the Phillies, a team that picked up momentum in September and will provide a bigger test than the Angels.

“They outplayed us, that’s’ the bottom line,” said Angels manager Mike Scoscia. His team made errors, and the Yankees like the good team they are will capitalize on that. And the Angels only stole two bases in the six games, so the Yankees had a way of stopping their running game.

With Sabathia pitching Game 1 Wednesday evening, the Yankees quickly have an advantage.  “That’s’ what you play for,” said Rodriguez. “In order to win a World Series you have to get there first.”

Mission accomplished for now. Bring on the Phillies.

e-mail Rich Mancuso:  Ring786@aol.com