Congratulations to the Yankees, 2009 World Champions of Baseball. You beat a homegrown team with heart, resolve and personality and for that you should be commended. Your bullpen was stellar – Mariano Rivera got the job done every time they gave him the ball. If that’s what 40 is going to be like, I can’t wait. The Yankees are a baseball team rich in history and a tradition of winning, and even if you can’t stand them (which I can’t), you have to respect Derek Jeter, so I’m going to focus on him, kind of like pinching your nose when you have to eat something disgusting. Jeter was a machine in this series. He’s a class act on and off the field, and his ability to get a hit whenever it was needed was incredible. People talk about Johnny Damon being series MVP (and I switched the channel when Victorino grounded out so I have no idea who actually won it), but Jeter pretty much carried the team on his back. He deserved one more ring, and Girardi proved himself to be an able manager and a decent human being, so I don’t feel to bad about him winning either. In a series that should have been a lot closer, this Yankees team was able to get it done without too much nail-biting on the part of their fans. To the Yankees fans I know, congratulations. After the collapse of 2004, I know you’ve been looking for a little redemption. You got it in spades. Now you have it. For my fellow Phillies fans, let’s get ‘em in 2010!