The Owner of the New York Yankees Acknowledges the Champions

"The Steinbrenner Family and the Yankees Organization are extremely proud of the members of the 2009 New York Yankees for bringing a 27th World Championship to New York City and our fans, the greatest fans in the world. Every World Series victory is special, but this one is especially sweet coming in the first year in our new home.

"The 2009 New York Yankees proved that we are the best in baseball. We beat truly worthy opponents in the American League Division Series, the American League Championship Series and the World Series. As we did all season long, we fought hard, never lost focus and gave a true team victory. Our players have a lot to be proud of. This group will become legendary -- similar to the 26 World Championship teams that preceded them.

"Joe Girardi and his team deserve great credit for racking up wins over a long, tough season.

"We are so grateful to our fans. They have never wavered in their faith or enthusiasm through the good and bad years. This World Series belongs to them and to all Yankees, past, present and future."

--George Steinbrenner, New York Yankees' owner.

It is clear that the championship grew out of a vision, confidence, a need to prove their abilities and meet a challenge, a family atmosphere, a sense of belonging and teamwork, perseverence, pride, focus, and passion. This is a successful formula for championships. Congratulations to the New York Yankees.

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New York Yankees Win World Series as a Team

"Look, a lot of other people were going the other way and my teammates and coaches and the organization stood right next to me and we finished together as world champs. I couldn't be prouder.

"I just knew then that when I had the 25 guys standing next to me and the organization and general manager, it meant the world to me and I said that day [that] this is going to turn out to be one of the most special years of our lives, and it sure has.''

--Alex Rodriguez, discussing his teammates' support since February when he admitted to steroid use and faced the media at spring training.

"He's a world champion," general manager Brian Cashman said. "No one can say anything about him anymore. He's performed in October. He's performed on the biggest stage. He's got a World Series ring coming his way, and he deserves it."

Hitting .365 in the postseason, Rodriguez slammed six homers and drove in 18 runs.

GOOD MANAGEMENT

Joe Girardi was instrumental in managing the talented Yankees.

"He lets us play, that's the thing. He writes down the lineup. He's open with us. He's honest with us, he communicates with us well. He gives us a chance to go out there and do our thing. He's done a tremendous job."

--Derek Jeter, giving credit to the managerial skills of Yankee manager, Joe Girardi.

DREAMS, PRIDE, AND TEAMWORK

"The joy is the same, but it's a different type of joy," Girardi said after the victory. "As a player, it's what you dream about ever since you were a little boy, and for me, it was listening to Curt Gowdy do all the World Series games. As a manager, you still have that joy, but the joy is for other people, because you know as a player what it takes to win a championship."

"It feels great," Rodriguez said. "I couldn't be more proud of 25 guys, coaching staff and an organization -- it takes everybody."

"I feel very blessed. I feel so lucky to be part of their fifth championship and my first. It's an honor to play with these guys."

--Mark Teixeira, Yankee firstbaseman, said of Yankee veterans Derek Jeter, Jose Posada, Mariano Rivera, and Andy Pettitte.

. . .was happy to be able to hit and contribute to the team's win but more than that, just, us as a team, winning the championship - by far - that is such a great feeling. I guess you can say that this is the best moment of my life right now. If I were to look back, yes, this would be the best.''

--Hideki Matsui, Most Valuable Player of the 2009 World Series, who drove in six runs in the sixth and final game and hitting .615 with three homers and eight RBI during the entire series.

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

Excerpts from USAToday.com, NECN.com, VOANews.com, ESPN.com and MLB.com (November 5, 2009).

Yankees Taking a Team Approach to the World Series

“There's no question, I have never had a bigger hit. But if you look at what Mark Teixeira and I have done in this World Series, it’s not much, and it just tells you what a great balanced team we've had all year, and we're getting contributions from all our guys. It just feels to go out and help the team win.”

--Alex Rodriguez, Yankee thirdbaseman, acknowledging the teamwork needed to compete and win as New York takes a 3-1 lead over the Phillies.

Rodriguez is hitting .143 (2-for-14) in the World Series, combining with Mark Teixeira (1-for-14, .071) to form a slumping 3-4 punch. Neverthless, Rodriguez' two hits were clutch hits that have propelled the Yankees to two wins over the Phillies. The hit also was the 15th RBI of the postseason for Rodriguez.

"He's the reason why we're sitting here in Philadelphia right now," Johnny Damon said of A-Rod, who tied Bernie Williams and Scott Brosius for the most RBIs in a postseason by a Yankee. "Without him, who knows where our road may have stopped at. He has the RBI numbers and he's been driving us through the playoffs."

VISIONS, DREAMS, AND PRIDE

"It's always been all about trying to win a World Series," general manager Brian Cashman said. "It's very special in that we just opened up a brand new ballpark, and considering all the history we left behind in the old place, it's nice to open this one with a trip to the World Series. Hopefully we can finish it off with a championship."

"A lot of great players have never had the honor of going to the World Series," Rodriguez said. "It's been a dream of mine since I was a 5-year-old boy to play in the World Series. It's been a long wait."

"When you put that uniform on with these guys, for this organization, it's about winning," said A. J. Burnett, who was a member of the 2003 World Series Champion Florida Marlins, but missed the entire postseason due to injury. "Somebody in spring training, I don't remember who it was, said if we don't win the World Series it's a failure. And I agree."

"When you think about Yankees you think about the word ‘winners'. To be able to be a part of this team, and to be able to be a part of this organization, it's an amazing feeling. This is a great team, and there's great camaraderie with all these guys. I couldn't be more happy, more proud. I'm really excited to put those pinstripes on for the World Series."

--Nick Swisher, New York Yankees.

FOCUS

"We haven't accomplished anything yet. We've won three games, but that's not what we set out to do. We want the fourth."

--Johnny Damon, New York Yankees outfielder, after the Yankees have taken the 3-1 lead over the Phillies.

"We've been down this road before," Rodriguez said. "We have to stay very focused. These guys are the world champs, so they're going to come out fighting. So are we."

Excerpts from ESPN.com, sports.Yahoo.com, and New York Post.com (November 2, 2009)

For more on mental conditioning, click on The Handbook of Peak Performance.

World Series Game Two: Yankees Learn from Phillies About Confidence

"He talked about belief in his stuff, and all I told myself last night and today was the same thing. I went out tonight with confidence, and just, you know, the game just rolled by."

--A.J. Burnett, New York Yankees pitcher, who learned from the Philadelphia Phillies' pitcher Cliff Lee, about how to mentally prepare for his appearance in the 2009 World Series.

Prior to Game 2, Burnett was walking through the home clubhouse when he noticed Lee, Wednesday's winning pitcher, giving an interview on a nearby television. Burnett stopped to listen as Lee talked about trusting his stuff, pitching with confidence and using positive self-talk.

HANDLING PRESSURE

"All I told myself last night and today was the same thing," Burnett said. "I went out tonight with confidence, and the game just rolled by. I was in a good rhythm."

Burnett found himself in a pressure-packed situation in game two of the World Series. The Yankees did not want to go down 0-2 at home.

Rather than fail under the pressure, Burnett succeeded, outdueling Pedro Martinez, Phillies' starting pitcher and leading the Yankees to a 3-1 victory, evening up this best-of-seven World Series.

MENTAL PREPARATION
"I knew I had a big task ahead of me with Pedro on the mound, and I wanted to go out and pitch the best I could," Burnett said.

“You try to prepare for yourself for these games and this city and this crowd, but I think I fed off the crowd tonight,” he said. “They were up every time I got one strike, they were up every time I got two, and instead of over throwing, I kind of just stayed within myself. I was just trying to keep that going for them.”

HAVING FUN

"Nothing compares to today," Burnett said. "That was the funnest I've ever had on the baseball field."

CLOSING IT OUT AND DOING YOUR JOB

"You know what you have and what you can do. It's always difficult to pitch in those situations, but you have to do your job."

--Mariano Rivera, who came in as a relief pitcher to close out the win against the Phillies.



Excerpts from Yahoo Sports.com and MLB.com (October 30, 2009)

For more on mental conditioning, click on The Handbook of Peak Performance.

Philadelphia Phillies Open World Series in Grand Fashion

"We have confidence. We know we have a good team."

--Chase Utley, Philadelphia Phillies' slugging secondbaseman, who hit two home runs to lead the way to victory in game one of the 2009 World Series. Utley set a major league postseason record by safely reaching base in his 26th straight game.

Utley also became the first left-handed batter to hit two home runs off a left-handed pitcher in a World Series game since Babe Ruth in 1928.

“I guess that’s pretty good,” Utley said. “But like I said, you try to take it game to game and keep working. So no, it doesn’t really matter that much.”

Pitcher Cliff Lee also contributed a pitching masterpiece.

"To be honest I really never have been nervous in the big leagues. This is what I wanted to do my whole life. This is what I take pride in. For me there is no reason to be nervous.

"Game time is the time go out there and have fun and let your skills take over. It's kind of weird. Boils down to confidence and trusting your teammates."

--Cliff Lee, Philadelphia Phillies pitcher, who opened the World Series with a six-hit, ten strikeout, 6-1 win over the New York Yankees.

FLOW

“What I call, he handles the flow of the game, if you know what I mean, everything about it,” Manager Charlie Manuel said. “Not only does he have command of the game, but he has the flow of the game. To me he sets the tone by his rhythm, getting the ball back, and he knows what he’s going to do and he knows what he’s going to throw. I like the way he pitches. I like everything about how he goes about it.”

Ryan Howard of the Phillies, the National League Championship Series Most Valuable Player, also contributed with two doubles.

The Phillies have won 19 of their last 24 postseason games and the first game in six consecutive series. But, it is only one game in a seven game series.

"They're a great team," first baseman Howard said of the Yankees. "Believe me, we still have got a long ways to go."

The Yankees are already trying to put the game behind them.

"You think about tomorrow. You don't think about this game."

--Jorge Posada, Yankees' catcher said of the first game.

Excerpts USA Today, Yahoo.sports.com, the New York Times and Reuters, October 29, 2009.

Confident New York Yankees Win ALCS, Head to World Series

The New York Yankees are American League Champions for the first time since 2003 because of their talent, their skills, their preparation and their confidence level. They were also aware of the danger of complacency despite leading 3 games to 1. They were keenly aware of the need to finish, to close out the Los Angeles Angels.

VISION OF A CHAMPIONSHIP

"We came in here with a goal in spring training of winning a championship and we're a step closer. It's really not a surprise that we're here. I hate to sound like that, but we're really a good team."

--C.C. Sabathia, New York Yankees' pitcher and MVP of the American League Championship Series. Sabathia will probably start Game 1 of the World Series again the Philadelphia Phillies on Wednesday.

Sabathia pitched 16 innings in his two starts in the ALCS, giving up only two runs , one in each game, and nine hits. In his three postseason starts, he is 3-0 with a 1.19 ERA.

“It’s been a dream of mine since I was a five-year-old boy to play in the World Series, and it’s been a long time waiting. In order to the win the World Series, you have to get there first, and this is pretty incredible -- especially with all the stuff I’ve been through.”

--Alex Rodriguez, Yankees' thirdbaseman.

Through nine postseason games, Rodriguez is batting .438 (14-for-32) with a .548 on-base percentage to go with five home runs and 12 RBI. In the Division Series, A-Rod’s homered twice and tied the score each time, once in the Yankees’ final at-bat.

ANTICIPATION OF DANGER

"The danger against a team like that is they can just sort of let things go, as far as the pressure, and just go out there and actually start to play to their ability because they have nothing to lose. So the important thing is to make sure to close it out, to understand there could be that kind of danger. We have to make sure we're aware of that.

"We believe we're playing at a high level in all aspects of the game. I think it's important to have that attitude, and I truly believe that we are a team that is very capable."

--Hideki Matsui, New York Yankees outfielder, discussing their mindset against the Angels, even with a 3-1 lead in the series.

STICKING WITH THE GAME PLAN

Andy Pettitte was orginally scheduled to start Game 6. Then, it rained. Manager Joe Girardi decided to start Andy Pettitte for Game 6 even after Saturday's rainout rather than going with his hot pitcher, C.C. Sabathia. Girardi would then have fellow left-hander Sabathia ready for Games 1, 4 and 7 of the World Series.

"We stayed with our plan," Girardi said. "We were going to use CC in Game 7 if we needed it. We didn't need it. And now we have him for Game 1 [of the World Series], and that's good for us."

PREPARATION

"We worked hard, since spring training, for this and we are here. I can't be more proound of my teammates and the organization."

--Mariano Rivera, Yankees' relief pitcher.

EXPERIENCE AND LEARNING

"You go in there, you see Derek Jeter, Andy Pettitte, Jorge Posada," Sabathia said. "Those guys have been through this situation a lot. You have to lean on those guys and talk to them in situations."

Excerpts from Yahoo.com, The New York Times, ESPN.com, The Hartford Courant, (October 26, 2009).

For more on mental conditioning, click on The Handbook of Peak Performance.