My tip of the cap to the victors of the 2009 World Series

No consolation to anyone who isn't a New York Yankees fan, but a lot of times the best team on paper doesn't win it on the field - this time, best Major League Baseball team money can buy won itself a championship, the Yankees' 27th World Series title.

Money makes the best professional sports teams into champions - but the fact the Spanks missed the playoffs in 2008 and hadn't won a WS title in 2000 was something of a unique revelation.

Still with way too much money and finally the right combination of players/coaches - the Yankees are on top again.

A-Rod most definitely earned his pinstripes - after I declared he was probably never going to be a true Yankee as he limped into the 2009 season.

Derek Jeter was Derek Jeter - playing to his career numbers, but with some added weight in the postseason.

Hideki Matsui was no average Asian hitter and the Phillies couldn't pitch around this guy - he was the World Series MVP as the designated hitter.

Sometimes the memories get blurry or we don't really appreciate the effort - but Mariano Rivera was fantastic in closing out games [even in non-save situations]. Modern day closers of the last 25 years maybe overrated, but Rivera has to be up there with the guys who once closed out games pitching two, three or more innings at a time.

C.C. Sabathia finally found an organization that didn't ride him to exhaustion in the quest to get to the playoffs - and he was able to pitch some decent games.

Even Damaso Marte pitched in.

Mercenary Mark Teixeira got a ring - good for him, though big free agent signings of past years [Jason Giambi and Mike Mussina] just missed out and as an interested fan, there might be some sweet justice to that fact.

The Philadelphia Phillies won the World Series 2008 but weren't as dominant this time around - it took until the WS for Ryan Howard to prove all his doubters right.

It seemed like a key hits were dropping infront of Phillies outfielders - out of position.

Pedro probably had one start in him in this past World Series, but it wasn't good enough, when his lineup couldn't score runs - with only Chase Utley and Carlos Ruiz providing most of the fire power at the plate.