In 1996 I went to my first Yankee Parade. It never gets old just better. And as all the celebrations wind down and all of baseball gets ready for the hot stove league I would like to look back at one of the best and a real fun season in Yankee History.
1. The free agent signings of CC Sabahtia Mark Teixeira AJ Burnett getting Nick Swisher in a trade for Wilson Bentimt. And most of all getting Andy Pettitte to come back as he almost retired could of been out of the plans.
2. The Yankees come home to a new stadium even with a loss on opening day... it's still a great park.
3. After a slow start in April and not able to beat Boston A-Rod comes back in mid May. And in first at bat he slams a big home run to put all the A Roid things to sleep showing that he can do it clean.
4. After struggling in the middle of the division and taking two out of three from the Mets in interleaue play. And the series that turned the season around: a big come back win in Atlanta where the team won 10 in a row after that.
5. CC Sabahta and Mark Teixeira having big second half's
6. Putting Phil Hughes in the pen in the second half of the season
7. Role pitchers like Sergio Mitres with great starts down the stretch. Also Alfredo Aceves,
Phil Coke, David Robertson and Chad Gaudin in the pen to help in key games.
8. Guys coming off the bench Like Brett Gardner and Freddy Guzman to steal a base.
Francisco Cevelli helping when Jorge and Molina went down behind the plate. And key mid season pick ups like Eric Hinske and Jerry Hairston Jr coming though with big hits.
9. Pie in your face after all the Yankee walk off wins at home. A lot of older fans did not like this
but it grew on you.
10. A big year out of Nick Swisher after Nady went down and took over the rightfield spot.
11. Melky with a great year in center.
12. Aug 9th sweep of the Red Sox, showing Boston you can beat them and taking over 1st place.
13. A big September by winning the east early and giving the big starters time off to get ready for the post season.
14. Sept 11th: Derek Jeter breaking Lou Gehrig's all time Yankee hit record at 2,722 to put him at #1.
15. Getting to the Postseason
16. Taking care of a tough Twins team with Teixeira and a big home run in Game 2 to
swing the series the Yankees way.
17. Getting the jinx of the Angels off their back with a 2nd round win against this team they could not beat in 2002 and 2005.
18. A Rod with big homers all post season long against Brian Fuentes in Game Two then again out in Anaheim.
19. Getting back to the World Series.
20. After a lose in Game One Hideki Matusi with a homer to beat Pedero in Game Two at the Stadium.
21. Halloween in Philadelphia: a big win after trailing to Cole Hamels. A Rod with the homer off the camera. that kind of put the Yanks back in the series.
22. The Game 4 big hit by A Rod and the team taking a 3-1 lead.
23. Joe Girardi making the right call with the pitching staff and the 3 man rotation
24. Mariano Rivera with a 5 saves and a .056 era in the postseason.
25. Andy Pettitte with a Game 6 clinching win with 5 innings and 3 runs shutting down the Phillies.
26. The Wednesday night hero in game 6, Hideki Matsui, with a big homer double and base hit to win MVP for the World series with a .615 average
27. # of World series titles in the Bronx. Let make it 28 next year. From this Yankees fan...thanks for the great year..
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