Team of the Decade

by stusviews on Nov 5, 2009 2:38 PM EST Comment 6 comments

At times like this I like to reflect on recent history and how great the Yankees are. In my mind there is no doubt that the Yankees are the franchise of the decade. Two World Series as bookends and nine playoff appearances in ten years makes it a no-brainer. The Yankees take the title as franchise of the decade for the seventh time (1920s-1960s, 1990s, and 2000s).

More interesting is whether the 2009 Yankees are the best team this decade

I see three criteria for the best team of a decade.

1. Did they win the World Series? The 2001 Mariners and the 2002 A's were great but they couldn't get a world championship so they are out.

2. Their performance in the postseason. The 2001 Diamondbacks had a nice run but a few bounces and either the Cardinals or the Yankees would have knocked them out.

3. Their performance in the regular season. The 2000 Yankees, 2003 Marlins, 2005 White Sox, 2008 Phillies, and 2006 Cardinals were good teams that got hot at the right time (or "knew how to win)" They were far from great teams.

This leaves four contenders:

2009 Yankees 103-59 (Pythagorean record 95-67). 11-4 postseason.

2007 Red Sox 96-66 (101-61 Pythagorean) 11-3 postseason

2004 Red Sox (wild card) 98-64 (96-66 Pythagorean) 11-3 postseason.

2002 Angels (wild card) 99-63 (101-61 Pythagorean) 11-5 postseason.

I'm inclined to downgrade the two wild card teams leaving the '09 Yanks and '07 Sox as the top two. Your thoughts?

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It's a no brainer

Yankees are the team of the decade. Red Sox may have tied them in Championships, but the Yankees had more playoff appearances, a better record in the decade, more Division titles, and more players with big personal achievements.

It’s gotta be the Yanks! GO YANKEES!!!!!!!!!

by nyyrocks29 on Nov 5, 2009 3:05 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

Your going by just a single year or over the decade?

well, actually, it doesn’t really matter.

This season was the best for a WS winner, pretty much plain and simple. And taking into account the 2000 WS and the 2009 WS..the Yanks started and closed out the decade with WS championships, with all put one postseason appearance and one WS appearance.

As for the individual team? I think its a no brainer.

As for the entire decade? Our friends in beantown can be made an argument for…tho BOTH their WS teams even made it to the WS by the strings of their teeth. They may have been the better team anyway those years…yet they got extremely lucky against the Yanks and Indians those years.

I think individual team, 2009 Yanks and overall for the decade…the Yanks take the cake.

Now hows about we start off the next decade the same way we did the last (and uhh….not so much that crap in between :).

DO WHAT JERRY HAIRSTON DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by FreeBradshaw on Nov 5, 2009 3:50 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

No, sorry I wasn't clear

I think it is obvious that the Yankees are the team/franchise of the decade. Because it is so obvious, I was more interested where the 2009 Yankees stack up against the other WS winners of the decade. That one is much closer.

by stusviews on Nov 5, 2009 4:29 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

OK.

Tho, I did say that either way..the Yanks are the team of the decade, either as a whole or simply this 2009 team compared with the rest.

I think the only team that could be argued for is the 2007. They swept the ALDS and WS. The ALCS they came back…yet, I dunno, being down 3-1 was a big hill to climb and they did it…

Yanks had the better record in the regular season. Also, while it took them longer by a game…they were basically in control of every series.

Of course…the argument is the payroll is so high that knocks them down a peg. Maybe they should have told Tex and CC to backload their contracts?

DO WHAT JERRY HAIRSTON DO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

by FreeBradshaw on Nov 5, 2009 9:18 PM EST up reply actions 0 recs

This isn't really a debate

The Yanks are the team of the decade. 9 playoffs appearances, 4 AL pennants, and 2 titles.

As for the best single team, that is tougher. I will say Yanks but obviously I am biased, and the 2007 Red Sox definitely could easily be considered the best single team of the decade.

by GMan83201 on Nov 5, 2009 5:47 PM EST reply actions 0 recs

If you are going by one single year, its hard to say

I mean I hate the Sox but they were pretty good in 07, they swept the WS with ease and came back from 3-1 against the Indians. As far as franchise of the decade, the Yankees and Sox both won two titles, but the Yanks also won two AL pennants, more division crowns and playoff appearances than any one else. The Yankees were the team of the decade. I find it odd that some are now calling the 2000 WS a part of last decade. So now 1980 is part of the 70’s, and 1990 was a part of the 80’s? I just dont get what is wrong with people.

by YankeesJets on Nov 5, 2009 9:02 PM EST reply actions 0 recs