Can 2009 be a success without 27th title?

by Ed Valentine on Apr 3, 2009 11:00 AM EDT in News Comment 13 comments

Hal Steinbrenner believes in his father's 'win or else' credo.

"If we don't win the World Series, we have let our fans down."

The Yankee players also buy the 'win the World Series or bust' philosophy. Listen to Johnny Damon.

"We know what we have to do," Damon said. "They gave us every necessary weapon. We got the players."

I always admired The Boss for his obvious desire to win, and his willingness to spend whatever he felt he had to. Yet, I have also always hate the 'you can't have a successful year without winning a title' philosophy.

What do you guys think? Is it possible for the Yankees to have a successful season in 2009 without winning a World Series title? Vote in the poll and let me know.

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Here are some other New York Yankees notes from around the Inter-Google to keep you away from what you should be doing at work on a Friday.

The Yankees are all snug in their new home now. But, if you want a piece of the old place you can buy some Yankee Stadium sod. I know people will do this, too, but I really don't get it.
Joel Sherman says the Yankees new 'George Mahal' is opening at a bad time.
$2,500 for a seat at the Stadium? Even Hal Steinbrenner realizes that price is ridiculous.
This is a couple of days old, but we haven't mentioned it. Fans will have field level access before games at the Stadium after all, which is good news.

Poll

Can the Yankees have a successful 2009 season without winning a 27th World Series title?

Yes

148 votes

No

174 votes

322 votes | Poll has closed

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Comments

As Yankee fans

we are spoiled into believing this. I mean, every single MLB team should think that if they don’t win that their season is a failure.

But I know for a fact taht winning a WS is incredibly hard, just like the championship in any major sport.

I didn’t like it when the Yanks lost those years to the Marlins and D-Backs. But It was nice just cuz they were there.

Id love to win the series. The Yanks are one of the few teams with realistic exceptions that they should win. But the idea that its the Yankee’s WS to lose already is a bad idea. Its probably the main reason why there are so many Yankee and Yankee fan haters out there, cuz they all believe that this is the way we think.

RIght now, every team can say they have a shot. We all know the Pirates, Padres aren’t gonna win, and those taht believe in curses say the CUbs aren’t doing it and the Red Sux have just entered the Curse of Manny (i hope Im not the only one there….) And there are teams that have a realistic shot of winning, including the Yanks.

by FreeBradshaw on Apr 3, 2009 12:08 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

I have to believe that good, exciting things can happen w/out a WS title. It is, and should be, the goal. But, it doesn’t happen every year and to brand every season it doesn’t happen a ‘failure’ is harsh, I think.

by Ed Valentine on Apr 3, 2009 12:28 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

wasted opportunities

those 2001 and 2003 series were :(

by Brian5517209 on Apr 3, 2009 9:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

'01 I can accept.

It took a succession of improbable plays in the 9th off Mo for the DBacks to take that Game 7.

But losing to Florida in ’03 after that series with the Sox was unbearable. Yanks were clearly the better team but had nothing left in the tank.

by django48 on Apr 4, 2009 5:08 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

Playoffs

Doesn’t need to be a WS win, but we gotta make the playoffs

by holycowboy on Apr 3, 2009 1:17 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Agreed

With this pitching staff, and the talent on the field, and all the resources, plus the new Stadium and all making the playoffs is an absolute must.

by Ed Valentine on Apr 3, 2009 2:06 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's Been Too Long

Normally I would say that you can have a good season without a World Series, but the fact is that we are coming up on almost 10 years without a WS win and during that time period the Red Sox have won 2 WSs. For the new stadium, for Girardi, for A-Rod, for the next generation of Steinbrenners, for a lot of people, winning a World Series would put them in a position where just winning the division next year would still look like a successful year. I agree that not making the playoffs for the 2nd year in a row would result in huge turmoil, but would people feel good about losing in the ALDS? or even the ALCS? I doubt it.

by pjb3 on Apr 3, 2009 2:23 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Wow

They lifted the beer ban in the bleachers. It’s going to get pretty ugly for opposing outfielders when visiting the Stadium. Now, I’ll probably take in a few games there with the Bleacher Creatures.

by BigSlim on Apr 3, 2009 3:40 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

I don’t think you can justify spending that much money in the offseason if you don’t win it all. In retrospect a lot of the moves they made over the past 8 or 9 seasons look really bad. But imagine if they won it all once or twice. Then Giambi’s contract might look a little better.

by Rob Abruzzese on Apr 3, 2009 5:38 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Spending

See, that’s the great misconception. Yes, it looks like a lot but the reality is the payroll is roughly the same as it was last year. So, really they aren’t spending anything extra.

by Ed Valentine on Apr 3, 2009 7:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Not Completely Sold

I’m glad to see that the Yankees changed their mind about fan access to the field level. I think that restricting the field level access to those certain ticket holders alienates a lot of fans…a lot of times some of the best and most dedicated Yankee and all-around baseball fans who normally wouldn’t be able to afford field level seats.

As for 2009 success, I definitely think that it is must that the Yankees make the playoffs. If not the World Series, at least the ALCS. Having been a Yankee fan my whole life, I grew up watching them win World Series. I first really got into baseball when I was six years old…in 1996. So needless to say when I was eight, nine, and ten years in 1998-2000, it did somewhat come as an expectation for me to see them win a World Series or at least go to it. But after watching the game more and more after those years and growing to really start and know the game, I’m not completely sold on the idea that not winning the World Series this year is considered failure. Yes, every team wants to get that ultimate success, but for the Yankees being in a 6-year apperance drought and 9-year win drought, it certaintly is tempting to really want a World Series win this year. Especially after all the big signings this year. But like I said before, they HAVE to make the playoffs. A World Series apperance would be better (and a win best), but I wouldn’t call a whole season a complete failure without a World Series win.
Look at last year’s Rays…

Pride, Power, Pinstripes...Go Yankees!

by acman319 on Apr 4, 2009 8:44 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs