Yankees skipper Joe Girardi turns 50 today, so happy birthday, Joe! Celebrate by watching the finest moment of his career again--the go-ahead triple against Greg Maddux in the clinching Game 6 of the 1996 World Series. Few times in the history of New York baseball has a baseball park been louder than after Girardi's triple.

Are you missing Derek Jeter? Well now you can wear a beautiful Christmas sweater in his honor.

On this day in Yankees history 15 years ago, slugging center fielder Bernie Williams stepped to the plate in extra innings during Game 1 of the 1999 ALCS. It was the first time the Yankees and Red Sox had ever met in the playoffs, and it was a tense 4-4 tie. Bernie slugged reliever Rod Beck's pitch way back in center and over the wall for the second walk-off homer of his postseason career, giving the Yankees an early 1-0 ALCS lead; they would go on to beat Boston in five games, then sweep the '99 World Series over the Braves. Bern Baby Bern!

After not making it to the World Series since 1981, the Yankees beat the Orioles to make it back to the Fall Classic.

On this day in Yankees history 13 years ago, the three-time defending champion Yankees were on the brink of getting swept out of the playoffs by the A's and on the road in Oakland. They held a slim 1-0 lead in the seventh, but with Jeremy Giambi on first, Terrence Long drilled a double down the line that seemed destined to tie the game. As he so often did during his 20-year career, Derek Jeter saved them with an unbelievable play, and the Yankees of course went on to both win Game 3 and the next two contest to complete the comeback, eventually winning the AL pennant. Yeah Jeets.

I mean this isn't a fair comparison since Mo is a Hall of Famer and Strickland is a rookie with seven career regular season innings pitched, but man. Mo was a monster.

Two years ago today was the Yankees' last postseason victory, but boy, was it a thrilling one. The Orioles rebounded after a gut-wrenching Game 3 loss at the hands of Raul Ibanez's homers to take Game 4 in extra innings, so the winner-take-all Game 5 came down to Yankees ace CC Sabathia. In what might stand as the big lefty's last moment of playoff glory, he dominated Baltimore on a complete game four-hitter to clinch the ALDS victory. Man, do I miss shutdown CC.

On this day in Yankees history in 1948, Casey Stengel was the unlikely choice to become the new Yankees manager. He has never experienced much triumph as a manager before, but with the Yanks, he won seven championships and 10 AL pennants in his 12 years at the helm. Not too shabby.

Happy 49th birthday, El Duque! Still waiting on that dance, Coney.

So much for rhyming nicknames.