Bert Blyleven

The New York Yankees are back on top of the baseball world, celebrating their record 27th championship.

So how did they get here, and what do they have to do to stay there? Do we have another dynasty in the works? Let’s take a look.

First of all, the biggest reason you have to look at for their success is what they did last year in free agency, getting the three best free agents on the market in CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett. Teixeira (.290, 39 HR, 122 RBIs) and Sabathia (19-8, 3.37) had excellent seasons, and Burnett (13-9, 4.04) was very solid.

The Yankees always add high-priced free agents, but they don’t always work out. In the past the Yankees have built around pitchers like Andy Pettitte and Mike Mussina, and plugged in free agents like Carl Pavano and Randy Johnson to fill out the rotation. It doesn’t always mean success. But when you get guys like Sabathia and Burnett, you’re really showing you mean business.

Another less-heralded player they brought in this season was Nick Swisher. Not only does Swisher have a good eye at the plate, he is a positive presence in the clubhouse. New York is a market that comes with a lot of tension, but Swisher is the kind of guy who brings relaxation to the clubhouse. He is a big key to their success. I believe with his attitude and the way he went about his daily business really helped the team. Not only did the players come to the park knowing they could win, they also knew they would have a good time doing it.

Another big reason for their success was the maturation of Alex Rodriguez. Rodriguez is growing more accustomed to the team concept. He says the game is fun again, and even though he’s the highest paid player in baseball, you still have to enjoy the game. He has had a turbulent past with all his personal problems, including his divorce and his admission of using steroids, but now he is slowly putting all that behind him and moving forward.

So what do the Yankees need to do to stay on top?
The Yankees are in very solid shape. The only real question mark they have is behind the plate, as Jorge Posada continues to age, though they can probably still get a good year or two out of him.

The infield looks very good. It’s a dominant group with Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano and Mark Teixeira. They have a lot of experience and talent, and aside from Jeter, who will be entering the final year of his contract, they’re all locked up for awhile.

The outfield is a little more in flux with corner outfielders Johnny Damon and Hideki Matsui both facing free agency. Melky Cabrera should be a mainstay in center field, though, and the presence of Swisher will help lessen the blow if Damon or Matsui leave. There is, of course, also the possibility the Yankees will go sign a free agent of their own to man the outfield.

On the pitching side of things, they’ll need to figure out who to put behind Sabathia and Burnett in the rotation. Andy Pettitte could retire, and he and Chien-Ming Wang will both be free agents.

It shouldn’t be any problem for the Yankees to attract free agent pitchers. In addition to having plenty of money to spend, they have a powerful offense that can create a lot of runs. Any pitcher would want to compete with that offense behind them.

As far as in-house options, I don’t believe they have very attractive options.

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