World Series

Alex Rodriguez has finally played a significant role in helping his team win the World Series.

Until this season, many in the media fostered the belief that Alex Rodriguez was the major reason the Yankees had not been World Champions since 2000, which is patently false.

Solid Pitching Wins the World Series

The Yankees beat the Mets in the 2000 World Series because they had solid pitching.

The New York Yankees have enjoyed their 27th World Series championship for about a month now, so let’s look back on how they did it.

Spending more on payroll in 2009 than the gross domestic product of more than a dozen countries worldwide will give you a fighting chance in most Octobers.

Did the Yankees break the rules or do anything unethical? No.

Are they playing on an uneven playing field that prevents other teams from acquiring the type of talent that the Yankees can accumulate? Yes.

Alex Rodriguez is one of sports' most talked about icons. A man hated and loved by millions. Red Sox fans loved him during trade talks until he became a Yankee. Yankee fans hated him for becoming Yankee. New York is the toughest place to play sports—has been and always will be. It's Gotham. It's one of the world's most famous locations ever. If you think playing in New York is easy, ask Carl Pavano, Randy Johnson, Kevin Brown, Stephon Marbury, or Mark Sanchez.

For the first time in its 55-year history, the Sports Illustrated Sportsman of the Year Award will go to a member of the New York Yankees. 

Few teams have dominated a World Series the way the Los Angeles Dodgers dominated in 1963.

The Dodgers won 99 games during the season, and faced the defending World Champion Yankees in the Series for the first time since they abandoned Brooklyn.

Outstanding Los Angeles Pitching

Sandy Koufax had the first of his four outstanding years, going 25-5 with a minuscule 1.88 ERA, a 159 ERA+, and an 0.875 WHIP.

While every one now is pondering why Roy Halladay is needed on the Yankees (he isn't), I want to focus on the first important deal that Brian Cashman will attempt to get done.

While originally a piece of an article about all sports, I had to cut two of the sections short for length considerations, so I figured I might embellish upon the notion within the specific sports at hand. 

Creating a championship team has never been more difficult than it is now in professional sport.

Annual play-off contenders in all sports are working hard to continue the trend and make important post-season revenue to pursue or re-sign important team components.

Dave Hall will examine the most successful builders of champions in each of the major sporting leagues in a four part series.