Allow me to be one of the very first to congratulate the New York Yankees on their World Series win.

I live in New York, and while I'm a fan of the Mets, I do happen to root for my city any time my team isn't in the postseason (and that seems to be quite often).

The Yankees came into the season with big expectations. With some big name signings in CC Sabathia, AJ Burnett, and Mark Teixeira, the stakes were really high in New York.

A new stadium symbolized the beginning of a new era in Yankee baseball, one that would seek to recapture the glory days of a decade ago that saw the team dominate the second half of the 1990s.

With some of the team's original pieces still in place and near the ends of their careers, this blend of old and new was a beautiful thing to witness. The Yankees played like a team and fought to the very end.

Their newly acquired players played at the level that many had expected of them. CC Sabathia pitched in vintage form through most of the year, getting better when it counted most. Andy Pettitte and AJ Burnett were very reliable, especially in the playoffs. Mark Teixeira was the best home run hitter in the American League.

And in a surprising twist Alex Rodriguez was one of the Yankees' most clutch players in the postseason. A player constantly criticized for failing to contribute when it mattered finally came through for his team.

The Yankees came through and met the expectations that fans had placed on them. It's been a long nine years since the team's last World Series win, and this is one that the Yankees and their fans are sure to cherish.

Congratulations to the Yankees on a magnificent 2009 season. You undoubtedly earned what you got.