2010 Yankees

We came into 2010 as defending world champions. Ring number twenty-seven was still fresh on our fingers, and the expectation wasn't just to compete -- it was to repeat. The Bronx doesn't settle for one. We went 95-67, swept the Twins in the ALDS (again), and then ran smack into a Texas Rangers team that punched us right in the mouth during the ALCS. Josh Hamilton hit four home runs in six games, and our championship defense ended in Arlington with a 6-1 loss that felt like a door slamming shut. But before October ruined everything, this was a season of individual brilliance -- A-Rod's 600th home run, CC Sabathia's first 20-win season, and Robinson Cano emerging as one of the best players in baseball.

The Rotation Rolls

CC Sabathia was an absolute beast. The big man won 21 games -- the first time he'd ever hit 20 in a season -- and posted a 3.18 ERA across 237.2 innings with 197 strikeouts. He was the anchor, the guy you handed the ball to when the game mattered most, and he delivered every single time. Phil Hughes looked like a star in the first half, going 10-1 with a 3.17 ERA through his first 13 starts. Then the second half happened, and Hughes fell apart -- 8-7 with a 5.07 ERA the rest of the way. (It was frustrating to watch because you could see the talent, but the kid couldn't sustain it over a full season. Sound familiar? It should -- the Yankees kept repeating this story with young pitchers for a decade.)

Andy Pettitte came back from retirement and gave us 21 solid starts before a groin injury ended his season in August. A.J. Burnett was... well, A.J. Burnett. Brilliant one night, infuriating the next. The rotation had an ace and a bunch of question marks, and in October, the question marks provided their answers.

Mariano Rivera was his usual untouchable self out of the bullpen -- 33 saves, 1.80 ERA, a 0.83 WHIP. At age 40. The man wasn't human.

Cano's Breakout

Robinson Cano stepped into the spotlight in a big way. He hit .319 with 29 homers and 109 RBI, finished third in the AL MVP race, won the Gold Glove (the first Yankee second baseman to win one since Bobby Richardson's run from 1961-1965), and took home the Silver Slugger. Watching Robbie's swing was like watching art -- effortless, smooth, and devastatingly effective. He'd always had the talent, but 2010 was the year he put it all together and became a franchise cornerstone.

A-Rod Joins the 600 Club

Alex Rodriguez hit his 600th career home run on August 4 against the Blue Jays at Yankee Stadium, becoming the youngest player in history to reach that milestone at 35 years and 8 days old. The ball sailed into Monument Park -- exactly three years to the day after he'd hit his 500th home run. That kind of symmetry doesn't happen by accident (except in baseball, where it happens all the time and still feels like magic every time).

A-Rod drove in 125 runs on the season and was still a force in the middle of the lineup, even as the whispers about his declining defense grew louder. Mark Teixeira slugged 33 homers with 108 RBI. Nick Swisher had the best year of his Yankee career with 29 homers. Curtis Granderson, in his first season in pinstripes after coming over from Detroit in a three-team trade, chipped in 24 homers and started finding his power stroke.

Derek Jeter hit .270, his lowest average since his rookie year. At 36, the Captain was clearly declining, and it was hard to watch -- but he still played 157 games and nobody was about to take that shortstop job away from him. Not yet.

The Sweep and the Wall

We swept Minnesota in the ALDS for the second straight year. Three games, no drama. The Twins just couldn't handle us in October -- that's six straight playoff losses to the Yankees dating back to 2003. Curtis Granderson went 5-for-11 with three RBI. Phil Hughes threw seven scoreless innings to clinch Game 3.

Then came the Texas Rangers, and everything fell apart.

We took Game 1, 6-5, and thought we had the series under control. Then Josh Hamilton and the Rangers' lineup -- Nelson Cruz, Vladimir Guerrero -- attacked our pitching relentlessly. They shut us out 8-0 in Game 3. Hamilton clubbed four home runs in the series. By Game 6 in Arlington, the Rangers closed us out 6-1 to win their first pennant in franchise history.

The dynasty repeat we'd all dreamed about didn't happen. And as it turned out, that 2009 championship would be the last one any of us would see for a very long time.

The Early Season Magic

Before October's disappointment, the regular season had been genuinely fun. The Yankees matched the 1926 franchise record by winning each of their first five series. They tied an April record with 12 straight errorless games. On April 22 against Oakland, they turned a triple play -- the first since June 3, 1968. And on May 8, Teixeira hit three home runs against the Red Sox, becoming only the second Yankee to accomplish the feat since Lou Gehrig.

It was the kind of season where individual moments sparkled even if the final destination disappointed. Ninety-five wins. An ace who finally hit 20. A second baseman who arrived as a superstar. And a 40-year-old closer who still made every ninth inning feel like a foregone conclusion.

Key Moments

Frequently Asked Questions

How did the 2010 Yankees do in the postseason?

The 2010 Yankees swept the Minnesota Twins 3-0 in the ALDS but lost the ALCS to the Texas Rangers in six games. Josh Hamilton's four home runs powered the Rangers past the defending champions, ending New York's bid for back-to-back titles.

When did Alex Rodriguez hit his 600th home run?

A-Rod hit his 600th career home run on August 4, 2010, off Toronto's Shaun Marcum at Yankee Stadium. The ball landed in Monument Park. At 35 years and 8 days old, he became the youngest player in MLB history to reach the milestone -- exactly three years after hitting his 500th on August 4, 2007.

Who won the Gold Glove at second base for the Yankees in 2010?

Robinson Cano won the Gold Glove at second base in 2010, becoming the first Yankee second baseman to win the award since Bobby Richardson's run from 1961-1965. Cano also won the Silver Slugger and finished third in AL MVP voting after hitting .319 with 29 home runs and 109 RBI.

How many games did CC Sabathia win in 2010?

Sabathia went 21-7 with a 3.18 ERA in 237.2 innings, leading all of Major League Baseball in wins. It was the first 20-win season of his career, and he notched win number 20 on September 18.