The Yankees’ World Series chances might be buoyed simply by the fact that this year ends in 9. Four different times in this similar situation the pinstripes won it all – its last title in 2009, but also 1939, a dominant team despite the illness that felled Lou Gehrig, 1949, when Casey Stengel arrived as manager for the first of a record five consecutive titles, and 1999, the middle year of the 1998-2000 run where the Yankees swept the Atlanta Braves and lost just one post-season game on the way to championship number 26.
