This is the last year of the decade, and as a result, it might be time to start reflecting on the past 10 years. It should be interesting to see how the 2009 season ends. Right now, the baseball season is in the middle of the league championship series in both leagues, and the Yankees lead the Angels by a score of 2-0, while that the Dodgers and the Phillies are even.

As such, the Yankees may well make a case for team of the decade if they find a way to break through and win the World Series. Should the New York Yankees be worth considering for team of the decade?

World Series champions in 2000, they also reached the World Series in 2001 (they lost to the Diamondbacks) and in 2003, in which they lost to the Florida Marlins. Still, the Yankees have made the playoffs in every year of the decade except 2008, and they won the AL East in every year except 2007 and 2008.

While they’ve definitely made some big-name signings in recent years, you also have to admire the fact that they’ve held steady with certain longtime players, like Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Bernie Williams before retiring. They’ve also gone through a second coach in Joe Girardi, and appear to have avoided the struggle so many teams experience when hiring a new boss.

If they win in 2009, the Yankees could easily be considered the team of the 2000s.