Yankees’ direction signals close of ’09 chapter

NEW YORK — After a week which seven days felt like seven years, it’s hard to put into words how long ago seven years must feel.

But that’s where the Yankees are now. After a whirlwind week that began with the Yankees trading Andrew Miller and Carlos Beltran and ended with the surprise retirement announcements of Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees are moving on. Not just from the present, but also in a lot of ways from a past that brought the Yankees their 27th and most recent World Series title seven years ago.

• A-Rod to play final game Friday, become Yanks advisor • Teixeira calling it a career after ’16 season

Especially with the impending retirements of Teixeira and Rodriguez, it’s difficult not to reflect on that 2009 season. Both Tex and A-Rod, two men who have combined to hit 1,100 home runs, described that postseason as the highlight of their career. And why shouldn’t they? Rodriguez hit .365 with six home runs and 18 RBIs in the ’09 playoffs, and Teixeira supplied the dramatics with a walk-off home run in Game 2 of the American League Division Series and satisfied his childhood dream by catching the last out of a World Series.

Looking back on it now, Teixeira said it took him a while to realize the gravity of the moment.

“I probably didn’t appreciate it at the time,” Teixeira said. “I was like, ‘Oh, the Yankees win the World Series all the time. We’ll probably win three or four more.’ But you realize how difficult it is. It’s so hard.”

In a way, …

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