Look at it this way: Since the Yankees last won the World Series, George Bush was elected—twice—we were attacked by terrorists, got mired in two wars, and were slammed by the worst global recession since the Depression.

Also, the World Series that have been played since then have been horrible.

The Yankees have been away from the World Series for the last five years, and in the meantime, baseball’s showcase has flopped on a national scale.

…For the first time, five consecutive World Series have lasted only four or five games. The Red Sox swept the Cardinals in 2004, the White Sox swept theAstros in 2005, the Cardinals bounced the Tigers in five in 2006, the Red Sox swept the Rockies in 2007, and the Phillies trumped the Rays in five last October.

And now: The Yankees are back in the World Series, we have an inspiring new president, and the global economy is emerging from its dark days.

Coincidence?

Surely not.

Could it be that as go the Yankees, so go baseball, the United States…yea, the world?

I think we all know the answer to that.

Meantime, the New York Times reports on a delightful phenomenon: Mets fans [sic] can either root for the Yankees, their crosstown nemesis, or the Phillies, their hated division rival.

To paraphrase Garrett Morris, the baseball gods been berry, berry good to me this year.