Welp, the first Yankees season at YanksBlog.com has finished. We launched after the season had already started, on May 5, 2005. On that day, the Yankees were 11-18, tied for 4th place in the bottom of the AL East. They were 8 games back of the East leading Orioles and 5.5 games back of the second place Red Sox. They finished 95-67, winning the division by tie breaker and going 5 games in the ALDS before falling.

During the season (or abbreviated season, anyway - the Yankees were 84-59 since we launched)), we posted 290 entries, covering most games and a lot of details in between. It's fun to be able to write about something you enjoy as we do here at YB. Even in this, a season of "struggle." Our beloved Yankees are getting older and our first and biggest notice of this is the great Bernie Williams, who may have played his last game in pinstripes (bring back Bernie). It's sad as it just really hit me and I actually got tears in my eyes watching the tribute over at noMaas.org (gah, why am I telling you this? lol). I started watching baseball more closely in 92, 93, 94. Bernie's first few years. I grew up watching Bernie Williams play and now, it could be over. Has it really been that many years? Gracious. Although Donnie was my first favorite and Jeter was my second (with an interim favorite of Boggs in between), I couldn't have watched a better example of a quality, classy ballplayer. Thank you, Bernie.

Thanks to the Yankees. Players, coaching staff, organization, owner. As a Yankee fan, I do feel blessed to be able to root for a team and an organization that is consistently in the hunt and consistently doing what they can to win. It's a privilege that most team's fans do not have. Thanks for a great season.

I was happy to become more of a part of the Yankees blogosphere, punctuated by such blogs as Bronx Banter, noMaas.org (they might not be exactly a blog, but I'm putting them in here - the Sheffboyardee and Cashman robbery pictures are just about the funniest things I've ever seen), NoSenseWorrying.com, Off the Facade, Pride of the Yankees, Replacement Level Yankees Weblog, The Futility Infielder, The Weblog That Derek Built and WasWatching.com.

I'd like to thank my fellow YB Bloggers - David Williams, Michael Black and Seamus Molloy - for their contributions to YB and their dedication to the Yankees and writing about the Yankees. As I'm sure everyone aware, the train doesn't stop when the season ends. We'll still be having entries here on a daily basis, covering Yankees news, rumors and the like. So, stick around and keep commenting.

Thank you for visiting and supporting YanksBlog.com this season.