I suppose the Cubs fans in the world have some consolation after the World Series. The Florida Marlins only needed six games to beat the Yankees over the weekend. But that fact is accompanied by the plea of the Cubs fans: Darn it, we could've beaten the Yankees. The only problem is that we didn't beat the Marlins, either.

The Marlins, who carry a $128 million dollar difference in payroll versus the Yankees, have defied the odds. Even though they play in a football stadium and their groundscrew frequents their games more than their fans, they still believed in their playing style. As dominant as their pitching was in the postseason, they weren't even at full strength, with A.J. Burnett still recovering from Tommy John surgery. Either way, the Marlins managed to win a World Series on the sacred Yankee Stadium soil against one of the best postseason pitchers in recent history.

Meanwhile, the Yankees are not the team they used to be. This isn't a new revelation. In fact, the Marlins are exactly what the Yankees dynasty used to be. The Yankees of the 1990s were a great team, but they were not a power-hitting team. They did not have Godzilla characters and larger-than-life offensive players. They were a contact hitting team, with great starting pitching and solid fielding. Their big hits came from guys like Scott Brosius. The heart of the order used to be Paul O'Neill. Now, these are the type of guys that reside on the Marlins' bench.

In fact, the Marlins only hit two homers, were outscored 21-17, and totaled an anemic .232 batting average in the series. The Marlins nonetheless found a way to win four games out of six. Essentially, the Yankees were built to win championships, while the Marlins are built to win games.

For example, Alfonso Soriano is a great offensive player, but even though he has great speed, he shouldn't be hitting in the leadoff spot. He's not a great contact hitter, does not have a great on-base percentage and rarely takes a walk. The Yankees are better off with Derek Jeter leading off.

Additionally, because the Marlins are great contact hitters, statistics go out the window. Luis Castillo had not been batting well in the series, but because of his contact hitting ability, he is a threat at all times. He can spray the ball all over the field, and eventually, he made productive contact.

I suppose the current makeup of the Yankees is just a product of the times. The increasing premium of hitting home runs over the past five years has fueled most front-office decisions, and that is where Yankees owner George Steinbrenner has also fallen prey. If the Yankees were going to maintain their dynasty, then they would have tried to maintain the recipe that won them their titles. In other words, if it ain't broke, don't fix it.

The impending implosion called Steinbrenner should start sooner than you might think. In fact, I expect it to start in about a week. The meaty bench coach Don Zimmer will be gone, ace Roger Clemons is retiring and Game 6 loser Andy Pettitte might relocate to his home state Texas to play for the Rangers or Houston Astros.

Other players, like the disappointing Aaron Boone and the inept Jeff Weaver will also get the pink slip. Meanwhile, the only people who are seemingly safe are Derek Jeter, Joe Torre and Mariano Rivera. I also feel much sympathy for the Yankees' GM and Senior Vice President of Baseball Operations Brian Cashman. His professional life resides in a pressure cooker, with Steinbrenner's hotheaded persona providing the fire.

"I hope George Steinbrenner spends double what he spent," Marlins reliever Chad Fox said. "We beat them with a bunch of nobodies. That's not how I see ourselves, but we know that's how they see us."

Don't worry Chad, that's not how the baseball world sees the Marlins anymore. They will be seen as built to win games, built to last.

Ashley A. John is a senior in materials science and engineering. He can be reached at sports@dailyillini.com.