I realize this will pain you a little, but follow my lead:

Grab a compass. Turn directly to the south. Take a deep breath. And tip your cap.

The New York Yankees, winners last night and World Series champs, deserve it.

Before blabbering about their exorbitant $421 million in purchases last winter — CC Sabathia, Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett in order of importance — and their unfair advantage, give them a little credit here.

The star-studded Yankees, per the norm for much of the turn of the century, didn't wilt under the famed New York pressure.

To the contrary.

It seems every chance they had to buckle in 2009 — remember, they lost eight of their first nine games to a Red Sox team allegedly in dynasty mode — they instead walked off winners, squishing celebratory pies in each other's faces.

This wasn't just an October occurrence. The Yankees have been grabbing victory from the jaws of defeat regularly.

While the Red Sox were steadily, and boringly at times, going about their business of winning the Theo-standard 95 games needed to play in the postseason, the Yankees were having a ball.

If you ask me, the biggest difference between the Red Sox and Yankees this season was the smiles, not to mention seemingly several dozen big hits.

Sure, Alex Rodriguez's transformation from A-Fraud and A-Roid to the quintessential player of his generation was probably the spark, but the Yankees penchant for getting that big hit was the difference.

It reminded us of some recent Red Sox teams past, particularly with the left fielder who will go unnamed.

The Yankees, for nearly a half-decade, actually feared the Red Sox. "The Curse" appeared to be on the other foot in this rivalry.

But as we saw in the second half of 2009, the Yankees went through the Red Sox like a wrecking ball, winning eight of their last nine games.

Then the Yankees beat the piping hot Minnesota Twins, which had won 17 of its last 21, including a playoff game, in three straight.

Next were the Los Angeles Angels, the same Angels who swept the Red Sox, beaten handily in six games.

But admit it. When the Yankees lost Game 1 to defending champion Philadelphia, with Cliff Lee shutting down the Yankee lineup like no Red Sox pitcher had been able to do, you believed it was finally going to happen. The Yankees were going to choke. Finally.

Instead, they pretty much took control of the series thereafter. When you add that up, well, you got yourself an accomplishment.

In the end, it was two "over-the-hill" stars, Johnny Damon (Game 5) and Series MVP Hideki Matsui (Game 2 and Game 6), who overshadowed the super-superstars.

And while their pitching might not have been perfect, it was good enough to keep two of the Phillies' Big Three, Jimmy Rollins and Ryan Howard, in check.

In fact, Howard will probably be classified as this World Series' goat, but the Yankees' pitching deserves the credit. Lefties Sabathia and Andy Pettitte, who pitched four games combined, never allowed him to get going.

The Yankees owe the Red Sox a debt of gratitude. They finally realized a resume and All-Star game appearances alone doesn't win. Pitching, really top-flight pitching, can shut down superstars.

The pressure was on the 2009 Yankees and, personally, I didn't think they'd beat it. All the way through the last few days, when the Phillies appeared to be the only team with enough talent and guile to beat them, the Yankees proved too good.

The Red Sox now have something to shoot for again. They have to beat the Yankees. No, I mean they absolutely have to beat the Yankees.

E-mail Bill Burt at bburt@eagletribune.com.