Teams change year to year. It is the tradition that makes the Yankees the great team they are. They are not always going to win and as an example all you need do is look at their record from 1965 to 1975 or so and you will see how bad a team can get. However through it all they had that great tradition and when Steinbrenner bought the team he used that tradition as a plum to get the best players (surely the money helped). Players want to win more then anything and playing for the Yankees after Steinbrenner bought the team gave them the opportunity. There are very few young kids today that are considering baseball as a career who wouldn't love to play for the New York Yankees.
As far as I know they are the only team whose players, while traveling wear suits a ties. They do not have beards and all haircuts are conventional. This is not something that wins or loses games but it does speak to the professionalism of the franchise and the players.
as a diehard Red Sox fan since 1967(NESN rules) I am well aware of what you say
that said the Yankees aren’t near championship caliber this year