One billion, three-hundred sixty-seven million, eight-hundred fifty thousand and eight dollars.

No, that’s not what my checking account would be if I had a dime for every “Balloon Boy” joke told in the last week. That’s how much the Yankees spent on player talent, as per USA Today’s tally, from 2001 through 2008.

And for all of that, not a single parade up the Canyon of Heroes.

But the Yankees are very close now to at least getting back to the World Series, and Hal Steinbrenner and his general manager Brian Cashman deserve plaudits for the way they remade the organization – placing a renewed emphasis on pitching, depth and youth.

Most of all, however, they are flying high because of this: Their largest investments are living up to their hefty paychecks.

CC Sabathia, starting on three days’ rest, and Alex Rodriguez powered the Yankees last night to a 10-1 win over the Angels in Game 4 of the American League Championship Series.

The Yankees are up three games to one, and can wrap up the pennant Thursday night here in SoCal, with another big buy, A.J. Burnett, against the Angels’ ace, the soon-to-be-extremely-rich John Lackey.

Sabathia made $23 million for his debut season with the Yankees, and A-Rod received $33 million, including their respective signing bonuses. Last night, that $56 million surely went down extra smoothly for the Steinbrenners.

For Sabathia, it has been a wonderful, newlywed relationship. For A-Rod, it has been a surprisingly warm renewal of commitments, after five prior years of turbulence that featured an official divorce.

Throw in a typically stellar night from $20-million captain Derek Jeter, and the Yankees can finally feel like they’re getting their money’s worth. The controversies over Joe Girardi’s over-managing (real) and Mariano Rivera’s spitball (bogus) now seem as dated as a Kevin Brown signing.

Sabathia is a remarkable pitcher, and he also impresses with how easily he approaches his job. Tuesday, at 2:15 – two hours and 44 minutes before the Angels’ Scott Kazmir threw the game’s first pitch – the big lefthander could be seen playing an arcade-style video game in the Yankees’ clubhouse.

Then he went out, three days after he threw 113 pitches over eight innings to beat the Angels in ALCS Game 1, and looked no worse for the wear. He went eight innings, giving up five hits and one run, a home run. Sabathia struck out five with two walks.

He received some run support from the Yankees’ mildly resurgent lineup, with the Angels contributing some questionable defense. And A-Rod, once again, found himself in the middle of it, in a good way.

After drawing a leadoff walk and stealing second base in the second inning, an endeavor that went nowhere, A-Rod started the fourth by grounding a single up the middle. He advanced to third on Jorge Posada’s double to right and scored the game’s first run on a contact play, when Howie Kendrick fielded Robinson Cano’s grounder and foolishly threw home instead of getting the easy out at first.

Melky Cabrera’s two-run single boosted the Yankees’ lead to 3-0 and finally gave the Yankees a hit with a runner in scoring position, their first since ALCS Game 1. And in the fifth, after Mark Teixeira’s leadoff single knocked Kazmir out of the game, A-Rod greeted reliever Kevin Bulger with a laser over the leftfield wall.

Five postseason homers for A-Rod, and three postseason victories for Sabathia. Too often, in the past eight years, the Yankees’ biggest names and biggest paychecks – not just A-Rod, to be sure – didn’t come through this time of year.

Now? The Yankees spent $201,449,189 on their 2009 talent. With likely one win away from the Fall Classic, there is zero regret.