Ho-hum, just another pointless exercise in frustration?

Yesterday, the music stopped, the mirror ball ceased to twinkle, and the 2016 Bronx Boredoms returned to business as usual. The team offered us a quintessential modern Yankee loss:: Take the lead early, solo blast, then say goodbye.

We faced J.A. Happ, fucking J.A. Happ, with an ERA of more than 10.00 over his previous two starts, and we made him look like Eddie Feigner throwing to the Utica Hose Company No. 4. Innings flew by like the chorus in that wretched Sia song, "Chandelier," which I can't rid from my head: "One-two-three-drink, one-two-three-drink..." When the game ended, it was a relief. I wanted to swing from the chandelier-eeeer... by a rope.

We are now two below .500, and last week's six-game win streak looks like a cruel practical joke in a teen angst movie. For almost a week, we actually thought this team might do something. John and Suzyn bought into it; they were sure the Yankees were returning to .500 - (How the bar has been lowered!) - and taking the series. After all, it was at home, and Toronto sucks this spring. What a crock.

Two things happened yesterday that kicked me in the Yankee balls.

1. The exiling of Rob Refsnyder back to Coal Country. For the second straight year, Refsnyder came up, played one game, produced a critical hit in a victory - and then, poof, disappears. It's becoming clear he will never get a decent shot with the Yankees. He will vanish into the Stygian abyss like the others who showed promise, but died in Scranton because there was simply no openings for them on high-priced Yankee teams, which that turned out to not be very good.

2. The release of Slade Heathcott, the oft-injured outfielder, who was once the jewel of our system. That was six years ago, and an ocean has passed under the bridge. Heathcott was going to be our Josh Hamilton, the flawed man-child who overcame personal demons to be a great Yankee. For six years, I checked his name in minor league box score. He may yet put together a decent career - he's 25, younger than Lou Pinella was as a rookie - but it won't happen with us.

In my opinion, Heathcott produced the most exciting Yankee moment of 2016. He came off the bench to hit a glorious three-run HR to win a game. Then, poof.

Lately, the Yankees are running radio ads, touting Aaron Judge, Gary Sanchez and Jorge Mateo as the "stars of tomorrow." What a crock. How can anybody believe they'll ever get a chance?

Fourth place in the AL East, a half-game ahead of punchless Tampa - six behind the Redsocks. Is this team worth following?