Scoreboard baseball: With Oakland off and Mariners losing, Yankees maintain lead in Wild Card race

Well, here we go again. With a little luck, a brand new Wild Card flag could soon be waving over historic* Yankee Stadium! Behold the latest Wild Card standings, where - thanks to Seattle's big loss last night - our heroes' "magic number" for reaching that nine-inning, all-or-nothing spittle war now stands at a mere 53! Yes, a combination of fifty-three Yankee wins and blah-blah-blah will put the Yankees into the Promised Land: We will get to host either the A's or Mariners - both stocked with former Yanks - for a chance at the 2018 post-season. Onward and upward, O team of destiny! We can already smell that Wild Card on your breath. 

*Nine years old, that is.

Well, I certainly don't want to sound half-cocked and rail about the fabled 2018 Yankees, who are on track to hit the most solo home runs in history, or to rage that the AL East race is over, or that we should start looking for an actual manager, rather than an ESPN post-game cardboard cut-out. Nope. Not me. Calling them "enemies of the fans..." that's the kind of bile that an angry, mouthy, immature, reactionary Yank-head would spew. I'm into hope... redemption... wild cards. I see the 2-1 count as "half-full," rather than half-empty. I see the outlook as "Sunny," not "Gray."  

I say, let's wait 'till Gary Sanchez's leathery hamstrings heal, sometime in September! Then, he and Gleyber Torres can have a race - see who takes longer to get to first on a grounder. (Did you see Gleyber "run" in the seventh? Shades of Joggy Cano!)  

So Jonathan Holder doesn't know what to do in a rundown? Who cares? Last night, they stole second base without Holder throwing a pitch. I always wondered why they call him "Holder." I thought it was his real name. Now I get it: It's his stage name!  

So Miguel Andujar lobs a throw to the plate, allowing Jackie Bradley to score? Well done! A creative way to lose.

And veteran Zach Britton doesn't bother to cover first on a grounder? Welcome to the Yankees, Sir! You're already feeling at home!

Giancarlo? He sure showed 'em. Buy him an ostrich suit! His big solo blast in the seventh cut the Redsock lead to seven! No reason to get on base and try to start an inning. Just take your cuts. They all look the same in the seasonal numbers. You can't predict baseball, Suzyn, but write this down: If the Yanks are way behind late in the Wild Card game, I predict Stanton goes deep. Wait and see.

Why rage against these Yankees? There's no shame in losing to a better team, especially when its hungrier and actually plays to win. 

Besides, we need to save our strength for the Wild Card. Time for Boonie to start arranging the rotation. I suggest we go with Sonny Gray. He's always been our Wild Card. Why change now?