Pride of the Yankees? This looks like a looming Tampa massacre

Dear Tampa, 

Okay, for God sake, you've proved your point. You've won. You've embarrassed the Yankees. You've humiliated us, on our home field no less. Congratulations. We're slapping the canvas, okay? Call off your dogs. It's over! "UNCLE!" Do hear me? "UNNNNNN-KULLLLLLLLL!"

Jeeezus Krice. If this were a fight, they'd stop it. The ref would intervene and make sure that one side - the Yankees, that is - doesn't sustain permanent brain damage. 

We have now reached that annual Yankee doomsday bunker, where as soon as the opponent scores two runs against us, we collectively feel all hope drain from the dugout, the stadium and even the Your Name Here Broadcast Booth, where John & Suzyn provide game-long eulogies.  

Today, the good news is that - by losing yesterday - the Yankees leapfrogged Houston in the 2021 Tankathon standings, otherwise known as the race for the bottom.

We would now draft 18th, and it looks as though we'll soon overtake - (or undertake?) - Milwaukee.

Some may think we're jumping ship too soon, that it's only June 1 - (as we said of May 1, not long ago) - and, for sure: If the Death Barge roars back to win the next three against Tampa, the worst fears can be poo-pooed. But right now, we're looking at a potential wipeout by not only the Rays but by Boston, and if that happens, the 2021 season will seriously fly off the ledge. 

Unless he starts hitting, Giancarlo Stanton is about to face the fiercest booing in his career. This is a purely toxic scenario, and it's the last thing the Yankees need. At some point - soon - Stanton must deliver or leave New York. The Yankees will need to hold their nose, buy him out, and trade him to a west coast team, where it's possible that he will be resurrected and make us look even worse. But there is a point where trotting him out to be embarrassed and booed does no good for anyone, and though that time is not yet here, you can see it off in the distance. 

Likewise, the two disappointments - Clint Frazier and Miguel Andujar - will also need new homes. I know, Miggy homered yesterday, raising blah-blah-blah from the YES crew that blah-blah-blah... his turnaround is here. If only. For months, we have championed the notion that each player needs 150 at-bats to prove himself. Well, Frazier is now at 132, and still mired below .200. Andujar - only 66 at bats - still has no position. I don't know what the Yankees would get in a trade - they're at the low end of their value - but there comes a time when it's just cruel to continue. And by this time next week, we would be there.

Listen: The biggest gap between the Rays and Yankees is not Tampa's youth, its pitching or even its batting average with runners on base. It's the spirit in their clubhouse. The Rays are an ascending team, a winning team, a team still surging - as opposed to what the Yankees have assembled: a boring, lifeless  lineup of players who peaked several years ago and know they will never return to form.

Seriously, look at the lineup. Who in that order has his peak year ahead of him? (Last winter, I would have said Frazier. Now, not so sure.) Will LeMahieu ever again hit  .360? Will Luke win another HR crown? Will Gleyber hit 38 HRs? Will Gardy return to 2019 form? Even Judge cannot recapture his 2018. And Gary Sanchez... aw, forget it. 

Tampa is full of players still anticipating their peaks. We are limping to the end, and it's only June 1.  

Call off your dogs, Tampa. We've seen enough. Lookout below, everybody, the Yankees are headed for the Tankathon.