It's time for 10 Yankee Christmas wishes

As the big night nears, you can feel energy draining from the Yankiverse. The Mets have become NYC's "It Girl," and Tampa is the dominant variant in the AL East.

It's not impossible to imagine the Yankees - hogtied by contracts, egos, austerity and hubris - finishing last in their division. 

So here are 10 Christmas wishes unto the juju gods, who - frankly - owe us for last year's debacle. If five come true, I'll call it a success. 

In 2022, I would like to see: 

1. Yankee batters reduce their strikeout totals by 10 percent. We cannot field a team that whiffs 10-to-15 times per game.

2. Hitters bunt when opposing defenses go into outlandish over-shifts. There can no longer be excuses for batters who hit .200 and yet refuse to bunt.

3. Aaron Boone smash a water cooler. Full-tilt Pauly O'Neill. At least once.

4. John Sterling manage a game. Suzyn as bench coach. Boone can do play by play.

5. The Yankees not drain their farms for a wildcard birth. If by July 30, they are not contending for the Division, they should start thinking about next year.

6. Hal Steinbrenner put the team up for sale. He needs a soccer club.

7. Brian Cashman get a Rolex, plaque and promotion upstairs; the team should hire a GM from outside the organization.

8. Gary Sanchez and Miguel Andujar start over in new cities. They need to escape NYC. 

9. Brett Gardner retire with a day honoring him at Yankee Stadium. He should be put on a fast-track to become our next manager.

10.  The pandemic end, and the Yankiverse return to crazed, hysterical normalcy.

Merry Christmas, everybody.