At the end of June, you can feel the swoon.

It's the dregs of June, the days are shrinking like Putin's war hopes, and once again, the Yankees are crapping their beds in Fenway. 

You know those loud chants of "YANKEES SUCK?" That's not mockery; it's statement of fact.  

So, it's rather sad that we - the haggard tellers of Yankee truth - must once again plod this treacherous trail. But here we are, having squandered another decent first half, now desperately awaiting the July 31 trade deadline hell storm. 

Everybody knows what's coming. Because we've been here before.  

1. In March, they started hot, winning 4-of-5.

2. In April, they went 16-10, despite a lumbering start from Aaron Judge, and overcoming a 5-game losing streak, their longest of the season (thus far.)  Leading the way: Ben Rice and Cam Schlittler, with gutsy help from Jose Caballero. 

3. In May, 16-12. But Cole and Rodon are back! Along with, ahem, Anthony Volpe. Cabby becomes the pocket knife.

4. In June, they are now 12-10. A Boston sweep would leave them at .500 for the month. They'll blame injuries to Judge and Grisham - (Giancarlo doesn't count; he's always out) - but why kid ourselves? We knew the tweaks were coming. 

5. In July, they'll fall from first. Tampa will charge, and the division will tighten. It's crazy to think that, after a horrible first-half, Boston isn't out of it. But the series in Fenway will have energized the club. Meanwhile, the Yankees will shift into Trade Deadline Expectation Mode, their annual period in July when everybody is rumored to be traded. 

6. In August, after Cashman deals a trove of prospects - (none of whom, we'll be assured, was ever part of the team's plans) - we will set our new goal: The Wild Card! 

7. In September, they will reach the expanded postseason.   

8. And in October, done in the Knockout Round. 

Last year, the Yankees were the team that could not beat good teams. And in the end, they were the team that flopped. Over the winter, they kept this team together.

So... has anything changed?