Forget Tampa: The Yankee 2021 season is now all about Boston and the Wild Card

If you're scoring at home, in their quest for the AL East Division title, the '21 Yankees outlasted the '21 Knicks by one night. 

One measly night. 

Thus, the Dolan and Steinbrenner clans have at long last achieved the equality of malfeasance, their family businesses winning just enough to turn a profit, while remaining safely below the Peter Angelos Line of Ownership Mediocrity.

As the Yanks came within three straight from Tampa, and as the Knicks came home to face Atlanta, the rug was pulled, the chips were called, the cattle was culled, the bit was spit - insert trope here - because the Rays don't fool around, mince their words, put on their pants one leg at a time. 

So, with Boston finally visiting, here is our 2021 Wild Card race:

We can yowl to the hills how the Yankees flop against Tampa, but that's not our style. As thinking fans, we should contemplate the first-ever...

10-POINT IT-IS-HIGH LIST OF FUNDAMENTAL JUNE 4TH REALITIES:

1. The Yankees are legitimate Wild Card contenders. I believe this reflects Hal's baseline: If this motley team can make the post-season, anything can happen. So... for now, anyway... mission accomplished, Brian!

2. The Yankees have a potential game one ace in Domingo German. (Ha! Fooled ya.) 

3. We will face at least two more waves of injuries. Look at tonight's lineup and imagine at three starters with gonads inflamed to the size of Einstein bagels. Between now and October, the casualty count will remake this team.

4. Know how they say champs are solid up the middle? The Yankees right now - Sanchez, Odor, Gleyber & Gardy - don't look fated for the Canyon of Heroes. Can they improve? Sure, each could. Also, consider LeMahieu at 2B and Judge in CF. Better, right? 

5. Boston may be playing above themselves. This weekend, we'll get a better picture of what we're up against. How good is Alex Verdago, or Verdigo, Verdingo... whatever.

6. Frankly, we should fear Toronto. They've now survived two months playing in Florida, outdoors, sweltering, with the pythons, the sinkholes, the shootings and the incest. Now, they're in Buffalo, a veritable upstate paradise during June. By August, they could be home in beery Toronto. Don't underestimate how much that will spur them.

7. We can only lose six more times to Tampa this season, including three on the last weekend, after the Rays have clinched and are playing scrubbinies. 

8. By September, some prospects might be ready. One currently tagging my elbow: 25-year-old LH SS Hoy Jun Park, who is raking (.362) in his first - albeit brief, small sample size - shot at Triple A. We signed Park in the 2014 international free agent roundup, when the Yankees gathered a bunch of young specimens worthy of Mrs. Falwell. He's bumped around for seven years, so long he became part of the landscape. If Park - who plays around the infield - keeps hitting at Scranton, he could change the dynamic of this team.

9. Luis Severino. We can talk about Britton, Voit, Kluber, et al. But Sevy is the wild card of the Wild Card race. Can he return? Will he be any good? Will he relieve? Will he start? What do we have here?

10. Damn. I shouldn't have made this a 10-point list. I got nothing. Calgon Bath Oil Beads, help me out...