Hal Steinbrenner has probably achieved his goal of having the 2025 Yankees contend. Now comes the part where we learn how serious he is about winning

Every year, around now, the Ghost of Yankees Present, aka Hal Steinbrenner, appears in a fever dream to remind us that...

a) Christmas is about peace and love
b) What's important are friends and family
c) Our goal is for the Yankees to contend...

Yep. To contend...  

In 2010, the last year that Hal's troops came to spring training as world champions, this constituted a grand manifesto. But in these days of expanded playoffs, to contend doesn't quite bring the Christmas wish that it once conveyed.

Here is the Yankee lineup, more or less, for now. (We can debate placements, but it's just rearranging deck chairs, no?)

2b Jazz Chisholm
rf Aaron Judge
cf Cody Bellinger
dh Giancarlo Stanton
1b Paul Goldschmidt
c Austin Wells
lf Jasson Dominguez
2b Oswald/Oswaldo
ss Anthony Volpe

It's not Soto/Judge - last year's Mantle/Maris - but, hey, this team should win 85 games and stay relevant through mid-September. From there, our fate rests with the juju gods, the smartass deities who guided Judge's glove on that fateful Game 5 pop fly.

Here we are, at the winter solstice fulcrum, where Hal must decide whether to drop another $20 million on payroll, or to clench his powdered fanny and maintain his status as the second worst owner in Yankee history, a notch behind CBS, and the third worst family sports dynasty in NY, behind the Maras and Johnsons.  

Mr. Steinbrenner, sir, it's Christmastime again. It's your call.

I'm not suggesting any particular acquisition. That's for Brian "Rasputin" Cashman. Whatever happens, the Yankees should contend - that is, "engage in a competition to win something..." If The Martian rises, if  Volpe breaks out,  if Wells reverts to last July's form - hey, we win the AL East! And if they don't, and if/when we get whacked by tweaked carbunkles, well, let the Jenga blocks fall.

Sir, it will soon be the cold, hard part of winter. It will be time for you to decide how badly you want to win. Or if you've already achieved that goal. 

Merry Christmas.