Well, this has got to be the lowest point for the New York Yankees, right? It seemed like ages ago that the Bronx Bombers were once the feared dominators of the American League. Their hitters sent balls flying out of the park. Their pitchers threw fireballs no mortal could ever hit. They were unstoppable.

Now, the Yankees have come crashing back down to earth. Their once-stable lead in the AL East is now diminishing day-by-day. The Tampa Bay Rays are slowly catching up to them, trimming the lead to just five games. Their latest exploits include a 9-0 shutout of the pinstripes at Tropicana.

Yankees fans are obviously frustrated after losing to a division rival in humiliating fashion. Even Aaron Boone, who is usually mild-mannered during postgame interviews, was miffed. The New York manager urged his team to be “pissed off” about this loss. (via Bryan Hoch)

Nothing has been going right for the Yankees in the second half of the season. When Aaron Judge's bat goes silent, the team has had trouble finding reliable offense from their other hitters. Their pitching staff have failed to pick up the slack as well, giving big leads to their opponents of the day.

With the trade deadline in the rear-view mirror, the Yankees are hoping that an internal change sparks a resurgence. If they don't find a solution… well, this season will end up as another colossal disappointment for the team. Can Aaron Boone rally his battered troops to success? Or have they peaked and have nothing left in the tank?