I was talking to friend of mine — a Red Sox fan — last night after the Yankees finished smoking the Pirates over three games, cutting their deficit in the AL East to single digits. Feeling a little more at ease about the state of baseball in the Bronx, I asked him, “When do you start feeling nervous about the Yankees?” It was a question of honest curiosity more than anything else, particularly after the Red Sox championship season three years ago.

His reply told me that 2004 hasn’t changed everything, “I never stop feeling nervous about the Yankees.”

I smirked and realized some habits just don’t die easy.

It certainly is rosier here in Yankeeland as the Bombers have rolled up six in a row highlighted by the return of Roger Clemens, the resurgence of Bobby Abreu and a percolating A-Rod. The swagger is back. You can feel it in the clubhouse…you can see it in Joe Torre’s eyes — the man doesn’t constantly look like someone’s just shot his dog. Or as the Yankee skipper likes to say, winning helps the team’s “personality”.

Still, It’s not really about the Red Sox right now. It’s an internal battle to break .500. Then the focus switches to winning two of three or three of four every series. Nonetheless, one couldn’t help keep one eye on what Randy Johnson was doing to the Red Sox out in Arizona on Sunday. Just a way to gauge the temperature in the standings.

And of course, it never hurts to also stick a baseball thermometer in a Red Sox fan…just to see if they’re sweating yet.