Given the Yankees history over the past few seasons, during which they scrambled and fought to make the playoffs then died for lack of pitching, this looked like the year to finally write them off.

And yet, here they are strutting out of Boston with a comfortable lead in the AL East and riding a surge that threatens to topple Detroit out of the top playoff spot in the league. Worst for Yankees haters, the cavalry is about to arrive in the form of Matsui and Sheffield and maybe reliever Octavio Dotel. This isn’t a team that has hit a peak and can be expected to come down off it. It’s a team that is still getting better at the time it counts most.

There remain some 40 games to be played, including four more against Boston in the Bronx in mid-September. But the outcome isn’t in much doubt. The Red Sox couldn’t help themselves substantially at the trade deadline and their injury-riddled pitching staff has been exposed for the junior-varsity affair that it is. Losing Jason Varitek, the team captain and catcher, put them in a hole they won’t be able to climb out of.

I don’t expect the Red Sox to quit. They’re not that kind of team. But I don’t expect the Yankees to put it in cruise control, either. The Bombers were built to be the best team in the business, and they’re finally looking like it, not just for the first time this year, but for the first time in three or four years.

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Jason Giambi has become a stud again. Jorge Posada is 35 and supposedly worn out, but he drove in a pile of clutch runs against Boston. Jeter is having a year that should make him a top MVP candidate, although Boston’s Papi Ortiz should get that hardware; without him, the Red Sox aren’t even in the picture.

Bernie Williams has responded well when pressed into service because of injuries. Melky Cabrera, one of the kids called up from the minors to fill in for injured outfielders, is playing beyond expectations and got the double that led to the tying run Sunday. Mariano Rivera is still sucking the hope out of opponents in the final inning.

The starting pitching still isn’t what Yankee fans would like. Randy Johnson is looking his age, but he’s also winning games because of all the run support he gets. Mike Mussina has been very good. Chien-Ming Wang is a solid No. 3 starter who is being treated as if he’s a No. 2. Jaret Wright is good — or bad — for five innings. Lidle is there to soak up innings.

But with the Yankees offense, they’re more than good enough to win the regular season.

And maybe the World Series, too.

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