Before knowing the results of Sunday’s games – and knowing whether the Yankees would be playing in the AL wild-card round or the Division Series – Aaron Boone briefly pondered the question just about every manager or coach gets with their playoff opponent yet to be determined.

Do you have a preference who you play?

“Be careful what you wish for,” Boone said.

Boone certainly sounded genuine in repeating the longtime sports axiom.

But two things can be true at the same time.

Because as an organization, the last team the Yankees wanted to see in these playoffs, especially early, were the Red Sox, whom the Yankees face in the best-of-three wild-card round starting Tuesday night at the Stadium.

Much of that, of course, has to do with the clubs’ mutual familiarity and Boston’s success this

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