MLB Playoff Capsules: Half of baseball's playoff team watch wallets
NEW YORK (AP) — It's not just the usual suspects in the playoffs this year.
Texas, ranked 23rd according to Major League Baseball's latest payroll figures, won the AL West. Tampa Bay, just 20th, beat out the high-spending New York Yankees and Boston to win the AL East.
Cincinnati won the NL Central and is going to the postseason for the first time since 1995 despite ranking 19th. No. 16 Atlanta won the NL wild card.
It's the first time since the playoffs expanded in 1995 that as many as four postseason teams came from the bottom half by payroll.
What in the name of the almighty dollar is going on?
At least thus far this season, youth and tight budgets have prevailed.
"Just the way the economics of the game are," Reds general manager Walt Jocketty said. "There's such a wide discrepancy in revenues at different clubs. You have to survive and compete, and you have to find new ways to do it."
Tampa Bay with an average age of about 28½ by season's end, is the youngest playoff team and 19th in the majors by age, according to STATS LLC. Texas is 17th and Minnesota 15th, both at 28-plus, while Cincinnati is 12th at 29.
Whether relative inexperience will hurt these teams in the crucible of October baseball remains to be seen, but young legs and arms got them this far.
More and more, teams are willing to take a chance on youth — especially those prized players not-yet-eligible for salary arbitration or free agency.
"You don't see people giving up as many of their (former) draft choices as they use to," Twins President Jerry Bell said. "George Steinbrenner, he didn't care. Everything was about win now. But teams are pulling back a little more and being a little more apt to hold on to their minor league players. And obviously we believe that's the way to go."
The golf courses of the U.S., Caribbean and Asia will be filled this month with players from teams that failed. The second-, third- and fifth-through-ninth biggest spenders as of opening day were all flops: Boston, the Cubs, the Mets, Detroit, the White Sox, the Angels and Seattle.
Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig is absolutely glowing when talking about the success of the small markets. It's not just because he used to own the Milwaukee Brewers. Boosting the little guys has been a primary goal since he became commissioner in 1992. Revenue sharing has improved the fortunes of the clubs with less to spend, with $433 million transferred to the poorer teams in 2009 and an estimated $401 million this year, according to MLB.
"When you've got Cincinnati winning and San Diego up there, and even San Francisco and Colorado and Tampa, it's a great sign," he said. "There's no doubt, as I study things, that we have more competitive balance than we've ever had in our history."
Fans empty their wallets to see a winner, and teams unload their treasury to produce one. When they fall short, owners look to assess blame — witness the firing of Mets general manager Omar Minaya this week, partly because $36 million pitcher Ollie Perez had as many wins this year as Kukla, Fran and Ollie — 0.
Successful teams, with the exception most notably of the star-filled Yankees and Phillies, largely added experienced players to their prospects.
"You do need a core group," Bell said. "I think you need a sprinkle of veterans here and there. I don't think you need too many, but a couple are of them are awful nice to have around. People look up to them. You know, we've got (Carl) Pavano now who's kind of had a rebirth here. He's kind of a leader. And (Jim) Thome obviously. Yeah, you need some of that."
Too many veterans, and the payroll balloons to a Yankee-like $200 million-plus or even Philadelphia's $140 milliion-plus.
Texas began the season at $55 million, while Cincinnati and Tampa Bay were in the $70s, Atlanta in the $80s, and San Francisco and Minnesota (in its first season at Target Field) in the $90s.
Just as it is in a department store bargain basement, combing the January and February free-agent discount sales is key.
"We got lucky. The whole industry got lucky," Giants general manager Brian Sabean said. "The whole free-agency market has crashed. The days of the mega multiyear deals are gone. There are more guys, because of the way the game's being turned over in a lot of organizations to younger players, to having to take shorter-term contracts for less money. That helps everybody. It helps them stay in the game without being pushed out by younger players. It also helps management to balance the budget or spread the money through the roster."
But, as the teams that have gone home know from firsthand experience, you have to make the right selections.
"We have little margin for error here," Jocketty said. "Any market this size is the same way. You can't afford to made mistakes, at least not too many."
Playoffs set to start with three Cy Young winners
Joe Mauer and the Minnesota Twins need no added motivation to beat the Yankees. They found some anyway.
Prepping for their first-round playoff series, the AL Central champions hung a picture in their clubhouse of the back page of a recent (New York) Daily News that read "Bad news: Yanks must go on road for playoffs. Good news: They play the Twins. E-Z Pass."
"Yes, we've had our issues with them," Minnesota manager Ron Gardenhire said Tuesday. "They find a way and that's what we have to do. We have to find a way. We are pretty good at that this year and I expect us to do it."
The time for talking is over and the pressure is on. Everyone knows what's at stake in October.
Ryan Howard and the Phillies are swinging for their third straight pennant. Texas is trying to win a playoff series for the first time. The wild-card Yankees hope to repeat as World Series champs.
Postseason baseball begins Wednesday, with a trio of Cy Young Award winners on the mound: Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay and CC Sabathia.
Lee and the Rangers get it all started against the Tampa Bay Rays at 1:37 p.m. EDT. Next up, Halladay and the Phillies host Cincinnati at 5:07 p.m. EDT.
With three aces in the rotation and a playoff-tested team, Philadelphia is heavily favored to reach its third consecutive World Series. The last National League club to do that was the St. Louis Cardinals from 1942-44.
But MVP contender Joey Votto and the Reds can slug with just about anybody, and they have an overpowering arm to bring out of the bullpen in rookie Aroldis Chapman.
Cincinnati, winner of the NL Central, is in the postseason for the first time since 1995. The Reds can expect a packed house in Philadelphia, too.
"You've got to start somewhere," said manager Dusty Baker, taking his third NL team to the postseason. "It's sort of like a kid coming out of college. Everybody wants to know what is his job experience? And sooner or later you've got to work to get that experience, and that's where we are right now."
Halladay, obtained from Toronto last December, will be making his playoff debut after 13 stellar seasons. He'll face Edinson Volquez, who returned this year from right elbow surgery and went 4-3 with a 4.31 ERA in 12 starts.
"It's definitely something I'm looking forward to," Halladay said at a rainy Citizens Bank Park. "It's a great challenge. It's something I've wanted to do my whole career, and I'm very grateful for the opportunity."
The 8:37 p.m. EDT game is a familiar matchup. Sabathia and the Yankees face Minnesota in a first-round series for the fourth time since 2003. New York won all three previous meetings, including last year en route to its 27th World Series title.
"Doesn't mean anything," Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter interjected, cutting off a question about past success against the Twins.
He relented: "We haven't played 'em in a while. We understand that they're very hot, especially in the second half. They'll play us tough. Anything that's happened in the past has no bearing on this season."
This time, the Twins have home-field advantage at their spacious new ballpark, Target Field. Wednesday night will mark the first outdoor postseason game in Minnesota since 1970, and the temperature is supposed to be in the 60s.
"We went through a sweep last year. That obviously wasn't a good feeling," Twins center fielder Denard Span said. "I just think we're a year older, a year more ready. We did what we had to do during the regular season. Now I think everybody's goal is a little higher than it was a year ago."
Francisco Liriano pitches the opener against Alex Rodriguez, Robinson Cano and the big-budget Yankees, who staggered to a 9-17 finish that cost them the AL East crown.
"We tried to wrap this thing up and didn't get it done," said Andy Pettitte, who will start Game 2 for New York. "The bottom line is we're the world champs until someone knocks us off."
In the first of Wednesday's three marquee pitching matchups, Lee was set to face Tampa Bay ace David Price under the roof at Tropicana Field. Price has blossomed into the elite starter almost everyone expected, going 19-6 with a 2.72 ERA for the AL East champs.
"Should be a pretty fun matchup to watch," said Rays third baseman Evan Longoria, cleared to play after missing the final 10 games of the regular season with a strained left quadriceps.
Texas' dangerous lineup features playoff newcomers Josh Hamilton and Michael Young, but the AL West champion Rangers are the only current major league franchise that hasn't won a playoff series.
Lee was acquired from Seattle in July to help change that. The left-hander went 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in five postseason starts for the Phillies last year.
"I expect as much out of myself as anyone expects out of me. You can call it pressure, call it what you want. But I'm not nervous or worried or any of those kind of words that would go along with pressure," Lee said. "I'm looking forward to it, and it's going to be a challenge and a lot of fun."
All division series are best-of-five. The fourth matchup gets under way Thursday night, when retiring manager Bobby Cox and his wild-card Atlanta Braves play at NL West champion San Francisco.
-- Mike Fitzpatrick
Notebook: Crawford, Hamilton, Baldelli were almost all Rays
Imagine an outfield of Carl Crawford, Josh Hamilton and Rocco Baldelli. Not bad, and it almost happened in Tampa Bay.
The trio were once projected to roam Tropicana Field together, which is something current Rays star Crawford has thought about often over the years.
"We think about that all the time, me and Rocco," Crawford said Tuesday. "We just think about how great that outfield could have been and what kind of numbers we could have been putting up. How many championships we probably could have won. It's just one of those things where we didn't get to see it, but we think about it all the time."
All three were prized minor leaguers in the Tampa Bay system in the early 2000s. Injuries and a condition that sapped his strength derailed much of Baldelli's promising career, while Hamilton has overcame a lengthy battle with substance abuse to finally fulfill his promise with the Texas Rangers, who are facing the Rays in a first-round AL playoff series.
"It would have been a pretty disgusting outfield," Hamilton said. "You probably would have had to hit it over the fence for a ball to drop in, really. So you think about that, but, I mean, that's what's so hard to predict. You don't know what life is throwing at them, injuries or anything like that."
Major changes are likely forthcoming for Tampa Bay after the postseason. Crawford, first baseman Carlos Pena and closer Rafael Soriano are among a group of potential free agents.
"You're in the playoffs, so you want to win regardless," Crawford said. "Everybody knows our situation. It's just one of those things that we're not even worried about it. We're in the playoffs, so we want to win. It's not just because guys might not be here next year. It's because we're there and that's what you do in the playoffs."
MAUER ON THE MEND: The Twins took advantage of an early clinch — they wrapped up the AL Central on Sept. 21 — to give catcher Joe Mauer some extra rest down the stretch while he dealt with a sore left knee. Mauer sat out nine straight days in late September and started behind the plate only twice in Minnesota's last 16 games.
"I'm feeling good," said Mauer, who also was hampered by right shoulder tendinitis earlier in the season. "I'll be behind the plate and, you know, like I said, I'm looking forward to it."
Manager Ron Gardenhire dismissed any concern about the 2009 AL MVP being hindered by a minor injury.
"His knee is fine. It is what it is. It's going to be a little sore here and there, but he's going to go and play," Gardenhire said. "And this is the time of year where guys step up, and he knows it and he will go play. He has had time off to help him, and his body feels as good as he can feel this time of year for a catcher, and I guarantee he will be ready to go."
DUSTY'S BOY: Most baseball fans last remember seeing Darren Baker scooped up by the collar of his oversized jacket and pulled from harm's way at the plate by San Francisco's J.T. Snow during Game 5 of the 2002 World Series. Baker, son of manager Dusty Baker, became the most famous 3½-year-old bat boy in baseball history.
Dusty Baker and son have since moved on to Cincinnati — and they still share a clubhouse. Darren Baker is now 11 and he's been a fixture behind the scenes — well, at least when he's not in school. The youngest Baker has to miss Game 1 of Wednesday's NL division series against the Phillies but he'll be in Philadelphia for Friday's Game 2.
"He serves as sometime bat boy, sometime good-luck charm," Dusty Baker said. "He really thinks and believes it's him that's part of the reason we're winning. As long as he thinks it, some of our guys think it."
PHILLIES ROSTER: The Philadelphia Phillies left 11-game winner Kyle Kendrick off their NL division series roster and will use 10 pitchers.
Kendrick (11-10, 4.73 ERA), catcher Paul Hoover and pitchers Danys Baez, David Herndon and Jamie Moyer will travel with the club. Infielder Brian Bocock and pitcher Vance Worley will report to the Phillies' minor league complex in Clearwater, Fla., and outfielder John Mayberry Jr. will report to the Mesa Solar Sox of the Arizona Fall League.
The pitching staff breakdown looks like this: left-handers Antonio Bastardo, Cole Hamels and J.C. Romero; right-handers Joe Blanton, Jose Contreras, Chad Durbin, Roy Halladay, Brad Lidge, Ryan Madson and Roy Oswalt.
SAVING GRACE: The extra revenue from Target Field allowed the Twins to take a more aggressive approach to building their roster, and it sure showed when four-time All-Star closer Joe Nathan went down with an elbow injury in spring training.
Jon Rauch got the job at the beginning of the season, but the Twins acquired Matt Capps from the Nationals in July and Brian Fuentes from the Angels in August. Rauch, Capps and Fuentes combined for 87 saves this season.
None of them have the resume that Mariano Rivera does, let alone Nathan, but the Twins are confident in this group of relievers, with right-handers Jesse Crain and Matt Guerrier also doing effective setup work and Jose Mijares a hard-throwing lefty option.
"No doubt. Deepest 'pen I've been a part of," Fuentes said. "I've said it numerous times before: I was surprised they came out and picked up a guy like myself, considering that their 'pen was so strong already."
If there's any question about the importance of relief pitching, check out the AL team leaders in bullpen ERA. The four playoff teams are the first four on the list, with Tampa Bay at 3.33, Texas at 3.38, New York at 3.47, Minnesota at 3.49 and a wide margin before Chicago comes in fifth at 3.73.
"We have a lot of good arms down there," Guerrier said, "so you've got to feel confident in what we've got."
ONE HOT TICKET: Postseason interest is highest in Cincinnati, based on ticket resale prices.
The average asking price for Reds tickets for home games in the first round of the playoffs is $276, StubHub.com said Tuesday. Cincinnati is making its first postseason appearance in 15 years.
The San Francisco Giants are next at $220, followed by the Minnesota Twins at $218, the Philadelphia Phillies at $202, the Texas Rangers at $168, the New York Yankees at $141, the Atlanta Braves at $90 and the Tampa Bay Rays at $77.
Crew chiefs announced for playoff openers
NEW YORK (AP) — Jerry Crawford, Dana DeMuth, John Hirschbeck and Tim Welke will be the umpire crew chiefs for the first round of the playoffs.
Major League Baseball said Tuesday that Crawford will work the Minnesota Twins-New York Yankees series with Hunter Wendelstedt, Greg Gibson, Brian O'Nora, Gary Darling and Chris Guccione.
Welke was assigned to the Tampa Bay Rays-Texas Rangers series with Jim Wolf, Jerry Meals, Bill Miller, Jeff Kellogg and Mike DiMuro.
In the NL, Hirschbeck will work the Philadelphia Phillies-Cincinnati Reds series with Bruce Dreckman, Sam Holbrook, Ed Rapuano, Gary Cederstrom and Rob Drake.
DeMuth will work the San Francisco Giants-Atlanta Braves series with Paul Nauert, Paul Emmel, Mike Winters, Jerry Layne and Ed Hickox.
Drake and Guccione will be umpiring in the postseason for the first time.
ALDS
Old guys Thome and Favre feel young in Minnesota
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — In his first season in Minnesota, Jim Thome has taken to wearing a purple No. 4 Brett Favre shirt during his pregame workouts at Target Field.
The slugger and the quarterback have long admired each other from afar, but have never met. Maybe that's because their careers, at least for the last few years, have been on remarkably parallel paths.
Both came to Minnesota after distinguishing themselves with division rivals, turned 40 in their first seasons here and were rejuvenated by the change of scenery and a young, competitive team.
"When you get to our age, even sooner, you're kind of looked at as on the way out," Favre told The Associated Press on Tuesday. "We've proven that to be a myth. It doesn't happen often, but when it does, it's pretty special. Just the fact that it's 40 makes it better, makes it sweeter."
Favre tormented the Vikings for 16 seasons in Green Bay, but went through a bitter divorce with the Packers in 2007. After a shaky season with the New York Jets, he arrived in Minnesota in 2009, a year ahead of Thome, determined to prove he still had some magic left in that right arm of his.
Even he didn't expect what followed. Favre, who turns 41 on Sunday, had what he called the best season of his 19-year career, throwing for 4,202 yards, 33 touchdowns and seven interceptions to help the Vikings reach the NFC title game.
Two days after Favre and the Vikings lost to the New Orleans Saints in overtime to miss out on the Super Bowl, Thome agreed to a $1.5 million, one-year deal with the Twins.
"I've thought about that and it is quite a coincidence," Thome said of the comparisons to Favre. "It's been special. To look at it like that is special. I think as we go on here, maybe we'll look back at that."
Thome became a star in Cleveland, helping the Indians supplant the Twins as the AL Central's top team in the mid-1990s. He specialized in hitting long home runs at the Metrodome, leaving many Twins fans to wonder how well he would do if he played 81 games a season under the big, white roof.
After three years in Philadelphia, Thome returned to the division with the Chicago White Sox in 2006.
His solo homer in Game 163 in 2008 propelled the White Sox into the playoffs and sent the Twins home early for the winter. He was traded to the Dodgers late in 2009, but wanted to return to the White Sox in his home state of Illinois to finish his career.
The White Sox decided to go in another direction at designated hitter, so Thome wound up taking a cut-rate deal with the Twins to chase a World Series title and show everyone he still had plenty of pop in that big left-handed swing.
The Twins initially planned to use him primarily as a pinch hitter late in close games, but an injury to Justin Morneau increased his role in a hurry. He turned 40 in August and enters the postseason with a team-leading 25 home runs in just 276 at-bats.
He has spent a memorable season climbing up the career home run chart, passing Rafael Palmeiro, Harmon Killebrew, Mark McGwire and Frank Robinson to move into eighth place with 589 homers and helping the Twins win their sixth division title of the decade.
Thome and the Twins open their AL division series against the New York Yankees on Wednesday night.
"This season has definitely rejuvenated me, sure," Thome said. "It makes you think, you keep putting the work in and maybe you'll be rewarded. You do it together. That's the main thing."
Favre, who actually preferred baseball to football as a kid and dreamed of one day playing in the big leagues, has gotten quite a kick out of watching another 40-year-old show all these young kids how it's done.
"Quietly, the biggest thing that crosses my mind is, 'Aw shucks,'" Favre said. "You know how tough it is. I really don't think people appreciate how tough it is, let alone at 21. At our age, you don't see too many guys still playing. Maybe that's because they're all smarter than we are."
Ask each one what the biggest key was to their revivals, and both point to their teammates — some of them are nearly half their ages. That gap has never been an issue for the Twins or the Vikings.
Favre has delighted his teammates with his child-like antics.
When the Twins clinched the AL Central title, Thome was the biggest kid in the room, dumping buckets of beer and water on his teammates.
"For an older player to be welcomed is a big part of it," Favre said. "It's been very good for Jim and I. It makes you feel a little bit younger again, to have a little fun."
So far, Favre's second season with the Vikings hasn't been as entertaining. The Vikings (1-2) are off to a slow start thanks in large part to injuries at receiver that have grounded Favre's high-flying passing game.
"We haven't had that magic in these first three games," Favre said. "It's hard to do it on a consistent basis, to hit home runs, to knock guys in, to throw touchdown passes."
If anything, it shows just how remarkable last year was for Favre, and this year has been for Thome.
"The expectations, I didn't have any," Thome said. "I just wanted to be a part of this club and get an opportunity to win. It's worked out great and hopefully we can continue to take it a little further."
-- Jon Krawczynski
Can Target Field help bring the Twins a title?
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — Last year, the New York Yankees christened their billion-dollar ballpark with a World Series title.
This time, the Minnesota Twins are hoping their new downtown home can help supply the same October charm.
"I've never experienced — besides the birth of my two daughters — the feeling of winning a world championship in New York in the new stadium," Yankees star Alex Rodriguez said earlier this year, after using the word "magical" to describe the memory.
So here come the Twins, having torn the roof off and returned to the great outdoors, trying to repeat that feat. They settled in at Target Field this spring following 28 climate-controlled seasons at the quirky, clamorous Metrodome, and so far the results have been tough to beat.
"Our crowd always energizes us and gets us going. This is where the excitement is," manager Ron Gardenhire said. He added: "We've played really good baseball here at home, and there's a reason for that. You come to this ballpark, and every game is an event. The people are packing it, and the guys enjoy this ballpark. They love coming to the park. You're supposed to play well at home. Most good teams do. This has definitely been beneficial for us."
Minnesota's 53-28 home record during the regular season was bested by only the Braves, and the Twins set a franchise record for attendance with more than 3.2 million people counted through the turnstiles. The Twins averaged 39,798 paid customers per game, ranking sixth in the majors.
"It's just a great place," newcomer Jim Thome said. "Our guys like to play here. Our fans, the energy of the ballpark when it gets rocking, are great."
So is there truly a correlation between stadium openings and postseason success?
Well, the St. Louis Cardinals wouldn't argue. Just like those 2009 Yankees, they brought their baseball-loving city by the river a championship in 2006 with that new-ballpark smell filling the air. The only thing, uh, Busch league about the Cardinals' first year in their new home was the famous brewer's name on the stadium.
And while there's barely anybody still alive to actually remember this, the Boston Red Sox broke in Fenway Park in 1912 with a World Series title. The old Yankee Stadium was kind to the Bronx Bombers, too, with a championship in the inaugural 1923 season.
In all, 13 teams have unveiled new ballparks and qualified for the postseason in the same year, according to STATS LLC. More recently, the San Francisco Giants in 2000, the Atlanta Braves in 1997, the Colorado Rockies in 1995 and the Toronto Blue Jays in 1989 opened their gates in April and played in October past the 162-game schedule.
That makes a total of eight of the 30 teams in Major League Baseball that have been able to sell postseason tickets in their first year at their current headquarters.
In 1970, the Pittsburgh Pirates and Cincinnati Reds even formed a cookie-cutter NL championship series after opening their perfect-circle multipurpose stadiums that summer. Oh, and the Pirates became world champs, too, after introducing Forbes Field in 1909.
Yes, good baseball teams are going to be good, no matter where they play. The new-stadium effect certainly didn't help the Washington Nationals in 2008 or those pitiful 2001 Pirates, who lost 100 games. The 1982 Twins coronated the Metrodome by going 60-102. The air conditioning wasn't installed yet, and the average attendance was 11,373.
These Twins didn't have that problem.
"There's something to be said for selling out every game at home," shortstop J.J. Hardy said. "I think that's a big part of it. You look at all the teams that do that, they're usually pretty good."
The Twins were unbeatable at home in the Dome during their 1987 and 1991 World Series victories, but for all that was made about their indoor advantage they lost their last eight — eight! — postseason home games there. The last time the Twins won a home playoff game was 2002, the ALCS opener against the then-Anaheim Angels.
Time will soon tell whether these Twins will become the latest World Series winner from a first-year facility.
"We have a great chance," right-hander Nick Blackburn said. "It's all going to come down to how we keep playing. New stadium, old stadium, if we go out and do our job it's going to happen."
Twins players were like kids on Christmas this season with all of the amenities they didn't have at the Dome, like whirlpools and a spacious weight room and a batting cage right behind the clubhouse.
"All that stuff helps you get ready for the games," Hardy said.
And then, of course, there was the adrenaline boost that came from the always-full house.
"Playing in front of 40,000 people with your colors on usually is going to help," center fielder Denard Span said.
The Twins enjoyed a clear advantage at the Metrodome that opponents hoped would fade when the Twins left behind their tricky Teflon roof, high-bouncing turf and trapped crowd noise. They were out-homered at Target Field 64-52 this season, dealt with a rash of injuries all year long, and endured a stretch of substandard play in May and June before finding their groove in the second half.
But there was something special about this glistening new ballpark, with wide-eyed fans swarming the concourses each night and many of them paying premium prices to watch a contending team on the field while the prairie sunset painted the glass skyscrapers beyond right field a shade of orange.
Oh, about that weather: It was better than anyone could've asked for in year one. Despite exaggerated perceptions around the country that the lack of a retractable roof would create Siberian conditions, the Twins had only one postponed game (cold rain in early May), one suspended game (downpour in late May) and nary an in-game delay.
"That in itself is tremendous. I hope we're able to enjoy another full month of it," general manager Bill Smith said.
This week's forecast is promising: sunny and clear, with daytime highs in the low 70s and game-time temperatures in the 60s.
-- Dave Campbell
Twins look to solve Yankees in playoffs
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — There has been nothing romantic about the underdog Minnesota Twins meeting the big, bad New York Yankees in the postseason.
There have been no heart-warming tales of the little guys overcoming long odds. No Hollywood endings for the unlikely hero against the Evil Empire.
The Yankees are 9-2 against the Twins in the past decade in the first round of the AL playoffs, following 3-1 triumphs in 2003 and 2004 with a sweep last season. The domination likely has made the Yankees more hated in the Twin Cities than in any metro area outside of Boston.
"The Yankees are a great team with a lot of great players," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said Tuesday. "They have been doing it for a long time. And we had our share of playoff runs, too. And we've butted heads with them and they are not the easiest team to play. They create a lot of problems for everybody that faces them."
The latest chapter in what has been a lopsided rivalry begins on Wednesday night, when Francisco Liriano starts for the Twins in the opener against New York's CC Sabathia in the first outdoor postseason game in Minnesota since 1970. The Twins went an AL-best 53-28 at home in their first season at Target Field.
The defeats have come in every way imaginable for the Twins, from Mark Teixeira's 11th-inning home run in Game 2 last year to an 8-1 wipeout of ace Johan Santana in Game 4 at the Metrodome in 2003.
"Yes, we've had our issues with them," Gardenhire said. "We haven't beaten them. All of those things are out there. It's easy to see if you look at the records. But we've had so many chances. ... They get it done. They find a way and that's what we have to do. We have to find a way. We are pretty good at that this year and I expect us to do it this year."
That 2003 loss started the Twins' string of postseason disappointments. After a stunning run to the AL championship series in 2002, the Twins have not made it out of the first round in four subsequent trips. Three losses to the Yankees and one to Oakland have Twins fans starving for something bigger than a division title.
"We went through a sweep last year. That obviously wasn't a good feeling," Twins center fielder Denard Span said. "I just think we're a year older, a year more ready. We did what we had to do during the regular season. Now I think everybody's goal is a little higher than it was a year ago."
The perception is this is big market vs. small market, deep pockets vs. pocket lint. On Tuesday, the Twins hung a picture in the clubhouse of the back page of a recent (New York) Daily News that read "Bad news: Yanks must go on road for playoffs. Good news: They play the Twins. E-Z Pass."
"In New York, I'm sure the papers perceive it that way, a David and Goliath type," said utilityman Nick Punto, one of the longest-tenured Twins. "We don't think that. Major League Baseball, every team can beat anybody on any given day.
"We definitely know we have a good team, a strong team and every year is different. Those guys are the world champs and they were the best team in baseball. Now it's a new season. Hopefully we can be the best team in baseball."
The Yankees sure won't admit to any edge.
"Doesn't mean anything," shortstop Derek Jeter interjected, cutting off a question about past success against the Twins.
He relented: "We haven't played 'em in awhile. We understand that they're very hot, especially in the second half. They'll play us tough. Anything that's happened in the past has no bearing on this season."
The Twins will tell you that the gaps — on the field and in the bank account — are gradually closing.
The Twins have a brand new ballpark, just like the Yankees.
The Twins shell out big bucks — $184 million for Joe Mauer — to keep their stars and don't hesitate to go out and add free agents — Jim Thome, Orlando Hudson — or make trades — J.J. Hardy, Brian Fuentes — to plug holes, just like the Yankees.
Carl Pavano, who won just nine games during four seasons with the Yankees, will start for the Twins in Game 2 on Thursday. He made 26 starts during his injury-riddled time in New York after signing a $39.95 million contract. Given a $7 million, one-year deal by the Twins, he went 17-11.
All the new talent as Minnesota thinking ahead, not behind.
"It's hard not to look at the past, that is pretty obvious. ... But it's a totally different team than those first two times we played the Yankees," said first baseman Michael Cuddyer, one of only two Twins remaining from 2004 roster.
It better be.
The championship-drenched Yankees come into Target Field in search of title No. 28 but failed to finish first after holding the lead on Labor Day for the third time, following 1904 and 1944.
Captain Derek Jeter hit a career-low .270, but made some adjustments in September and batted .342 in the final two weeks, just in time to take his usual place center stage for the October theatrics. Still, they dropped 17 of their final 26 games.
"I think it's hard to win. Period," Jeter said. "I don't know if you can say it's harder to repeat."
Andy Pettitte faces Pavano in Game 2 and Phil Hughes follows, with the Yankees likely to bring back Sabathia on short rest for a fourth game and skip struggling A.J. Burnett.
Brian Duensing will start Game 3 for Minnesota and Nick Blackburn would go in Game 4.
New York won the season series 4-2 but has some history going against it, well. The Yankees have never won a division series as a wild card, getting bounced in the first round in 1995, 1997 and 2007.
"We tried to win this thing (AL East)," Pettitte said. "We weren't able to get the job done. We tried to wrap this thing up and didn't get it done. The bottom line is we're the world champs until someone knocks us off."
The Yankees and Twins can at least agree on one thing. Both teams say history has no bearing on the present.
"That was 2009," Yankees reliever Joba Chamberlain said of last year's sweep. "It's 2010. A new season. We've got to just do our job."
-- Jon Krawczynski
Pettitte to start Game 2 for Yanks, Hughes Game 3
MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — The New York Yankees bumped struggling starter A.J. Burnett to the bullpen for the AL playoffs against Minnesota.
Game 1 starter CC Sabathia would pitch on three days' rest if a Game 4 is necessary. Andy Pettitte will follow Sabathia and start Game 2, with Phil Hughes going in Game 3 back in the Bronx.
The series opens at Minnesota with games on Wednesday and Thursday.
Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he wants to throw as many lefties as he can against a Twins lineup loaded with dangerous left-handed hitters.
"We felt with all the left-handed hitters we would try to throw four lefties at them in five games," Girardi said.
The Twins do have slightly better numbers this year against righties. They hit .276 with a .432 slugging percentage and .343 on-base percentage and went 62-44 (.585). Against lefties, they hit .268 with a .400 slugging percentage and .336 on-base percentage while going 32-24 (.571).
Burnett took the news in stride. He was 10-15 with a 5.26 ERA in 33 starts this season. He hasn't pitched in the bullpen since April 16, 2008, when he appeared for Toronto in the 14th inning against Texas.
"It'd be different if I had a great second half," Burnett said. "But I took baby steps, not a huge leap. Those three guys (Sabathia, Pettitte and Hughes) have been our main starters."
Burnett joined the Yankees as a free agent before last season, signing an $82.5 million, five-year contract. He pitched well against Minnesota in the first round of the playoffs, allowing one run and three hits in six innings during a Game 2 start.
Girardi also decided to go with Sergio Mitre and Dustin Moseley in the bullpen over Javier Vazquez and Chad Gaudin. The manager kept outfielder Greg Golson as the final position player.
"We really like the way (Mitre's) sinker has been working lately and the way he has been throwing the ball," Girardi said.
Girardi left open the possibility that Burnett could start in the series if Sabathia told the Yankees that he didn't feel good enough physically to pitch on three days' rest. But if all goes according to plan, Burnett will remain in the bullpen.
"I'm not going to cause drama or be the bad apple," Burnett said.
Girardi said all his roster decisions were difficult and he appreciated how Burnett handled the news.
"I didn't know how he would take it," Girardi said. "But we talked about it and he seemed like he's on board. He's going to do whatever he can to help us."
-- Jon Krawczynski
NLDS
Giants must decide whether to keep Zito, Rowand
SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — Aaron Rowand and Barry Zito account for nearly a third of the San Francisco Giants' payroll this season, making $30.5 million between them.
Now that their team is in the playoffs, it's unclear what role, if any, either struggling big-money player will have for the Giants in their division series against wild-card Atlanta. Game 1 is Thursday night at AT&T Park, where the red, white and blue playoff banners were up Tuesday and the NLDS logos were being painted along the first- and third-base lines before the Giants held a workout.
It sure would be a lot of money on the sidelines if they are left off the roster. Many wonder if the Giants have the guts to send them both away for the best-of-five first round. Rosters can be changed for the best-of-seven championship series.
General manager Brian Sabean and manager Bruce Bochy were meeting before the team's practice. Rowand hadn't heard anything and didn't expect to until at least Wednesday. Bochy said the Giants might push their final decisions right up to Thursday's deadline.
"It is what it is," said Rowand, who has impressive numbers against two Braves starters. "I'll deal with it when it comes out."
Zito looks nothing like his former dominant self from his days across San Francisco Bay in Oakland, where he won 23 games and the AL Cy Young Award in 2002. The 32-year-old lefty (9-14), signed to a $126 million, seven-year deal before the 2007 season, was booed off the field when he left after a season-low three innings in Saturday's 4-2 loss to the San Diego Padres. The Giants clinched their first NL West title and playoff berth since 2003 on Sunday, in their third try.
San Francisco's rotation will go Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez and — perhaps — rookie Madison Bumgarner. Bochy didn't rule out Zito. There's the question of what value Zito could have coming out of the bullpen considering the Giants already have reliable lefty relievers in Jeremy Affeldt and Javier Lopez.
"Whatever they think is best, I'm happy to help out starting or in the bullpen," Bumgarner said.
Sabean has been leaning toward keeping 11 pitchers on the 25-man division series roster. Zito, making $18.5 million this year, could help out if the Giants were to fall behind quickly and need him for long relief.
San Francisco's bullpen has gone the last 24 innings without allowing an earned run.
"The pitching staff alone allows you to be able to have some adjustments made to your roster along the way," Sabean said. "Depth helps. You can see it, from the rotation, to the bullpen, offensively, defensively."
Zito failed to reach 10 wins for the first time since his rookie season in 2000. His 4.15 ERA is the fourth-highest of his career. He went 1-8 with a 6.72 ERA over his last 11 outings and 10 starts and only had one victory in his last 15 appearances. The stretch included a career-worst nine-game losing streak from July 21 to Sept. 14.
Zito didn't want to address speculation about his status for the playoffs.
"I was frustrated with my performance in August, certainly," he said. "I think, as the last start of the year, it really ended on a sour note personally, but I felt like it was a productive year for me and I felt I gave the team a chance to win more than I did my last few years."
Zito pitched well in a no-decision against the Braves on Aug. 6 at Turner Field. He allowed two runs and four hits in seven innings with 10 strikeouts as the Giants won 3-2 in 11 innings.
"I know there's been a lot of talk about Barry," Bochy said. "He's had his struggles here lately but that's going to be a decision we make in the next day or two."
The 33-year-old Rowand, meanwhile, lost his starting job in center field midway through the year to Andres Torres, who has sparked the offense in the leadoff spot while making things happen on the basepaths and in the field. When Bochy starts Jose Guillen in right field, it leaves Cody Ross and Nate Schierholtz as options off the bench. San Francisco might not keep both Rowand and Schierholtz.
Schierholtz has speed that makes him capable of entering as a pinch-runner or coming in for defense. Rowand could be the odd man out, though he has won a World Series and postseason experience is valuable.
Rowand also is batting .478 (11 for 23) against Game 1 Braves starter Derek Lowe, and .381 (8 for 21) versus Game 3 starter Tim Hudson.
"We have some time here. Sure, we have some tough decisions, we know it," Bochy said. "You don't want to set up your roster too early. ... We have a pretty good idea. We're just waiting before we announce the roster."
For the reputation Bochy has had in the past for favoring veterans, he took his chances in 2010 with guys like Torres and rookie catcher Buster Posey. The two have been huge.
Making constant lineup adjustments and sitting players like Pablo Sandoval during slumps has taken regular communication.
"Boch has done a great job. It's never talked about," Sabean said. "For everything that he supposedly isn't — we know he's not outgoing and we know he's not a fire and brimstone guy — you talk to the players and they have needed him this year maybe more than any other year. Whether it's telling them when they're going to play or not going to play or when things change, he's upfront with them. That's all they can ask for — consistency and being honest. He's not in it for himself. He's not in it to further his career. He just wants to go to the playoffs for the Giants."
-- Janie McCauley
Halladay finally gets to make postseason debut
PHILADELPHIA (AP) — Roy Halladay spent plenty of Octobers at home, wishing for this opportunity.
The ace right-hander has been to seven All-Star games, won a Cy Young Award, pitched a perfect game and compiled an impressive resume over his 13-year career. But the one thing he hasn't crossed off his to-do list is pitch in a postseason game.
Until now. Halladay will take the ball when the Philadelphia Phillies host the Cincinnati Reds in Game 1 of their NL division series Wednesday.
"It's definitely something I'm looking forward to," Halladay said on a rainy Tuesday. "It's a great challenge. It's something I've wanted to do my whole career, and I'm very grateful for the opportunity."
Edinson Volquez will start for the NL Central champion Reds, who are in the playoffs for the first time since 1995. Volquez came back from right elbow surgery and went 4-3 with a 4.31 ERA in 12 starts.
"For me, it's something really big," he said. "I was out for one year and came back from Tommy John surgery. This is the first game of the playoffs. It's something big. Really big."
After 12 seasons playing for Toronto in a division dominated by the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, Halladay desperately wanted to join a legitimate contender. He nearly got the chance last year, but a trade to Philadelphia fell through before the July 31 non-waiver deadline.
The Phillies acquired Cliff Lee instead and he nearly led them to a second straight World Series title. Lee was 4-0 with a 1.56 ERA in five postseason starts, getting the team's only two wins in the World Series against the Yankees.
Halladay watched the Series with more interest than usual because he was nearly a part of it, and to see his former teammate, A.J. Burnett, pitch for New York.
"You're always catching up on it. You may not sit and watch every single inning like I probably did last year," Halladay said. "I think everybody who is not there is envious of the guys who are."
Halladay was so intent on playing for a championship-caliber club that he passed up a chance to test free agency after this season and potentially get the richest contract ever for a pitcher. Instead, the big right-hander signed a $60 million, three-year extension from the Phillies after they completed a trade with the Blue Jays last December.
On the same day, the Phillies sent Lee to Seattle for three prospects. General manager Ruben Amaro Jr. didn't want to risk losing Lee in free agency, and needed to replenish the farm system.
Once Philadelphia became a reality, Halladay never considered going anywhere else.
"The contract was never a factor for me," he said. "The biggest thing for me was going somewhere that had a chance to compete for a couple years, and being able to do that as soon as possible. You never really know how long you are going to play. You hate to suck up a year just to be able to control exactly where you go, when you can already go there before that. The biggest factor was there was this team, the one team that I really wanted to go to that was able to make things work. I have a chance to win right away, and not only right away, but hopefully have a couple chances at it. It was a simple decision."
Halladay lived up to enormous expectations in Philadelphia. He threw a perfect game at Florida on May 29 and finished 21-10 with a 2.44 ERA. Halladay led the majors in wins, complete games (nine), shutouts (four) and innings (250 2-3).
"I could sit here forever and talk about Halladay," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "He's very dedicated, he's very intense, he wants to win, he definitely wants a ring. He wants to be the best pitcher in baseball, but he also wants to be on the best team. He definitely puts his team before himself, and he's definitely inspirational to all of our players and he plays a big role in the makeup of our team."
On almost every other staff, Halladay would've been an obvious choice to start the series opener. But the Phillies also have Roy Oswalt (13-13, 2.76) and Cole Hamels (12-11, 3.06). Both pitchers would've had better records if they received more run support. More importantly, both have been successful in the postseason.
Hamels was the NLCS and World Series MVP when the Phillies won their second championship in 2008. Oswalt is 4-0 with a 3.66 ERA in eight postseason games, including seven starts. Oswalt is starting Game 2 on Friday and Hamels will pitch in Cincinnati in Game 3 on Sunday.
The Phillies, who led the majors with 97 wins, chose to have an extra day off in the series so they could use a three-man rotation and have each pitcher get his normal four days of rest. The three aces make Philadelphia a prohibitive favorite to reach the World Series and become the first NL team in 66 years to capture three straight pennants.
"I don't really enjoy the underdog role, but that's the role that you're cast upon, and that is the role that you serve," Reds manager Dusty Baker said. "These guys are the incumbents, so, naturally, we should be the underdog. Plus, we haven't been here in a long time. It doesn't matter what people think. At this point we're one of the elite that are still standing. As long as you go to the dance, as they say, you've got a chance."
-- Rob Maaddi
Cox picks Lowe, Hanson and Hudson as starters
ATLANTA (AP) — Derek Lowe wasn't ready to look past his Game 1 start for the Braves against the Giants in the NL division series on Tuesday.
At least not in public.
Manager Bobby Cox said Lowe, Tommy Hanson and Tim Hudson are the Braves' first three starters in the series. Lowe will start in Thursday's Game 1 at San Francisco against Tim Lincecum.
Cox said Lowe or rookie Brandon Beachy would start if a fourth game is needed. Lowe would be pitching on three days' rest but would likely lobby with Cox to make the start.
"I've already talked to him about it, and I'll leave it at that," a smiling Lowe said following Tuesday's workout at Turner Field.
Lowe is peaking just in time for the postseason.
He was 5-0 with a 1.17 ERA in his last five starts.
"If he throws like he's been throwing his last five starts, he'll pitch a great ballgame," Cox said.
Lowe was 2-0 with a 2.38 ERA in two starts against the Giants this season. Overall, he was 16-12 with a 4.00 ERA.
The right-hander said his confidence "is as high as it's been since I've been here."
Lowe is the Braves' most experienced postseason starter. He is 5-5 with a save and a 3.33 ERA in 21 postseason games with the Red Sox and Dodgers.
"I've been very fortunate in my career I've never gone more than one year without being in the playoffs," he said.
Cox said he will name his postseason roster on Thursday. Some answers came Tuesday.
Rookie first baseman Freddie Freeman, right-hander Takashi Saito, left-hander Eric O'Flaherty and rookie left-hander Mike Minor will not be on the roster.
Freeman finished the season with Atlanta, but the Braves have Derrek Lee and Troy Glaus at first base and need the roster spot for a backup middle infielder, most likely Diory Hernandez.
Saito, who has been slowed by a sore shoulder, threw in the bullpen during the workout and then said he was told he won't be on the postseason roster.
Cox said O'Flaherty, who has suffered from blurred vision and hasn't pitched since Sept. 20, "just can't go."
Cox said he is taking "a bunch" of extra players to San Francisco who will not be on the postseason roster. He said he wants reserves close by in case he needs to replace an injured player.
Rookie catcher J.C. Boscan will be one of the emergency players with the team.
"You can sub anybody now, so it makes it easy," Cox said. An injured player who is replaced must miss the remainder of the series and the next postseason series.
Hudson leads the Braves with 17 wins, including the 8-7 victory over the Phillies on Sunday that helped clinch a playoff spot.
Hanson is 10-11 with a 3.33 ERA and has been a hard-luck pitcher. He is the only pitcher in Atlanta history to have a losing record in at least 30 starts with an ERA at 3.50 or better. He was 2-1 with a 2.04 ERA in six September starts.
"Hanson has been on a roll," Cox said. "Huddy needs the extra rest, in my opinion."
Hanson said he will go to Lowe for advice after Thursday's game.
"He's been around for a while," Hanson said. "It's a lot of help to be able to talk to him about certain hitters and what they're trying to do in certain situations."
Right-hander Jair Jurrjens, who hasn't pitched since Sept. 14 because of an injured right knee, was sent to Florida to pitch in an Instructional League game on Tuesday night.
It is possible Jurrjens could win a spot on the postseason roster, but his best chance to pitch again may come if the Braves advance to the NLCS.
-- Charles Odum
