MLB Playoff LDS Previews: Twins-Yankees

With the playoffs starting today, we give you a series-by-series LDS breakdown. Next up is game two of three today, with the Yankees and Twins squaring off on TBS at 6:07 p.m.

The regular season could not have ended in a more dramatic fashion, with the Twins defeating the Tigers in game 163 on a 12th-inning walk-off single by Alexi Casilla after an up-and-down game that was one of the most entertaining baseball matchups in recent memory. Not even Chip Caray's terribly inopportune botched calls and constant references to the ball being 'fisted' into foul territory could spoil how great the night was for the Twins, and the sport.

But no rest for the Twins, as the Yankees sensibly chose to start their series today rather than Thursday. I'll be honest, after living and working in the New York media market for more than a decade, I can tell you there are two things I detest more than anything else – NJ Turnpike traffic and New York Yankee fans during the playoffs. There's an obnoxious sense of entitlement with Yankees fans, like they're better than you because your team only has two championships and their team has 26. Last year, when the Yankees missed the playoffs and New Yorkers had to watch both Boston and Tampa, of all teams, get to the LCS, it was sweet. Well, the Yankees are back this year and are clearly the best team in baseball. So do you think their fans will come into the playoffs with a renewed sense of humility and respect for the postseason? Pardon the pun, but 'fuggedaboudit.'

Starting Pitching:

Minnesota: Brian Duensing (5-2 3.67), Nick Blackburn 11-1, 4.03), Carl Pavano (14-12 5.10)

New York: CC Sabathia (19-8 3.37), A.J. Burnett (13-9, 4.04), Andy Pettitte (14-8, 4.16)

Remember the last time the Twins made the playoffs? They had guys like Johan Santana and Francisco Liriano on the staff. Well Santana now plays for the other team in New York and Liraino hasn't been the same pitcher since missing nearly two years because of injury. The Twins have to rely on rookie Brian Duensing, who has made just nine career starts and finds himself pitching in Yankee Stadium against the best lineup in baseball and CC Sabathia for the Yankees. Scott Baker, who started game 163 Tuesday night, could be the Game Four starter, if the series gets that far. Pavano fared well this year against the Yankees – while pitching for Cleveland – but he goes up against Pettitte in Game Three, one of the most accomplished postseason pitchers of this generation.

Sabathia should win the AL Cy Young Award. He is everything the Yankees have wanted. However – and this is a big however – he's been terrible in his career in the postseason, going 2-3 with a 7.92 ERA in five career starts. Last year, with Milwaukee, he was lit up by the Phillies' offense. Is he a different player in the regular season? Is he the pitching equivalent of A-Rod? We'll find out tonight.

Advantage:Yankees. Get used to this.

Closers:

Twins: Joe Nathan. Yankees: Mariano Rivera.

The rosters haven't been released at the time of this posting, so some of the bullpen slots are up in the air. But let's say what this is really about – two of the most clutch closers in the history of the game. Nathan, with the help of some timely defense, helped keep the game alive for the Twins last night. He is, simply put, one of the best. But he's not the best.

Nobody in the history of the game has been better than Rivera. And he's even better in the playoffs. Rivera has a career ERA of 2.25 and, at age 39, is better than that this season with a 1.76 ERA and 44 saves. In his playoff career, Rivera is 8-1 with 34 saves and 0.77 ERA in 76 appearances. His career postseason WHIP is 0.75 and his K/BB ratio is 5.81. Nobody comes close to those numbers in the postseason.

There are others in the Yankee bullpen as well, like Phil Hughes who has only given up six earned runs since the end of June. The Twins bullpen was solid last night and down the stretch for this unbelievable run to the postseason. The question is, how much will they be relied on against this vaunted offense?

Advantage: Yankees

Infield:

Twins: Michael Cuddyer, Orlando Cabrera, Alexi Casilla, Nick Punto, Matt Tolbert, Brendan Harris

Yankees: Alex Rodriguez, Derek Jeter, Robinson Cano, Mark Teixeira, Jerry Hairston Jr.

Advantage: The Yankees have All-Stars at every position. They have Hall of Famers covering the left side of the infield, and despite A-Rod's struggles in the playoffs in his career, he's still a .279 postseason hitter with a .856 OPS and 17 RBI in 39 games. Jeter is a career .309 hitter in postseason with a .845 OPS and 49 RBI in 123 games. Of course, since A-Rod joined the Yankees, the franchise has only won one playoff series, back in 2004. That said, it was against the Twins.

The Twins infield is seemingly put together with duct tape and glue at this point. Former MVP Justin Morneau has been out, as has third baseman Joe Crede. Cuddyer had a decent year with 94 RBIs and team-best 32 home runs. The Twins, who were overmatched to start, shouldn't have a chance. It's amazing they go this far, really.

Catcher:

Twins: Joe Mauer, Jose Morales

Yankees: Jorge Posada, Jose Molina

Advantage:Mauer is the best hitter in the game this year. Posada has had a wonderful career, but Mauer is the Twins. If Minnesota has any chance in this series, Mauer will need to put the team on his back. He's just good enough to be able to do it, too.

Outfield:

Twins: Carlos Gomez, Denard Span, Delmon Young, Jason Kubel (DH)

Yankees: Melky Cabrera, Johnny Damon, Brett Gardner, Eric Hinske, Nick Swisher, Hideki Matsui (DH)

The Twins have an outfield with a lot of interchangeable parts and some terrific defenders. At the DH spot, Kubel has 103 RBIs with a .907 OPS and has been hot of late. Span scored 97 runs and swiped 23 bases. Young, like everyone else it seems, has been solid yet unspectacular.

Ironically, that's how you'd describe the Yankees as well. Damon is the only outfielder who came close to scoring 100 or more runs (107) and only Matsui, as the DH, had 90 RBIs. Gardner did steal 26 bases in just 108 games, so expect him to pinch run in a spot where the Yankees really need a runner in scoring position. While Swisher seems to catch all the headlines because he's just so darn crazy, he's basically an average player, with a VORP of 27.5, good for 83rd in the league.

Advantage:Push

Managers:

Ron Gardenhire, Joe Girardi

Advantage: It won't matter. The Yankees are too good to lose this series. Girardi has too many weapons at his disposal that Gardenhire just can't go to. Let's put it this way, only one of the two managers will be fired if his team loses in the first round.

Intangibles:

New Yankee Stadium will be interesting to see in the playoffs. Can it get as loud as the old stadium did? The Metrodome roof could be a factor in Game Three and Four, if there is a Game Four. Which there won't be.

Advantage:Twins.

Prediction:

Yankees in 3. Let the obnoxiousness continue.

This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.