Can the Twins go toe-to-toe with the Yankees in October?

By Steve Melewski

Orioles

October 06, 2010, 1:43pm

Comments

I guess the Rays didn't call the Orioles for a scouting report on Cliff Lee. The Rangers lefty shut down the Rays today as Texas won game one of their playoff series, 5-1. In his two Rangers starts vs. the Orioles, Lee gave up 14 ER over 14 2/3 innings, allowing seven homers. Now tonight in the AL, it's the Yankees at Minnesota. While I have plenty of respect for the Twins and their entire organization, I wonder if they are just a little psyched out about playing New York in October. Minnesota has lost three Division Series vs. the Yankees, going 2-9 in those games and getting swept last year. In that series, New York starting pitchers gave up just 3 ER over 19 innings. This year, in going 4-2 vs. Minnesota, New York starters pitched to an ERA of 2.45. A.J. Burnett, the Yankees 80 million dollar man, has been bumped from their playoff rotation, at least for this first series. The Twins are just 18-54 vs. New York since 2002. The Yankees went 6-0 in the playoffs at the Metrodome. Now they all move outdoors to Target Field. Do the Twins look at those pinstripes and turn to mush? Maybe they have in the past. We'll see if they do this year starting tonight.