NEW YORK - All the numbers say the same thing: The Twins are simply overmatched against Mike Mussina and the Yankees.
"I don't care what happened in the past," Twins star Torii Hunter said. "This is the postseason, this is a different feeling. I'm ready to play. I come here to win."
The Twins are 0-13 against New York the past two years - the first time the Yankees have swept consecutive season series from an opponent. Mussina, who will start Game 1 today, is 20-2 with a 2.90 ERA in 24 starts against Minnesota.
Although the Yankees outscored Minnesota 49-13 this season, all seven games were in April. New York was en route to an 18-3 start, while the Twins stumbled out of the gate 9-12.
"We haven't seen them in so long," Yankees manager Joe Torre said. "They are basically not the same team that we played."
A'S-RED SOX: There's nothing special about Keith Foulke.
That's the belief of Oakland GM Billy Beane, who thinks even the best relievers can be replaced by cheaper pitchers of roughly equal talent.
Beane values his closers, but he also values the draft picks, cash and prospects that can be acquired for them.
Yet Foulke has emerged as the best pitcher to hold this revolving role in recent years - and the 6-foot, unimposing right-hander could be the key to Oakland's division series against Boston and its adventurous bullpen.
"I've been thinking about the playoffs for a long time," Foulke said. "It's going to be great to be out there with so much on the line. That's what I thrive on. I want to be the guy with the ball in that situation."
