Wild-card Yankees open playoffs at Minnesota

BOSTON - And now, the Twins. Again.

For the fourth time in eight seasons, the Yankees will meet Minnesota in the Division Series because the Yankees lost the final two games of the regular season to the Red Sox, giving the AL East title to the Rays.

During the last decade, the Yankees routinely have beaten up on the Twins in the regular season and the postseason, but Yankees players said Sunday that has little to do with this best-of-five series that begins Wednesday at Target Field.

Just as the way they finished the regular season has no effect on how the postseason will go.

"I know we've had some success against them in the past, but every year's a new year," said Andy Pettitte, presumably the Game 2 starter.

"I don't think they're too concerned with how many times we've beat them in the past. They're going to be a tough team, there's no doubt."

The Yankees, who went 4-2 against Minnesota this season, beat the Twins in the ALDS in 2003, 2004 and last season, going 9-2 in the process.

"Really doesn't make a difference," Derek Jeter said. "They'll be ready to play. They have a good team, they've been playing well. Previous years mean nothing, the regular season means nothing."

The Yankees took two of three from the Twins twice this season but haven't seen them since May 27. After going 46-42 in the first half of the season, the AL Central champion Twins went 48-26 in the second half.

"Minnesota is a tough club; they've played extremely well this year," Joe Girardi said. "They've played as well as anyone in the second half. We have our work cut out for us."

And the Twins have very much taken to their new home, going an AL-best 53-28 there (the Yankees were 52-29 at home).

The Yankees spent much of the second half looking as if they'd have home-field advantage before fading down the stretch, losing 17 of their last 26.

"If you're going to win,'' Jeter said, "you're going to have to win on the road, you're going to have to win at home, you're going to have to beat good teams."

CC Sabathia, the Game 1 starter, doesn't think opening on the road will have much impact on the Yankees.

"This is a veteran ballclub," he said. "I think we feel pretty comfortable anywhere. I know we're excited about having a chance to defend our title, so we'll see what happens."