Minnesota Twins Baseball Team

MINNEAPOLIS -- It was a baseball season opening game, and they came in mukluks and galoshes. The weather outside was frightful Monday night. Jack Frost was nipping at their nose. Still, 49,596 came to the Hubert Humphrey Metrodome, which, once they were inside and under the roof, shielded them from the seven inches of snow, temperatures in the 20s and gusts of wind that knocked their Minnesota Twins caps off.

ATHLETICS' PROJECTED LINEUP * Keys to the series: Oakland's hallmark continues to be pitching, the stunning production of ageless designated hitter Frank Thomas notwithstanding. Starters Barry Zito, Esteban Loiaza, Dan Haren and Rich Harden provide a formidable foursome that could be hard to top. Thomas' numbers -- 39 homers and 114 runs batted in -- helped offset an otherwise pedestrian offense that finished ahead of only Tampa Bay in batting average in the AL.

Third baseman Eric Chavez has witnessed all sorts of playoff collapses by his Oakland Athletics, and he understands he will keep hearing all sorts of questions about them until they finally reach the next round. The A's are 0-fer in their last nine potential clinching games. "We should have to answer them," Chavez said Thursday as the A's prepared for today's Game 3 against the Minnesota Twins. "You can't really avoid them. It is what it is. They're facts....

That was no mere hurdle the Oakland Athletics cleared Friday. It was more like a crocodile-infested moat, which the A's swam across without incurring so much as a scratch, giving them a clear shot at the castle. Finally. Nine times since 2000, the A's stood on the brink of the American League Championship Series, only to lose all nine potential division series-clinching games, sometimes in bizarre or horrifying fashion. The 10th time was a charm.

Game 1: Today, 3 p.m. Minnesota (Nick Blackburn, 11-11, 4.03) at New York (CC Sabathia, 19-8, 3.37) Game 2: Friday, 3 p.m. Minnesota (Carl Pavano, 14-12, 5.10) at New York (A.J. Burnett: 13-9, 4.04) Game 3: Sunday, TBA New York (Andy Pettitte, 14-8, 4.16) at Minnesota (Scott Baker, 15-9, 4.36) Game 4: Monday, TBA New York (Sabathia) at Minnesota (TBA) Game 5: Oct. 14, TBA Minnesota (TBA) at New York (Burnett) Projected lineup P YANKEES AVG HR RBI SS Derek Jeter .334 18 66 LF Johnny Damon .282 24 82 1B Mark Teixeira .292 39 122 3B Alex Rodriguez .286 30 100 DH Hideki Matsui .274 28 90 C Jorge Posada .285 22 81 2B Robinson Cano .320 25 85 RF Nick Swisher .249 29 82 CF Melky Cabrera .274 13 68 P TWINS AVG HR RBI CF Denard Span .311 8 68 SS Orlando Cabrera .284 9 77 C Joe Mauer .365 28 96 RF Jason Kubel .300 28 103 1B Michael Cuddyer .276 32 94 LF Delmon Young .284 12 60 DH Brendan Harris .261 6 37 3B Matt Tolbert .232 2 19 2B Nick Punto .228 1 38...

Yankees lead best-of-five series, 1-0. Game 1: Wednesday New York 7, Minnesota 2 Game 2: Friday, 3 p.m. Minn. (Nick Blackburn, 11-11, 4.03) at New York (A.J. Burnett: 13-9, 4.04) Game 3: Sunday, TBA New York (Andy Pettitte, 14-8, 4.16) at Minnesota (Carl Pavano, 14-12, 5.10 or Scott Baker, 15-9, 4.36) Game 4: Monday, TBA New York (Sabathia) at Minn. (TBA) Game 5: Oct. 14, TBA Minnesota (TBA) at New York (Burnett)

As he touched home plate at Yankee Stadium at the end of perhaps the longest journey of his life, Jacque Jones tapped his chest and pointed to the sky in tribute to his father, Hardy, who died of cancer last week in Sacramento.

The Yankees' postseason pitching rotation is something like the "Spahn and Sain and two days of rain" strategy followed by the old Boston Braves, except they don't even have Warren Spahn or Johnny Sain. After Game 1 starter Mike Mussina, the Yankees will go to Jon Lieber today pretty much by default, followed by whoever's shoulder isn't too sore.

The Yankees have historically been defined by their pinstripes and their power, and that has not changed. However, they've added a dimension this season -- a resilience that boosted them to a major league-record 61 comeback victories and allowed them to redirect the course of their American League division series Wednesday night just as the Minnesota Twins were poised to take a forbidding lead.

Former Dodger Kevin Brown will start for the New York Yankees in Game 3 of their American League division Series at Minnesota on Friday, partly because he pitched well in his last start and partly because Orlando Hernandez wasn't ready after throwing in the bullpen Wednesday for the first time since developing a sore right shoulder. Hernandez hasn't pitched since Friday. Brown pitched Saturday against Toronto and gave up one hit and one unearned run in 5 1/3 innings but lost, 6-0.