NEW YORK - You know you've had quite a week when you play in the first playoff game ever at new, $1.5 billion Yankee Stadium, and the night feels anti- climactic.

Long after the Twins got thumped 7-2 by the Yankees on Wednesday in the first game of the playoffs, Joe Mauer blearily considered his upcoming day of rest. "I'll probably sleep in pretty late," he said. "Then we'll come back ... what day? Friday?

"I don't even know what day it is."

Today (it'll be Thursday, Joe) provides a respite for the weary. Last week, the Twins played a four-game showdown in Detroit. Over the weekend, they swept the Royals to qualify for another showdown with Detroit. Tuesday, they beat Detroit 6-5 in a 12-inning playoff at the Metrodome that veteran members of the organization called perhaps the most remarkable game they had ever seen.

Tuesday night, the Twins showered off the champagne and flew to New York. They missed curfew at their targeted airport, and wound up busing into Manhattan from Newark. Outfielder Michael Cuddyer said that by the time he grabbed his bags and hit the pillow, it was 4:45 a.m.

Wednesday afternoon, the team took a 1 p.m. bus to pristine new Yankee Stadium to prepare to play a team featuring three times the Twins' payroll, the two stars of last winter's free-agent market, and a lineup featuring Robinson Cano (.320 and 25 homers, 85 RBI) in the No. 7 hole, opposite the Twins' Brendan Harris (.261, 6, 37).

The oddity of the Twins' schedule turned what baseball would like to be called Game One Of The American League Division Series into something that felt much more lower case -- like, "pickup-game-at-the-rich-kid's-house."

The Yankees started well-rested veteran CC Sabathia, who signed a seven-year deal worth $161 million this winter. The Twins started rookie lefty Brian Duensing, who pitched an inning in relief on Sunday and was forced into the rotation during the middle of the season, and who would have to pitch for centuries at his current salary to become as rich as CC.

The Yankees' first call to the bullpen went to dominant righthanded setup man Phil Hughes, who has a 1.40 ERA as a reliever this season.

The Twins' first call to the bullpen went to failed starter Francisco Liriano, who has a 5.80 ERA this season and ranks as the 12th option on a 12-man postseason pitching staff.

Hughes blew away Orlando Cabrera to strand two Twins in the seventh inning. Liriano allowed a two-run homer to lefthanded Hideki Matsui to break the game open in the fifth.

Understand, though, that while the Twins found themselves at a grotesque disadvantage even before they lost Game 1, this isn't a complaint about the matchup or timing.

Baseball is better with the Yankees strong and menacing. Baseball needs heroes and villains, and the Yankees are one or the other to just about every baseball fan in America. And while some Twins fans are complaining that their team was forced into a Game 1 with no rest because of "Monday Night Football's" precedence in the Dome, a little accountability is in order here.

The Twins had 162 games in which to win a very winnable division. They required a 163rd game because they failed to play competently for long stretches during the season when they had Justin Morneau and most of their pitchers healthy.

The Yankees earned the right to take a few days off and start at home by winning the most top-heavy division in baseball. It's not their fault the Twins procrastinated.

Plus, if the Twins had won Game 1 on Wednesday, they would have raved about adrenaline and momentum. Only a blowout loss places the emphasis on fatigue.

Asked whether "stress contributed to the loss," Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said, "I kind of think it was CC Sabathia stress."

Which nicely complemented the Derek Jeter angina.

Jim Souhan can be heard at 10-noon Sunday, and 6:40 a.m. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday on AM-1500. His twitter name is SouhanStrib. • jsouhan@startribune.com