The Yankees' playoff history against the Twins is filled with a few big "what-if" moments for the Twins, but mostly it's built around a massive disparity in both payroll and playoff success that existed between the past rosters of the two teams.

Those Yankees teams that beat the Twins in 2003, 2004, 2009 and 2010 — though only one went on to win the World Series in those four seasons — were built on veteran talent and had years of postseason success upon which to draw.

Going into this year, though, the Yankees had missed the playoffs three of the past four seasons. In the other, they lost a one-game wild card playoff.

"They always had so much more postseason experience. They would have been shocked if they would have lost to the Twins back then," ESPN's Buster Olney said Monday. "This group of Yankee players hasn't had much success in the postseason."

Read Michael Rand's blog at startribune.com/randball. mrand@startribune.com