"What was the result?" Molina asked of Burnett's start against the Twins. "We win the game, it don't matter."
Posada hit for Molina in the sixth against the Twins and likely will replace the defence-minded Molina when Burnett is done, keeping alive his streak of playing in every Yankees playoff game since Girardi had two hits in New York's victory over the Atlanta Braves in Game 3 of the 1999 World Series.
Girardi again chose to use Hideki Matsui as the designated hitter over Posada because "Matsui is a lot more experienced as a DH."
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FAMILIAR FACES: Jim Thome was cheered by electricians working on Citizens Bank Park long before he ever stepped in the batter's box. Once the Phillies' new home was completed for the 2004 season, Randy Wolf threw the first pitch in the opener.
Both players had crucial roles in Philadelphia's rise back to respectability and into NL East title contention earlier this decade. They dreamed of playing post-season games in Philly, and they will - only wearing Dodger blue.
Wolf, who went 11-7 with a 3.23 ERA this season, is expected to start Game 4 of the NLCS on Monday. Thome has been used exclusively as a pinch hitter during the playoffs.
Wolf was an NL All-Star in 2003 when he won 16 games, capping a string of four straight double-digit victory seasons. His next three years in Philadelphia were all derailed by injuries and he signed with the Dodgers before the 2007 season.
Like Thome, Wolf was a fan favourite in Philadelphia. He even had his own group of fans, the Wolf Pack, who wore wolf masks and sat in the upper deck for all of his home starts. They even broke into a little dance with each strikeout.
"I don't think guys will be wearing the Wolf Pack gear," Wolf said Saturday. "They're Phillies fans first. They're obviously a great group of guys. It's fun being back here, especially in this environment."
Thome was considered the Phillies' franchise player when he signed as a free agent in the winter of 2002. He was loved from his first day in Philly because of his down-home charm and mammoth home runs.
"The city is a type of city that if you show them love, and go out and play hard, they're going to show it back," Thome said. "They did that. That's one of the greatest memories that I think I had here."
He led the NL in homers in 2003 with 47 and hit 42 the next season. But back and elbow injuries limited him to 59 games in 2005, when he slumped to .207 with seven homers and 30 RBIs in 193 at-bats. He was traded to the White Sox to make room for another slugging first baseman, Ryan Howard.
That move worked out for the Phillies.
Fans who enter the park through the suite entrance can see a tile mural of Thome on the wall. He remains tight with Phillies manager Charlie Manuel, a father-son-type bond that dates back to their 1990s days in Cleveland's organization.
"This guy knows how to teach confidence," Thome said. "He's a guy that all through our minor league career, he believed in us. I think the greatest gift he has is, if you fail, he will stick with you. I owe him everything."
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FIGGINS' FLOP: Chone Figgins is the catalyst of the Angels' pesky lineup, pestering pitchers and testing catchers as he dances around the bases.
He crossed the plate 114 times in the regular season as Los Angeles set a club record for runs with 883. But he's been idle this post-season, carrying an 0-for-16 skid into Game 2 of the ALCS against the Yankees.
With Bobby Abreu picking up for Figgins in the first round, the Angels swept the Red Sox. But in Game 1 on Friday night the Nos. 1 and 2 batters went a combined 0 for 8 and the Angels were quiet in a 4-1 loss.
"I think Figgy and Bobby Abreu all year have been as good a 1-2 as you're going to find," manager Mike Scioscia said. "And right now it's going to make things run a lot smoother if Figgy can get into his game."
Figgins, who had a .395 on-base percentage in the regular season and stole 42 bases, isn't worried. He is batting .327 (73 for 223) against the Yankees for his career and thinks he's swinging the bat well.
"I'm having good at-bats," Figgins said after Friday's game. "I'm not just getting any results out of it."
That could change Saturday, when he faces A.J. Burnett. Figgins is hitting .412 (5 for 12) against the right-hander.
"I just need to get some hits or get some walks - pretty simple," said Figgins, who walked 101 times this season.
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BAD BLOOD: Shane Victorino hasn't entirely forgotten about what happened against Dodgers starter Hiroki Kuroda in last year's NLCS.
The sparks started when Kuroda threw a fastball over Victorino's head in Game 3. Victorino shouted at Kuroda while pointing at his own head and upper body. After Victorino grounded out to first base to end the inning, he and Kuroda exchanged words. Players spilled onto the field, but no punches were thrown and nobody was ejected.
Kuroda is scheduled to start Game 3 of this year's NLCS on Sunday night.
"There's some thoughts in the back of my head, obviously," Victorino said Saturday. "He's a great pitcher. We faced him this year and you put that all aside."
Victorino doesn't expect anything to happen in this series.
"It was all the heat of the moment," Victorino said.
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BLANTON GETS THE CALL: Philadelphia's Joe Blanton will make his first start of the post-season in Game 4 on Monday. Blanton went 12-8 in 31 starts, only to get bumped to the bullpen for the division series against Colorado. He made two relief appearances.
"I think Pedro Martinez showed if you can change speeds and locate good, you can have success against them," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "I think Blanton, not only is he a very aggressive pitcher, but he's that type of pitcher."
Blanton warmed up in the ninth inning of Philadelphia's Game 1 NLCS win in case closer Brad Lidge ran into trouble. Lidge finished the game and Blanton wasn't needed.
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WAIT IT OUT: With heavy rains forecast for Game 2 of the American League championship series, don't expect the Yankees to be rooting for a rainout should they hold a lead after the top of the fifth.
The rules won't allow it.
After Game 5 of the 2008 World Series was suspended with Philadelphia and Tampa Bay tied at 2 after 5 1/2 innings, commissioner Bud Selig declared the game would not be cut short, no matter how long it took. Play was resumed two days later, and the Phillies finished off the Rays 4-3 in the final three innings.
Three months later, owners made Selig's declaration a rule: All post-season games will be played to their conclusion.
Games would be suspended if they are called, regardless of how many innings have been played or the score at the time. A suspended game is resumed and played to completion at the same site.
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LARGE MARKET RATING: New York's 4-1 win over Los Angeles in Friday's ALCS opener got a 5.2 fast national rating and 10 share on Fox, according to Nielsen Media Research. That was up 27 per cent over last year's ALCS opener, a 2-0 Boston victory over Tampa Bay that received a 4.1/8 on TBS. Friday's game received a 16.7/27 in New York and a 9.1/19 in Los Angeles.
