Moving on to the ALCS

The Yankees whooped it up last night in the cramped quarters of the visiting clubhouse at the Metrodome, celebrating their advancement to the American League Championship Series with all the familiar dressings of flying champagne and beer. But it was an abbreviated party — the Yankees still know they have more work to do, and no one raises AL Division Series winner flags in the Bronx.

“That’s it?” Nick Swisher was saying, as clubhouse workers began pulling down the plastic covering over his locker.

It’s full steam ahead to meet the Angels in the ALCS, as the Yankees moved on for the first time in five seasons, finally clearing that hurdle that had proved so annoying against the Angels (2005), Tigers (2006) and Indians (2007). With the Angels winning on Sunday, now the Yankees too can set up their pitching rotation for the series that opens Friday at Yankee Stadium, with CC Sabathia now ready and aligned to make that start.

It’s snowing as I compile all this here from my Minneapolis hotel room, and it’s a good thing this isn’t 2010 and the Twins are at Target Field. Something tells me we’d be looking at a little extra time to go check out the Mary Tyler Moore statue and the Mall of America. Here’s the rundown on how MLB.com covered the Yankees’ closing out the ALDS and turning out the lights at the Metrodome.

• •
  After sweep, fans in a NY state of mind

“I don’t know what I’m happier about,” Brooklyn resident and lifelong
Yankees fan Frank DeFillipino said, “the Sox getting swept, or us doing
the sweeping [of the Twins].”

• •
  Steinbrenner: ‘Focus remains the same’

“As we move on to the ALCS, our team’s focus remains the same,”
Steinbrenner said. “With the support of the greatest fans in the world,
we will continue to march forward as we have done all year.”

• •
  Late homers push Yanks to ALDS sweep

“You know, we want to win a World Series,” Pettitte said. “We took a
step here to move on. We are going to have a nasty series. It’s going
to be a war with us and the Angels, but we are looking forward to it.
We’re going to celebrate this one and enjoy it. I’m just really happy
for our club.”

• •
  Pettitte channels past playoff greatness

“You know when he has that stare,” Girardi said. “He’s able to pitch in
big games and nothing is going to faze him — not the surroundings, not
the 55,000 fans here, not the noise. He’s been through it so many
times, and he knows how to bounce back. He’s just a clutch performer.”

• •
  Game 3: Short Hops | Chess Match

• •
  Yanks, especially Teixeira, set for Angels

“I think it’s going to be a great series,” Teixeira said, his eyes
covered in blue protective goggles that dripped with celebratory
champagne. “I told Torii Hunter in December, ‘I hope to play you guys
in the ALCS.’ And I meant it. I’m going to get that opportunity, and
it’s going to be a really fun series.”

• 
RISP success means respect for A-Rod

“I knew I couldn’t change all the 0-for-4s and 0-for-5s and all the
guys I left on base,” Rodriguez said of his previous postseason
struggles. “I also know that I am 34, not 44, and I have an opportunity
to do things right both on and off the field.”

• 
Yanks pleased to be back, but not content

“This is a very deep team,” Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said.
“If we don’t get you in one way, we can get in another. In this series,
our pitching was phenomenal, from the starters to the bullpen. Our
pitching and defense got us out of this first round, and we’ll rely on
it a lot against the Angels.”


• 
Punto’s slipup in eighth a gift for Yankees

“Nick Punto, no one felt worse than him,” Twins manager Ron Gardenhire
said. “He thought it was a base hit. He didn’t pick up [third-base
coach] Scott [Ullger] rounding third. He had his head down. [Derek]
Jeter makes a play, and there you have it.”


• 
Q&A with Yankees outfielder Nick Swisher

“My gosh, it doesn’t get any better than this. Just to be able to be
part of this — man, I’ll tell you what. We’ve got such great guys on
this team. Everybody goes out and gives it 150 percent every day. These
are the benefits you get from that. We’ve got a great group of guys
together, and I could not be more honored or more proud to put on the
uniform and play with these guys every day.”


• 
Pavano proves himself against Yankees

“I think definitely I’ve shown I can go out there every fifth day,” said
Pavano, who becomes a free agent after the World Series. “Do I feel
like there’s room for improvement? Always. Until your career’s over
with, there’s always room for improvement.”