1. In this column in today’s Post I agreed with Joe Girardi’s decision to use Jose Molina to catch A.J. Burnett’s Game 2 start rather than Jorge Posada. Can this blow up on the Yankees? Of course. Randy Johnson got his private catcher, John Flaherty, in Game 3 of the 2005 Division Series, and did not get past the third inning.

But like Johnson with those Yankees, Burnett is a key guy to a Yankee title run. It is better that the Yankees remove all possible distractions and excuses to give Burnett his best chance.

Also, I have heard an argument that the Yankees are losing too much offense. Well, of course. They are removing an elite offensive catcher just as the best catcher in the sport is coming to the Bronx in Joe Mauer. But also let’s remember that the bottom two guys in the Twins’ lineup are Matt Tolbert, a .232 hitter, and Nick Punto, a .228 hitter. In other words, the opposition is theoretically giving away outs at the bottom of their lineup, as well.

2. The Yankees received all kinds of blessings by the Twins having to play in the one-game playoff and then the game going 12 innings. For example, Mauer had to catch all 12 innings. Minnesota also had to use what is likely its entire seven-man bullpen for the Division Series, including closer Joe Nathan for 1 2-3 innings, his second longest outing of the season. And, of course, the Twins probably did not get into hotel beds in New York until about 12 hours before first pitch.

Here is the thing, though: If Minnesota were ever able to carry over the high of their incredible run to the division title and beat the Yankees and CC Sabathia tonight, well, then they get an off-day and then Burnett – with Molina behind the plate – is pitching to keep the Yankees from taking a 0-2 deficit to play in the Metrodome.

The Yankees are tremendous favorites, as big as you can get at this time of year. That means there is tremendous pressure to win. A loss in this series would rival blowing a three-game lead to Boston in the 2004 ALCS for postseason humiliations.

3. A word about predictions: I have some in our special section today. I will not link to them. I do not believe in them. Unfortunately one of the traditions of the sports section is to make picks. In this case, we pick all the rounds. That is not quite as dumb as when we make pre-season predictions with no idea whatsoever that Cliff Lee will be a Phillie or Victor Martinez a Red Sox, or that Carlos Delgado and Jose Reyes would not play much of this season.

The Nationals, who lost 103 games, came into the Bronx this year and won two out of three from the Yankees, who had 103 victories this year. So how do you predict anything?

I recognize it is part of the sporting culture to do these predictions. It is just that I take no pride when I get one right, just like I do not think twice about it when I get well more than half of them wrong. That is why I find it so amusing when I get e-mails criticizing me for picking or not picking the Yankees from people who say I am either a homer or a Yankee basher. Believe me: I flipped a coin to do these picks. OK, I didn’t do that. Or maybe I did. One way or the other, please disregard my picks. I don’t care, so you shouldn’t.