NEW YORK -- CC Sabathia was fantastic in his first regular season with the New York Yankees. Now, it's time for him to earn that $161 million contract.

The big lefty will start New York's playoff opener against the Minnesota Twins tonight, with the heavy weight of World Series expectations resting squarely on his thick shoulders. One of baseball's most durable aces, Sabathia has struggled in the postseason, going 2-3 with a 7.92 ERA in five starts with Cleveland and Milwaukee.

"This is what you come here for, to get that opportunity to get to win a championship," Sabathia said Tuesday after a workout at Yankee Stadium. "We had a great year so far. We just have to keep it going."

Sabathia joined the Yankees as a free agent last December and signed a huge contract to match his 6-foot-7, 290-pound frame. His seven-year deal was part of a $423.5 million spending spree that also brought Mark Teixeira and A.J. Burnett to New York.

With those dollars come extra-large expectations -- and plenty of pressure. Back in the playoffs after a one-year hiatus, Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera and the Yankees are favorites to win their 27th World Series title and first since 2000.

It won't be easy if Sabathia flops in October again.

"I'm definitely excited. But like, I said this earlier, the opening day with the new Yankee Stadium and me being the free agent and the games against Boston, there and in here, I think all of those moments have helped me to prepare and led me up to this moment," Sabathia said. "Some of those games we played against Boston are like playoff games. That opening day probably felt like tomorrow night will. So I've had these experiences over the year, and I think I'm ready for it."

• Wolf and Carpenter a tale of 2 different pitchers: At Los Angeles, Randy Wolf has seen a lot in his 11-year career, just never the playoffs. He's finally getting a chance in the stadium where he watched the Los Angeles Dodgers as a kid.

The 33-year-old left-hander proved to be the most consistent starter for the repeat NL West champions, although he quickly rejects the label of staff ace.

"I almost despise that word," Wolf said Tuesday. "A guy like Chris Carpenter, you could consider him an ace. He's done it year in, year out. He's the guy who is almost a perennial top-five Cy Young voting guy."

Carpenter will start for the NL Central champion St. Louis Cardinals in Game 1 tonight against Wolf. The 2005 Cy Young winner is a strong contender again this season, boasting a 17-4 record and a NL-best 2.24 ERA.

Wolf describes himself in less lofty terms.

"I've kept the team in the game," he said. "With this staff, we could have an ace on any given day. That's why I don't like to use that term. It's just try to pitch as well as you can, that's the key."

Wolf proved durable this season, setting career highs with 34 starts and 214 1-3 innings just two years after lasting half a season for the Dodgers because of injury.

He ended the regular season strongly, going 6-1 in his final nine starts with a 2.51 ERA. Overall, he was 11-7 with a 3.23 ERA that was second on the staff to Clayton Kershaw's 2.79.

Kershaw will start Game 2 on Thursday, while Adam Wainwright goes for the Cardinals.

The Dodgers open the series with two pitchers who lack playoff experience, between Wolf and Kershaw, a 21-year-old left-hander. Manager Joe Torre went with the two lefties because the Cardinals batted .234 against southpaws compared to .274 against right-handers.

• Pitching, not hitting, could decide Phils-Rockies: At Philadelphia, all those big boppers and two hitter-friendly ballparks sure make the Phillies-Rockies series look like a slugfest.

Not so fast.

When Colorado swept Philadelphia in the 2007 NL division series, the teams combined for only 24 runs in three games. Now, each club boasts even stronger pitching.

The Phillies have two former Cy Young Award winners and last year's World Series and NLCS MVP on their staff. The Rockies were the only team in the majors to have all five starters reach double-digit wins.

"I look at our starting pitching as very good," Phillies manager Charlie Manuel said. "I think it's as good as any team in the National League, and I think that our starting pitching will play up big in this series."

The defending World Series champions are sending reigning AL Cy Young Award winner Cliff Lee (14-13, 3.22 ERA with Indians and Phillies) to the mound for Game 1 today. Ubaldo Jimenez (15-12, 3.47) gets the start for Colorado.

"I think it's pretty well noted that it's a hitter's ballpark," Lee said. "It still doesn't mean you can't throw right-handers in and you can't come in on lefties because you're scared they're going to hit a home run. Obviously, you get in certain situations where you might not want to come in on a guy. But for the most part, I'm going to pitch the way I pitch, regardless."

In '07, the Rockies came in riding the momentum from a 14-1 run. The Phillies were just thrilled to make it after overcoming a seven-game deficit with 17 remaining and surpassing the New York Mets on the final day of the regular season.

Philadelphia is trying to be the first NL to repeat since the Cincinnati Reds won consecutive World Series in 1975-96.

"The taste is still in our mouths and we want to taste it again," Madson said.