MINNEAPOLIS — These are supposed to be treacherous first steps into the postseason, these best-of-five series that determine the winners of the four division series. Five-game series allow for flukes, for accidents, for inexplicable outcomes far more often than best-of-sevens do. You can get an upset out of a best-of-seven but you’re going to have to earn it.
Best-of-five?
Before you know it, after the six-month grind, after 162 games, after the every-day marathon of a baseball season, you can be out of time, out of luck and out of season before you even break a sweat.