Minnesota Twins: Why Twins' Slow Start Means Little for 2011 Hopes

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Minnesota Twins Drop Two of Three in Season-Opening Series, but Let's Not Panic Just Yet

The Minnesota Twins hit the ground face-first to start the 2011 Major League Baseball season, dropping two of three contests in their season-opening series against the Toronto Blue Jays. 

Things weren't pretty for the Twins on Friday or Saturday, as they fell by a combined score of 19-4. Were it not for a stellar effort from Nick Blackburn on Sunday, the Twins would be staring a fairly sizable early hole in the face. 

But, let's not panic just yet. After all, we all knew the Twins' biggest weakness was their starters' proclivity for giving up gopher balls, and that the Blue Jays were baseball's best power-hitting club in 2010. 

So, it stands to reason that there was the potential for trouble in the season-opening series, just like there could be even more trouble waiting for them at Yankee Stadium starting today. But, even with these two troublesome series to get the season started, there's plenty of reason to think the Twins are going to be just fine. 

Outfielder Denard Span is off to a hot start, while the big three of Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau and Delmon Young are off to a rather slow one. Morneau and Young aren't going to hit below the Mendoza Line all year, while Mauer's a virtual lock for another .330 average in 2011. 

Plus, the rotation is good enough to keep this team afloat. While there really isn't a dominant ace on staff (the closest they have is Francisco Liriano, who looks like an ace but struggles with his consistency on occasion), any of their five starters are capable of winning 10-15 games and delivering a solid performance. 

Don't expect things to get much better right away for Minnesota—after all, the Yankees will pose another serious threat to the Twins' ERA. But, in the long run, this team will be just fine, once their bats get rolling again. 

For more baseball news, check out 2011 MLB Predictions: Each Team's Biggest Concern Heading into the Season. 

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