Currently the Detroit Tigers are amongst the best teams in baseball. There's hardly any shame in a sweep on the road in Detroit to start out the season. While the White Sox aren't at the level I believe they will reach, facing Chris Sale and Jeff Samardzija was no easy task either. Regardless of how each contest played out, the next game provided new opportunity. As Minnesota took their first home series, and knocked off one of the hottest teams in baseball in the Royals, it's probably best to remember that.
Paul Molitor recently tweaked his lineup, moving Torii Hunter up in the lineup, and having Brian Dozier hit in the cleanup role. While a small change, it seems to have made a difference. Hunter has benefited from much better at bats, and has been on base significantly more in the process. The Twins posted their highest run and hit total of the season in the finale against Kansas City, and things are trending in the right direction.
With a rotation including Phil Hughes at the top and Mike Pelfrey at the bottom, there's no doubt the Twins are going to continue to take their lumps throughout the season. Kyle Gibson is looking to breakout, and there will be growing pains throughout the process. His latest start against the Royals however, suggest that there is plenty of reason to be excited about the future.
As bad as things looked a week ago, a handful of games have provided some new context. The Twins remain right in the thick of the AL Central, and have plenty of opportunities to improve their positioning throughout the month of April. With only one out-of-division foe prior to the month of May, the Twins will have a chance to best all of their rivals early.
There's no doubt that this current team has a ways to go before they become a playoff contender, but as the roster evolves, they should continue to play relevant baseball. The Twins should continue to provide more excitement than disappointment this year, but taking it in stride seems to be the best practice.
