For Twins Territory, April Will be a Test of Validity

The Baltimore Orioles are supposed to be among the worst teams in baseball this season—spending their summer jockeying with the Houston Astros, Seattle Mariners and San Diego Padres for the worst record in baseball.

Well, Baltimore has won three straight to start 2012, sweeping the Minnesota Twins to take an early—albeit likely short-lived—lead in the loaded American League East.

While few around baseball envision the Twins heading to the postseason, Minnesota showed little life against an Orioles squad that managed to win just 69 games a year ago (six more than the Twins) and this year features a lineup of scrap heap salvages. As the season enters its second week, things don’t get any easier for Minnesota.

After departing Baltimore having scored a paltry five runs off starting pitchers most casual fans have never heard of, the Twins return home today to begin a stretch of 19 games in 21 days against some of the game’s best teams and most dominating aces.

The Red Sox, Yankees, Rangers and Angels all have payrolls over $120 million and are stacked up on Minnesota’s April schedule like a gauntlet of grave diggers looking to bury the Twins in the A.L. Central cellar before Mother’s Day.

First up, the Anaheim Angels.

Aside from making arguably the biggest free agent splash in off-season history by signing Albert Pujols, the Angels’ rotation is among the most potent in baseball, and Minnesota will face the teeth of Anaheim’s staff during their three game series at Target Field this week in C.J. Wilson, Jered Weaver and Dan Haren.

Any of the three would be the ace of a staff such as Minnesota’s, and combined the trio will earn more than $27 million this season. With Scott Baker and his $6.5 million salary likely headed for an extended stint on the disabled list, Minnesota will counter with Nick Blackburn, Carl Pavano and Francisco Liriano, who will rake in just over $15 million in 2012—$8 million of which go to Pavano.

Liriano, despite a promising spring, was shelled in for five runs in four innings in his season debut on Saturday; Pavano was efficient but far from dominating on opening day, giving up four runs in seven innings. Both will need to be far more effective if Minnesota hopes to compete in a division that has seen an already strong Tigers team add Prince Fielder and an always pesky White Sox squad anxious to prove their naysayers wrong.

If the Twins somehow manage to scrape a win or two out of their series against Annaheim, the 2010 and 2011 pennant-winning Texas Rangers and their new closer Joe Nathan will arrive in town on Friday for a weekend series that will set the table for a grueling early-season test.

After an off day tomorrow, the Twins begin a stretch of 15 games in 15 days that will take them to the Bronx for a four-game series against the Yankees and on to Tampa Bay before returning home to take on the Red Sox.

With Minnesota’s rotation struggling for stability, the Twins will lean on their offense in their quest for momentum. Gone are 2011 opening day starters Jason Kubel, Michael Cuddyer and Jim Thome—replaced by cast offs Josh Willigham, Ryan Doumit and Jamey Carroll.

If Danny Valencia can’t find a way to live up to his top-prospect status and an outfield platoon of Denard Span, Ben Reveere and Trevor Plouffe don’t set the table for Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau, it could be a long summer for Twins fans.

By the end of April we’ll know whether the Twins are a playoff contender or a team in full rebuilding mode.