Minnesota Twins first baseman Justin Morneau made his long-awaited return to game action Tuesday for the Twins, playing in one of the most highly anticipated  ‘B’ games in Twins spring training history. Morneau, out since the beginning of last July with a concussion, went 1-for-2 with a bases-clearing double and played four innings defensively at first base against Pittsburgh. While most ‘B’ games matter about as much as, well, a regular season game played by Pittsburgh, how Morneau reacts to live game action could be the key to Minnesota’s season.

Minnesota has been summarily dismissed from postseason play the past two years without Morneau. With him back, the Twins lineup could transform from solid to stellar. Furthermore, Morneau has the ability to crush lefties as well as righties, which has been an Achilles’ heel for Minnesota against the Yankees. While Andy Pettite has retired, C.C. Sabathia still looms large (in more ways than one) should Minnesota have another playoff showdown with New York.

Minnesota doesn’t need to be in any rush to get Morneau back in the lineup on a daily basis by the start of the April. The team has gotten plenty of production out of him in the first half for the past several years, relying on him to play every day. Now it is time to protect their investment and preserve him for October, where they desperately need him. If the Twins can find a way to do that, they not only will add an All-Star bat to their lineup, but dramatically improve their bench by shifting either Jason Kubel or Delmon Young there to match up late in games against imposing relievers.

Nine pitchers started games for Minnesota last year. And that was a good year. Most seasons, the Twins, like most teams in baseball, have closer to a dozen pitchers start ball games for them over the course of the depth-testing 162-game Major League Baseball schedule. So when a team starts to fret about having six experienced starting pitchers returning with only five slots available on the opening day roster, it is a bit of a head scratcher.

But that is just what has been occurring this spring down in Fort Myers, as the Twins try to sort out how to deal with their “problem” of starting pitching excess. Rumors have swirled that the Twins, unhappy with his lack of offseason conditioning, are entertaining offers for southpaw Francisco Liriano. Minnesota opted not to even attempt to lock Liriano up long-term this offseason, instead settling on a one-year compromise to avoid arbitration. Seeing as Liriano is the only starting pitcher on the staff with shut-down stuff capable of carrying the team for month-long stretches and, more importantly, in October when the light-weight lineups of the American League Central are in the team’s rear-view mirror.

After the Twins had to deal with daily questions concerning Torii Hunter’s impending free agency during the 2007 season, the front office has been quick, often too quick, to pull the trigger on moves to simply avoid public relations hits. Instead of hanging on to Johan Santana for one last run at the World Series with him, they traded him to the Mets for what has amounted to virtually nothing. They have overpaid several homegrown players that are fan favorites, highlighted by Joe Mauer taking a king’s ransom after just one season as a reliable power threat. Another deal just to avoid having to deal with a proven starter in the bullpen would demonstrate a complete lack of foresight.

To take the next step in the postseason, Minnesota needs to add another swing-and-miss starter to their rotation, not subtract one. And with a shaky bullpen, they may need to have a guy capable of pitching extended innings out of the bull pen just to get back there.

It’s been a long time coming, but one of the most improbable Hall of Fame candidacies in baseball history came to a happy ending this week as Bert Blyleven was elected to Cooperstown with 79.7 percent of the vote, after coming up less than one percent short of the 75 percent threshold last year. Blyleven only received 12 percent in his first year of eligibility.

Blyleven posted a career record of 287-250 with a 3.31 ERA and is still fifth all-time in strikeouts with 3,701. He also tossed 242 complete games and 60 shut outs. Had it not been for two players’ strikes, he very well could have reached 300 career wins, a milestone that is a virtual first-ticket pass to induction.

Critics of Blyleven cite his lack of dominance, resulting in his being traded a handful of times as well as no Cy Young awards and only two All-Star appearances. However, his ability to win so many games while suffering so many close losses on numerous losing clubs was given a closer look by baseball writers throughout the years as his candidacy gained steam.

Blyleven will be the fourth player to enter the Hall with a Twins cap, joining second basemen Roberto Alomar in the 2011 class.

The Twins solidified their starting rotation for the upcoming season by re-signing veteran right hander Carl Pavano to a two-year deal that is likely to be worth about $9 million a year. Pavano had originally been seeking a three-year deal when he hit the free agent market in October, but apparently couldn’t muster that on the open market. As good as Pavano has been the past two years, the stain of his four years with the New York Yankees on his resume may have scared off the big-market teams willing to tack on an extra year.

All things considered, the deal is very good for both sides. Minnesota desperately needed a reliable arm to log innings at the front-end of their rotation with some brittle arms in Kevin Slowey and Scott Baker coming back from injuries and a depleted bullpen. For Pavano, he gets to remain in a comfortable situation with a manager who protects his pitcher at all costs.

The Twins appear to be approaching the upward limit of their payroll at this point, with perhaps just enough money to bring back Jim Thome for their bench or add another bench player to take his place. It will take some creativity from general manager Bill Smith through trading to improve the Twins any more before spring training.

Minnesota fans (the faithful few who still show up) would have been forgiven if they had followed the fair-weather tradition of leaving games early to beat traffic Friday night. Not because the home team was trailing. The Timberwolves held a 76-70 edge after three quarters of action against the Detroit Pistons. Instead, it is because the Wolves have played like the Michael Jordan Bulls through the first three quarters this season and like the, well, Wolves in the fourth. This time, however, Minnesota was able to play just enough defense in addition to a big night from big man Kevin Love to secure a 109-99 win.

Love notched his now customary double-double, scoring 27 points and pulling down 18 rebounds, while Luke Ridnour contributed 20 points while dishing out 10 assists. Corey Brewer was a remarkable plus 21 off the bench, getting a crucial offensive rebound and dunk with four minutes left in the game as Detroit attempted to mount a comeback.

Darko Milicic blocked seven shots against the team that drafted him second overall in the 2003 draft, ahead of perennial All-Stars Carmelo Anthony, Chris Bosh and Dwayne Wade, as well as a dozen other players who have had better NBA careers than him. After seeing first-hand the late-developing growth of Milicic as a solid post presence, Detroit fans and personnel had to wonder if they could have won a few more titles and still be a contender had they, or Darko, acted differently.

This time, there was no need for debating Kevin Love’s fourth quarter minutes. Not with Michael Beasley knocking down shots left and right, inside the paint and beyond the perimeter en route to a 42-point night as Minnesota notched a 98-89 win.

After a one-point loss in the season opener to Sacramento cost Minnesota any real chance of having a winning first month of the season, fans questioned why the Wolves supposed best player, Kevin Love, was not on the court with the game on the line. After Wednesday night’s performance, Beasley snatched that title away from Love before the shine had even worn off.

Beasley hit 17 of his 31 shots from the field, scoring 27 points in the first half alone to give the Wolves a six-point halftime edge. Sacramento pulled within two heading into the fourth quarter, but Minnesota was able to take control of the game there, closing out their first road win of the season. While Sacramento is far from an elite opponent, the strong effort coming on the heels of a tightly played game against the defending champion Los Angeles Lakers the night before has to have the club feeling positive as they head home to take on the New York Knicks to start one of the easiest portions of their schedule of the season.

It’s hard not to be optimistic as a die-hard sports fan at the start of a new season…except when your team is coming off a tumultuous 15-67 season. When arguably your best player and supposed main building block is traded away on top of that, it can be hard to see the light at the end of the tunnel. Still, the Minnesota Timberwolves appear to be in line for a marked improvement this season, although it will take a near miracle to return to the postseason for the first time in the post-Kevin Garnett era.

Head coach Kurt Rambis has had a year to implement his triangle offense and does not have to work around a plodding center (Al Jefferson) who was ill-equipped to lead a team that wants to push the ball up the court. With Jefferson out of the picture, power forward Kevin Love will finally get a chance to play the bulk of the minutes in the post, alongside reinvigorated center Darko Milicic, a late addition from the New York Knicks last year. Miami Heat flame-out Michael Beasley is slated to be the starter at small forward, with Corey Brewer and first-round draft pick Wesley Johnson teaming with Luke Ridnour in the back court.

Where does this leave the Wolves? Probably in the neigborhood of 25-30 wins in the very competitive Western Conference. The acquisitions of Beasley, Ridnour and currently injured Martell Webster show the Wolves are focused on trying to squeeze as many wins as possible out of this year’s squad, unlike last year’s strict emphasis on simply improving the talent on their roster. Team president David Kahn’s decision to draft the 23-year old Johnson rather than take a rawer talent like DeMarcus Cousins only reinforced that view.

Probable starting lineup:

Point guard: Luke Ridnour

Ridnour is a pass first, shoot second point man, averaging 5.1 assists a year ago. Acquired from Milwaukee during the off-season, Ridnour is the oldest player on the Wolves at 29.

Shooting guard: Corey Brewer

Brewer improved his offensive game last year, more than doubling his career scoring average to 13.0 point per game, but the best part of his game is his defense. Matching up with other teams top shooters, the Wolves will need him to get even better to aid their leaky defense.

Small forward: Michael Beasley

Beasley never met his potential as the second overall draft pick by Miami and was dealt by the Heat this summer to free roster space for the signings of Lebron James and Chris Bosh. Minnesota hopes he can at least demonstrate flashes of his immense talent this year. If he does, the Wolves roster strength deepens rapidly.

Power forward: Kevin Love

Love has been a prime example of how rebounds can be a misleading stat when used to evaluate defensive performance, as he has struggled mightily with consistency. He will get a chance to play 35-40 minutes this year with Jefferson gone, meaning he will be needed more often in the post, a part of his game that is still unrefined.

Center: Darko Milicic

The late-season success of Milicic is the path the Timberwolves hope Beasley will follow: former number two overall pick, overshadowed by more talented players chosen after them, stuck on the bench for playoff teams, yet succeeding when given a second chance. Milicic decided against retirement after being promised the starting role in the post this offseason. Given Minnesota’s franchise-long revolving door at the position, they willingly obliged, locking him up to a lucrative five-year deal.

Key Reserves: Johnny Flynn, Martell Webster, Kosta Koufos, Wesley Johnson and Nik Pekovic

A lack of depth, specifically high-end talent depth, figures to be the Achilles heel of this year’s team. They continue to put some decent pieces together, but they lack a go-to scorer and reliable teammate for him to dish the ball off to. Filled with a roster of number three and four scorers, Minnesota is still on the outside looking in in the Western Conference.

Predicted finish: 28-54, 12th in Western Conference

For the second consecutive year and fourth time in eight, the Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees will lock horns in the opening round of the postseason. New York has emerged on top in each of the previous three series, winning nine of 11 games, yet there is a different feel this time around.

The Twins are no longer the overachieving, lovable underdogs built on speed and defense, a cast that often included players found from the scrapheap who were then thrust into pressure-packed situations. This year’s version of the Twins has a payroll of over $100 million for the first time, has shed the “piranha” label bestowed on them by Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen, and embraced a power-based offensive philosophy. Instead of Nick Punto, Matt Tolbert and Brendan Harris filling one third of the lineup, Minnesota skipper Ron Gardenhire can write in veterans Jim Thome, Orlando Hudson and rookie of the year candidate Danny Valencia. Also working in Minnesota’s favor is that for the first time they will get the opportunity to open the series at home, where they had the best home record in the American League.

On the New York side, it is the same approach with many of the same players, but chinks in the mighty Yankee armor have begun to appear. Will long-standing Yankee veterans Derek Jeter, Mariano Rivera, Jorge Posada and Andy Pettitte be able to be effective? Over the course of the 162-game grind of the regular season, each battled with either injuries or ineffectiveness, but over a five-game set, a pair of bloop hits or one strong outing on the mound are all that stand in the way of an awful or outstanding series. New York still has their ace C.C. Sabathia lined up to pitch twice, again followed by Pettitte, but the old southpaw doesn’t instill the same confidence this year as in ear’s past. Game three starter Phil Hughes had an excellent year, but will be making his first playff start, after a less than dominant stint as a reliever in last year’s ALDS.

Position by Position Matchups

Catcher: Joe Mauer (MIN) over Jorge Posada

Mauer has been slowed up by a knee injury but his bat looked fine when he laced a double on Sunday. He will have to be huge to spark the Twins offense.

First basemen: Mark Teixeira (NYY) over Michael Cuddyer

Teixeira’s batting average is down to just .256 this season, but his power numbers (33 HR, 108 RBI) remain steady, while Cuddyer’s power has taken a dip. Cuddyer is a key player for the Twins as he and Delmon Young are their two primary right handed power bats against the Yankees two lefthanded starters.

Second basemen: Robinson Cano (NYY) over Orlando Hudson

Hudson has given the Twins a huge lift in the second slot in their lineup, a spot that has been a black hole as far as on-base percentage goes this decade, but Cano is in the running for MVP honors with a stellar all-around year.

Third basemen: Alex Rodriguez (NYY) over Danny Valencia

Rodriguez hit two back-breaking homers in last year’s series to exorcise his October demons. Valencia will be playing his first game against the Yankees after getting called up in June.

Shortstop: Derek Jeter (NYY) over J.J. Hardy

As Jeter has gone, so have the Yankees in postseason’s past. He will try to conjure some playoff magic one more time, as his regular season was fairly pedestrian offensively and even worse defensively. Hardy gives the Twins a little more pop at the bottom of the order than they have in previous years.

Left fielders: Delmon Young (MIN) over Brett Gardner

If Gardner has a bigger impact on this series, it is hard to picture the Twins winning. Minnesota needs Young to step up in the cleanup spot after a breakout season, while Gardner posted a .383 OBP and 47 stolen bases. The Twins need to keep Gardner off of the base paths in front of the middle of the Yankees’ power bats.

Center fielders: Curtis Granderson (NYY) over Denard Span

Both players are very similar in terms of speed and inconsistency getting on base, but Granderson holds the power advantage with 24 long balls versus Span’s 3.

Right fielders: Nick Swisher (NYY) over Jason Kubel

This matchup is very close, but Swisher has the ability to switch hit whereas Kubel has struggled against lefties.

Designated hitters: Jim Thome (MIN) over Marcus Thames and Lance Berkman

Thames has been a thorn in the Twins’ side in the past, but Thome has been an electric find for Minnesota after star Justin Morneau’s season-ending injury.

Bench: The Twins have decent speed and defense off of the bench, but no bats in sight. Mediocre hitting would have put pinch hitter Jose Morales on the roster, but he hit only .196 in limited action and looked overmatched in Game 163 last year. The ability of New York to run Berkman or Thames and Austin Kearns to the plate in late innings makes this category a huge mismatch.

Starting pitchers: Minnesota over New York

Sabathia is by far the top pitcher who will take the mound, but Minnesota’s depth gives them a chance in each game. Liriano is an unknown quantity, but has the stuff to neutralize the Yankees lineup, while Carl Pavano, Brian Duensing and Nick Blackburn all pitched well last year.

Bullpen: Minnesota over New York

The tendency is to give the Yankees the edge because of future Hall of Fame closer Mariano Rivera, but that is based more on reputation than recent results. Minnesota can throw Brian Fuentes, Jon Rauch, Matt Guerrier and Jesse Crain at the Yankees to build the bridge to respectable closer Matt Capps, while the Yankees are counting on Kerry Wood, Joba Chamberlain, David Robertson and Boone Logan. The edge is narrow, but the Twins depth is stronger. For Twins’ fans concerned that the Twins don’t have Joe Nathan this year, he has struggled mightily in big games, including blowing Game two save opportunities the past two times these teams have met.

Managing: Joe Girardi (NYY) over Ron Gardenhire

A little outside-the-box thinking would have been welcome from Gardenhire in past series, but the Twins have built a roster that does not require much adjustment offensively and there is no temptation or need to use this year’s closer in atypical situations. Still, Girardi wears the ring at this point, while Gardenhire does not. Gardenhire has to be feeling the pressure full force this time around. Whether that will be a motivating or deterring force will be key to determining the winner.

What does it all mean?

If there ever was going to be a year for the Twins to take down New York, this would be it. Both teams stumbled down the stretch while parading second- and third-string players onto the diamond with the ultimate goal of being for the first pitch in Game one. Unlike last year, Minnesota was able to clinch early enough to set up their starting rotation and get everyone as ready and rested as possible.

Past Minnesota clubs have relied on speed and small ball to win, a dangerous method to rely on against the Bronx Bombers, who can put up runs in a hurry. To be a championship-caliber team, you have to be able to win in a variety of ways, which the Twins are now capable of doing with a more balanced and powerful attack, including improved starting and relief pitching. The Twins lone wins against New York in 2003 and ’04 were by 3-1 and 2-0 margins, and they were unable to hold late 3-1 and 1-0 leads last year. Minnesota will have to be able to put up at least five or six runs in one of these games to walk out on top and not be content on one-run innings.

Most national media outlets are picking the Yankees based on the two teams’ history, which is fair until the Twins can reverse it. It will be Minnesota’s first opportunity to open up at home against New York, at brand-new Target Field, which should give them an edge. Having Carl Pavano slotted into the Game two spot should give Minnesota a lot of confidence that even if they slip up in Game one that they will be able to come back and even up the series.

The Twins could very well still advance past New York should they lose one of the first two at home, but that would be a monumental task. Even though the Twins have taken two of the past three game ones in the past, they have never been positioned as well as they are this year to back that up and take a series. If Liriano can hang with Sabathia and help the Twins to a 1-0 lead, Minnesota will have an excellent chance of moving on. If Sabathia takes the ball twice and picks up two wins, Minnesota will be in big trouble.