Minnesota Twins

It's the $184 million question.

Well, for the Twins, it's more like the $184 million gamble.

One of the many questions entering the 2011 season for the Twins was "Will Joe Nathan be ready?"

Twins faithful got their answer and that answer is apparently no.

So far for Minnesota Twins fans, the 2011 season seems to be a cross between April Fools Day and Groundhog's Day—I'm referring to the Bill Murray movie where he relives the same day over and over.

Over the past nine years, the Minnesota Twins have dominated the American League Central. They have won six division titles in that span (seven if you count their tie for first in 2008), since Ron Gardenhire was named manager. Although they have not necessarily had the most talent, they play hard—and they scrap for every win possible.

The Minnesota Twins are doing a poor job of protecting the investment they made in catcher Joe Mauer. 

The eight-year, $184 million extension Mauer signed with the Twins last season places him fourth among the highest-paid position players in Major League Baseball.  

    While the New York Yankees surprised no one by taking a three-game series from the Minnesota Twins in their trip to the Empire State, there are certain observations that should instill both optimism and pessimism for the Twins as the season trudges through its first weeks.

The Minnesota Twins erased a four-run deficit in the eighth to beat the New York Yankees for the first time this season, with a final score of 5-4 in extra innings. 

It was the second straight night the Twins mounted a late comeback, only this time it worked: they tied the Yankees' four-run lead in the eighth inning to bail out Brian Duensing.

The Minnesota Twins are now four games into the season and currently sit at 1-3.

It has been an unexpectedly slow start for a team that went 20-12 during spring training and starts the season looking to win a third-straight division title.

Ahead are five observations the Twins will need to address going forward should they want a chance to make another playoff appearance in 2011.

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The curse of the Yankees continues.

The Minnesota Twins began a four game death march in Yankee Stadium Monday by getting handed their third loss of the season. Yankees pitcher Ivan Nova went three scoreless innings before Jim Thome doubled to center scoring Justin Morneau and Delmon Young. Nova gave up a third run in the fifth when the Twins new import Tsuyoshi Niskioka also doubled to deep centerfield scoring Alexi Casilla.

It was a fantastic start to the season for the Toronto Blue Jays, and it could have been even better. The Jays started off their season with a three game series against the Minnesota Twins. The Twins won the American League Central last year and had the third most wins in the AL after the Tampa Bay Rays and the New York Yankees. 

The Twins are known for both their strong pitching and their consistent defensive play, but the Jays put both of those to the test with an offensive barrage in the first two games.