The path to repeat: adapt and conquer

TORONTO - Tonight at Rogers Centre, in one of those elegant, literary moments that punctuate every baseball season, Justin Morneau will play his first big-league game since he suffered a concussion in the same stadium July 7.

His story is redolent of meaning and emotion. He is a symbol of the modern athlete's newfound recognition of the dangers of head injuries. He is a proud Canadian returning as one of the national lions in his sport. He is a star, a team leader, trying to regain his confidence at the beginning of a promising season.

Morneau also is proof that the Twins often win not only because of the 25 players introduced along the foul line on Opening Day, but because of those left behind in Florida, and others not currently employed by his franchise.

Because baseball fans embrace Opening Day as a national holiday, we sometimes forget that the composition of the Opening Day roster is more a Scrabble board than a painting.

When the Twins assemble along the first-base foul line tonight, we would do well to remember that absent and under-appreciated players could determine the outcome of the season, as they have so often before.

In 2002, the Twins won the division in part because of surprises such as a Rule 5 draftee named Johan Santana, who entered the rotation and became a dominating starting pitcher; a journeyman reliever named Tony Fiore, who earned 10 of his 12 big-league victories in that one season; and a journeyman outfielder named Dustan Mohr, who hit 12 homers while platooning with Bobby Kielty, once Opening Day right fielder Brian Buchanan lost his job.

In 2003, they won the division because once again Santana shifted from the bullpen to the rotation and dominated, and because the front office traded Kielty for Shannon Stewart in July.

In 2006, Francisco Liriano entered the rotation in May and became one of the most dominant pitchers in the game. Tony Batista and Juan Castro began the season at third base and shortstop, displayed the range of Chia Pets, and were replaced in June by Nick Punto and Jason Bartlett. The Twins won 71 of their last 104 games.

In 2009, the Twins traded for Carl Pavano, Orlando Cabrera and Jon Rauch, spurring their run toward a Game 163 victory and another division title.

In 2010, the Twins, trying to replace injured closer Joe Nathan, traded for two more -- Matt Capps and Brian Fuentes. They also called up Danny Valencia to play third base and moved Brian Duensing from the bullpen to the rotation. All were instrumental in the Twins' sixth division title in nine years.

The 25 Twins who will be introduced at Rogers Centre constitute a deep, talented lineup, a deep-if-unimposing rotation and a work-in-progress bullpen. What we've learned in the past 10 years is that it is not the composition of the Opening Day roster, but the Twins' ability to remake the roster during the season, that has made them the dominant team in the American League Central since 2002.

Morneau's absence hurt the Twins in the playoffs last season, when their lineup looked punchless against the Yankees. His absence has not, though, hurt the Twins in the regular season. The Twins rallied without Morneau the past two seasons to win division titles.

They have seven starters: the five in the rotation, Kevin Slowey in the bullpen, and Kyle Gibson in the minors.

If Joe Nathan is productive, they'll feature a talented group of arms in the bullpen.

If past is prelude, the Twins will win the division again, and they will do so with help from an unexpected source: Slowey and Gibson saving the rotation. Carlos Gutierrez or Jim Hoey bolstering the bullpen. Luke Hughes or Ben Revere finding their way into the lineup. The front office trading to replace an injured star.

Last year, the Twins received the equivalent of about one good, healthy season combined from Nathan, Morneau and Mauer, their three best players, and still won the division.

It would be reasonable to expect more from the three stars this season, and it would be logical to expect the Twins to adapt if a torn ligament or a bruised brain scrambles the Scrabble board that is a big-league roster.