Souhan: 2025 start might be bad, but it’s not as bad as 2016

The great American philosopher Tom Kelly once questioned a questioner, which was his wont, by asking this:

“When you ask me about us getting off to a bad start, well, when does the `start’ end? I get asked about our `start’ after one game, two games, a week, a month. When does the `start’ end?”

Kelly managed the Twins to two World Series titles and a lot of bad starts, however you might measure them.

Thursday at Target Field, the Twins lost 5-2 in their home opener to the Houston Astros. The Twins are 2-5.

Is this a bad start?

Yes.

Is this enough of a bad start — long enough, or bad enough — to cause worthwhile worries?

Twins center fielder Byron Buxton did something athletes rarely do when answering that question. He raised the specter of utter failure — and its effect on a team — before shrugging off the notion like a pitcher shaking off a catcher’s sign.

“I mean, I was here in 2016, so I know the feel,” Buxton said. “Don’t panic, obviously, and figure out what we can do better and go from there. But the biggest thing is not panicking.

“We’ve played, what, six games this season? That ain’t enough to prove anything. So, like I said, don’t panic.”

That spiel is remindful of Metrodome public address announcer Bob Casey calming fans by yelling into the microphone, “Leave the stadium quickly — there is going to be an explosion in 10 minutes."

In 2016, the Twins were coming off an 83-win season, and the best prospects they had produced in years, Buxton and Miguel Sano, were primed for stardom.

The Twins “started” 0-9. They would finish 59-103 and get general manager Terry Ryan fired.

“I mean, 0-9? It’s different,” Buxton said. “It’s a little bit different. And just probably going through nine games and not winning a game, you have that `beyond’ pressure on top of you, on top of the world mocking you back then, you know. So it was obviously a little bit tougher. This is tough, too, but it’s not life and death. We still control our destiny here.”

To paraphrase Kelly, when do you “start” to worry?

The Twins have played just seven of 162 games. They are just a half-game out of first place in the American League Central.

But … the division should be deeper and even tougher than it was last year, and the White Sox look like they might not be the kind of pushover that pads the records of teams like the Twins. And the Twins collapsed in the last six weeks last year, so counting on a strong finish would seem foolish.

The Twins have their most complete pitching staff ever.

But … if they don’t hit, the pitching might not be dominant enough to carry the team.

Carlos Correa is a veteran who knows how to work his way out of slumps, and he’s healthy and has hit a number of line drives that have been caught this young season.

But … sometimes luck doesn’t even out over 162 games. Correa is hitting .080. He’ll self-correct at some point, but will he correct enough to have the kind of dominant season the Twins need from him?

The Twins’ cavalry includes Royce Lewis, Brooks Lee, Brock Stewart and Michael Tonkin. Lewis could again transform the lineup with his power, clutch hitting and charisma; Lee would be an improvement over Eddie Julien; Stewart has phenomenal stuff; and Tonkin could provide quality bullpen depth.

But … Lewis has to prove he’s not only healthy and durable but that his late-season slump last year was an aberration. Lee hasn’t established himself as a big leaguer yet or proven that he can consistently drive the ball. Stewart, like Lewis, has been hounded by injuries. And Tonkin is supposed to be an extra arm, not a difference-maker.

The Twins are batting .184 as a team, with an OPS of .558.

You can argue that nothing is decided in early April, but Buxton knows better.