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CATHY WURZER: You're listening to Morning Edition from Monday on Minnesota Public Radio. I'm Cathy Wurzer. Well, the Minnesota Twins take on the Kansas City Royals before a sold-out crowd later today in the season opener.

The Twins have so far survived Major League Baseball's plans for contraction. But last week, Commissioner Bud Selig said those plans are still on the table. Last year, the Twins surprised fans with a second-place finish in the AL Central Division. Joining us on the line right now, Lavelle Neal, who's in Kansas City. Good morning, Lavelle.

LAVELLE NEAL: Good morning.

CATHY WURZER: Now, the last time you and I talked, the team was just kind of wondering what was happening with their future. What's the mood of the team right now?

LAVELLE NEAL: Well, everybody is focused on starting the season now. Once they got over the early part of camp when everybody was coming in asking them, how does it feel to be playing? How does it feel to be still around? How did you get through the off season? The team was able to focus on preparing for this year. There's a lot on the line.

The guys like each other. They've played with each other through the minors, and they want to pull for each other. So they all want to come out and have a real big, big season and prove to the League that they made a mistake by trying to contract them.

CATHY WURZER: Now, earlier this morning, host Bob Edwards in Washington was talking to a baseball expert about, the Twins as a matter of fact. And he was saying that the Twins could be really good this year. What about that?

LAVELLE NEAL: I think so, too. Right now, in my mind, I've got the Twins picked to win the AL Central Division and to make the playoffs, of course. I just think they have the best starting pitching in the division with Brad Radke, Eric Milton, Joe Mason, Rick Reed.

There's not another team in the division-- and maybe two other teams in all the American League that have a starting rotation as deep as they have. They also have a very strong defense, a very entertaining defense with a lot of skill and athleticism all over the field. Defense never goes into slumps. The Twins have a lot of speed. Speed never goes into a slump.

And they have a lot of players in their mid-20s who are still improving as hitters. So when you put all that together, I just think this team's got a little more to offer than the other competitors in the division.

CATHY WURZER: What early signs are you going to be looking for in their performance?

LAVELLE NEAL: I'm going to be watching the bullpen. That's the one Achilles heel the Twins have, is that they have an unproven bullpen. Everybody knows the troubles that the closer LeTroy Hawkins had. He had 28 saves for the season, but he blew nine, and really, didn't pitch well the second half of the season and lost his closer's role.

Eddie Guardado, a left-hander, who was considered one of the better set up men in Major League Baseball, is now going to try to be the closer. It'll be interesting to see how he handles that role. But saying this, when you have four starting pitchers who are expected to throw out 200 innings apiece, your bullpen is not going to be worn out. And it'll be a great opportunity for those guys to find their roles, find their niches, and do well.

CATHY WURZER: Let me ask you about the whole stadium debate here at the State Capitol. Do players-- are they keeping score on that account?

LAVELLE NEAL: They hear about the big news. The big vote the week or so ago in, which the latest plan was approved with the Twins offering $165 million and the bonds being sold and the percentage rates and all that, they heard that. They heard about that plan and they were all encouraged by it, because they know that, as well as they play, if they go out and win 100 games this year, if the Twins will have a stadium, they can still be eliminated after the season.

CATHY WURZER: Now, you realize, of course, you're on tape saying they're going to win the AL Central.

LAVELLE NEAL: I'm not afraid to saying that. I've seen some of the other teams in the league, and I just don't think they're as balanced as the Twins. The Twins have the one problem with that bullpen. But other than that, I think this is a very strong team.

CATHY WURZER: Well, Lavelle, you have a hot dog for me at the stadium.

LAVELLE NEAL: Oh, no problem at all.

CATHY WURZER: And we'll talk to you when you come up here for the home opener.

LAVELLE NEAL: Sure, Cathy. No problem.

CATHY WURZER: Lavelle Neal covers the Twins for the Star Tribune.