As bad as the Twins' starting pitching has been the past four years, sinking the team's fortunes every season, let's not forget that for much of the 90-loss season misery, the offense has been almost as bad.

The 2011 Twins ranked 25th in the majors in runs scored, as did the 2013 Twins. The 2012 squad was closer to middle-of-the-pack (16th), but it was still nothing special. Last year was a big surprise, as an offense that figured to struggle again took a big step forward and ended up finishing 7th in MLB in runs.

For long stretches of 2011-14, the yearly questions about the lineup, which evolved into daily questions, involved major holes. Who would bat leadoff? If Joe Mauer struggled, was there a No. 3 hitter anywhere to be found? When everyone bats one or two spots higher than they should — if they belong at all — a team will struggle.

The questions this year are, in a word, different. New manager Paul Molitor, while smartly noting that last year's sample size is small (particularly with Danny Santana and Kennys Vargas, two young hitters who led the charge in the second half last year), has more good options than the Twins have had in five years.

Between Santana, Brian Dozier, Mauer, Vargas, Torii Hunter, Trevor Plouffe, Oswaldo Arcia and Kurt Suzuki, there are a lot of ways to assemble the 1-8 spots in the order and have them not only make sense but appear dangerous. It's part of the reason the Twins can survive with Aaron Hicks in center, at least until Byron Buxton arrives. If Hicks hits .230 and gets on base in the No. 9 spot, that should be plenty based on this lineup and what he brings on defense.

That's not to say that everyone in the lineup will produce. But for now, it looks like Molitor can fill out a card based on matchups and his philosophy … instead of mere desperation.