I don't need to tell you that winning two of nine games to start a season following a 99-loss campaign is not such a good thing, so let's skip to the newsy portion of this post:

1. I keep hearing that Brian Dozier will be in the big leagues sooner rather than later. I would guess he'll arrive in May. Calling up Dozier would improve them at shortstop, where Jamey Carroll has made most of the plays but isn't much of an offensive force, and at utility infielder, because Carroll would be ideal in that role. Although Alexi Casilla is struggling, the Twins want to let him work through his usual slow start and hope he'll emerge when the weather warms.

2. As I write about in my Monday column, the Twins have liked Clete Thomas for a long time, and hope his arrival will play well in their new ideal lineup. Justin Morneau will try playing first base on this road trip, and when he does, it will enable Joe Mauer to DH, Ryan Doumit to catch, and Thomas to play rightfield.

I noted to Twins manager Ron Gardenhire that Mauer and Morneau have each played in every game so far this season.

``I know I'm going to have to give Joe some days off," Gardenhire said. ``But I don't want to do it at home. I know people come from all over to watch him play. And to yell."

That, of course, was a wry reference to the boos Mauer heard at times during this homestand.

3. The Twins were horrified by Trevor Plouffe's play in spot duty at shortstop on Saturday. He'll have to do a lot of extra work to earn his way back to that position in anything other than an emergency situation.

4. Nick Blackburn told me he spent most of Sunday trying a variety of stretches to get his right shoulder loose. Tests indicated there is nothing structurally wrong with his shoulder. He kept saying soreness is to be expected for someone who has undergone surgery, but I would not describe his tone of voice as optimistic. I think he's a little worried.

5. Here's the Twins' problem: They're short on starting pitching, and they have far more faith in Liam Hendricks and Anthony Swarzak than they do in Francisco Liriano, who continues to drive them batty with his inconsistent delivery and inability to think his way through a game.

I remember writing, when Liriano and Delmon Young were at their best as Twins, that the team should trade them for value when they could. They didn't. Now Liriano is a detriment, and the Twins dumped Young at his lowest possible value.

I've heard that the Twins could have traded Liriano for the likes of Ricky Romero or Ivan Nova in years past. They should have pulled the trigger.

6. I'll be on 1500espn at 2:05 on Monday and every day this week. We'll have a rare dual-presence studio show on Sunday, following the Ron Gardenhire show at 9:30.

Please follow me on Twitter at @Souhanstrib.