We were sitting in the stands Thursday night and, after the Twins got through their inning of April/May-style baseball, talk turned to what's going to happen as veteran players continue to get healthy while the less-experience guys continue to contribute.

Take the outfield. Ben Revere has been a Godsend for the Twins. He has the best range of anyone in the Twins outfield and he's been a functional leadoff hitter. With Delmon Young returning to action, he is the current anchor in an outfield that doesn't grade well defensively in left field or right. So when Jason Kubel and Denard Span get healthy, what do you do?

Well, this part's the easiest call: Revere is your center fielder until Span gets back.

Then, when Span returns, the outfield has Span in the middle with some combination of Young, Kubel and Michael Cuddyer in the corners. Revere and Jason Repko become the fourth and fifth outfielders, getting action as defensive replacements the way that Repko did when he ran for Young and finished Thursday's victory in left.

There are tradeoffs. Young doesn't match up with Revere's range. Revere doesn't come close to having Young's arm. Revere's offensive numbers are .257/.297/.286. Last year, when the consensus was that Span didn't play up to potential, his numbers were .264/.331/.348. His 2011 stats are better. I'm not considering Revere over Young in left.

Yes, it would be great if the Twins had three starting outfielders who didn't have gaps in their game. But the art of baseball is choosing, on any given day, the lineup that gives you the best chance for success. Revere gets to balls that others don't get to -- and I think he will emerge as an everyday player later in his career -- but currently in times of better health, he's an extra outfielder. And I wouldn't be surprised if the Twins send him to Rochester for a few weeks and then bring him up on September 1 if they feels that's what is needed to keep his game sharp.

Add Jim Thome and Justin Morneau to the mix and Gardy gets even more issues to figure out. Assuming that Morneau will come back as the almost-everyday first baseman, Gardy will need to decide among Young-Kubel-Cuddyer in left and right. And how do you manage Thome? Gardy had him in the original lineup Thursday night -- a lefty slugger against soft-throwing lefty Bruce Chen --but pulled him because of his toe injury.

Who plays against lefties when the team is at full strength? Thome or Kubel at DH? Or Cuddyer and Trevor Plouffe at first base/right field with both of the other guys on the bench? Does Young sit against right-handers? Is Cuddyer a lock-solid lineup fixture? What happens on the days when Mauer doesn't catch?

Let's go back a step: What does the 25-man roster look like at 100 percent health when you're carrying 12 pitchers.

Who are your 13 position players come early August, when Morneau is currently scheduled to return?

Morneau, Casilla, Nishioka, Valencia, Tolbert, Hughes, Mauer, Butera, Young, Span, Cuddyer, Kubel, Repko, Revere, Thome, Plouffe.

Oops, that's 16.

I can send down Hughes without feeling too bad, providing that Tolbert is available as a three-position reserve in the infield.

I can send down Revere and feel crummy about it, but knowing that it would be best for everyone if he plays regularly.

I can't go with 11 pitchers because I'm not feeling that good about the bullpen.

I'm stumped about the third move and could pretty much blow off the other things I need to do today trying to figure that out.

So help me here, OK? And keep in mind that it's better than trying to find nine solid guys who are healthy, which is what killed the Twins in the darker days of 2011.