Bert Blyleven

The Minnesota Twins came into the season as the big favorite to win the AL Central. Then their world crashed in with news that Joe Nathan, their All-Star closer, may have to undergo Tommy John surgery and could miss the entire season. Now the big question is, how do the Twins react? It’s not an easy question to answer.

How does a team deal with a big injury to a key player? Anytime you lose a star, it opens the door for other guys to step forward. There is that uncertainty of finding a replacement, and the effect a replacement will have on the roster. Do they feel like they can do it in house, or do they have to go out and make a trade?

Do you try to deal for a guy like Kerry Wood, or do you try to sign a free agent like John Smoltz?

Now, instead of concentrating on getting ready for the season, the players are worried about what the front office will do.

It can be depressing to see one of your key players go down. The Twins can’t be happy to potentially lose Nathan for the entire season. But as a team you can never throw in the towel.

The most devastating injury I remember seeing happen to a team was when Kirby Puckett saw his career come to a sudden end in the spring of 1996 when he was diagnosed with glaucoma. That was a rough time for the organization, and for the Twins community. All of a sudden they had lost a Hall of Famer, not just for the season, but for good. And in the middle of it, the team was trying to get ready for the season.

Slideshow   Rotoworld fantasy baseball preview: Top 20 Busts Aaron Hill was an All-Star last season, but he'll be one of this year's Top 20 busts. Check out the entire list. more photos

Obviously, Nathan’s injury is not on a level of that of Puckett. He could miss a year or more if he undergoes Tommy John surgery, but no one is talking about his career being over. Also, he’s the team’s closer, not an everyday star in the field. That being said, he will be missed as one of the game’s most reliable closers in recent years.

Twins manager Ron Gardenhire said that the team will deal with the loss of Nathan. He said no one will cry for the Twins, particularly their division rivals, and they will just have to work their way through it.

You have to make adjustments. The Chicago White Sox are not thinking Nathan’s injury is so bad. Neither are the Detroit Tigers, Cleveland Indians or Kansas City Royals. Those teams are chomping at the bit to take advantage.

What the Twins must do now is find out what kind of players they have. The other relievers on the team have to be ready. They shouldn’t try to do too much, just play their game and hope someone steps up who can get the job done.

When Puckett’s career ended, that opened the door for Rich Becker, who stepped up and had a couple of decent seasons in center field until Torii Hunter was ready to take over.

The Twins knew they had to move forward, that’s just what you have to do. That’s part of the game of baseball.

Special feature Spring is here! FirstPerson: Taking in some spring training action? Send us your photos of fun in the sun. NBCSports.com

As for Nathan, he has to have the right mindset to deal with his injury and to come back from it. Everybody is different in how they deal with an injury, but usually the mental part is the hardest part.

When you get hurt, you think about what you can do to get better, and you wonder if you let your team down.

You have to tell yourself that this isn’t a career threatening injury, and that you can come back from it. You have to have the attitude that you are going to prove that you can still play. Prove it to the fans, to your teammates and to yourself. Prove that you can get back to the level you want to be at as a player.

I had to deal with my fair share of injuries during my 22 seasons in the big leagues. In 1981 I had elbow surgery which cut my season short.