RELATED • More fantasy team previews
	AL MVP Justin Morneau gives the Twins top prospects at four positions. John Biever/SI
	Projected Lineup (2006 stats) Pos. Player Avg. HR RBI SB 2B Luis Castillo .296 3 49 25 3B Nick Punto .290 1 45 17 C Joe Mauer .347 13 84 8 RF Michael Cuddyer .284 24 109 6 1B Justin Morneau .321 34 130 3 CF Torii Hunter .278 31 98 12 LF Rondell White .246 7 38 1 DH Jason Kubel .241 8 26 2 SS Jason Barrett .309 2 32 10
	Projected Rotation (2006 stats) Starters W-L WHIP ERA K Johan Santana 19-6 1.00 2.77 245 Carlos Silva 11-15 1.54 5.94 70 Ramon Ortiz 11-16 1.54 5.57 104 Boof Bonser 7-6 1.28 4.22 84 Matt Garza 3-6 1.70 5.76 38
	Projected Closer Player W-L WHIP ERA Saves K Joe Nathan 7-0 0.79 1.58 36 95
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You've got to tip your cap to Twins manager Ron Gardenhire. Every spring the Twins look like they'll finish fourth in the AL Central, and every fall they're right in the thick of the pennant race, usually at the top. Sure they have a quartet of players who are among the best at their positions in the AL (Johan Santana, Joe Nathan, Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau), but to get players with virtually no fantasy value to gel as a team as Gardenhire does every season is admirable.

Irreplaceable

It's all about Johan Santana, the top starter in the majors over the middle part of this decade. The lefty from Venezuela and former Rule 5 pick has unanimously swept the Cy Young Award voting in two of the last three seasons and has led the AL in strikeouts in all three years. He was the AL pitching Triple Crown winner last season, sweeping the league's strikeout, ERA and wins title (tied at 19 with Chien-Ming Wang of the Yankees). Santana should be the first (or highest-priced) pitcher taken in every AL and mixed-league draft.

The Next Big Thing

It appeared that Minnesota had another Santana on its hands last year when Francisco Liriano burst on the scene, going 12-3 with a 2.16 ERA. But Liriano blew out his elbow and had to undergo tendon replacement surgery last fall and will miss the entire 2007 season. All is not bleak for the Twins' young pitching, however, as 23-year-old righty Matt Garza is about ready to contribute on the big league level. Garza's ascent has been rapid, from rookie league ball in 2005 to the Twin Cities by last September, winning 19 games combined last season. He struggled a bit in his nine major league starts but with a strong spring (and an opponents' batting average of .201 with 243 strikeouts in 211 minor league innings), he could make a push to be included in the Twins' rotation. Otherwise he'll head to Triple-A for some more seasoning.

Danger!

To make it back to the majors last year Jason Bartlett had to fight through fielding and hitting problems that resulted in him being sent to Triple-A Rochester to start 2006. Once he made it back to the Show, the 2005 sensation hit .309 and stole 10 bases. Expect offensive numbers over a full year that resemble his totals for the partial year last year. Five home runs, 50 RBIs and 15 steals should be the max.

Do You Feel Lucky?

You may have noticed that I didn't mention Torii Hunter among the quartet of fantasy studs for the Twins. While his line of .278/31/98/12 is very good, it's not outstanding compared to his peers. Especially troubling is the drop in steals from the 20's. This year, however, Hunter is in his walk year, which usually puts a little more oomph into a star's numbers. Don't be surprised to see him be a bit more aggressive at the plate and on the basepaths, and move him up a little on your cheat sheets.

Steals Come From...

The Twins are a very aggressive team and run often. Leading the way is Luis Castillo, who was ninth in the AL with 25 thefts last year. Third baseman Nick Punto, now with an every-day job, is a lock for 20 steals after getting 17 last season. Hunter and Bartlett will contribute too, and don't forget Joe Mauer's eight bags last year, ranking him third among catchers.

If Something Should Happen To Joe Nathan

Nathan is one of the best in the game, so losing him would be catastrophic to Minnesota's chances. Replacing him would be Juan Rincon, the team's top setup man (and one of the first players to be busted for steroids in 2005), or sidewinder Pat Neshek, who has a delivery reminiscent of Kent Tekulve and was Rochester's stopper prior to his callup last season.

You Need Them Too

Boof Bonser, Jeff Cirillo, Jason Kubel, Rondell White

Better Left as Someone Else's Problem

Sidney Ponson, Carlos Silva, Ramon Ortiz, Jason Tyner