As the 2005 MLB season gets under way, the Minnesota Twins will be looking to win their fourth consecutive American League Central Division Championship.

Most Twin's fans still have the sour taste left over in their mouths from last season's self-implosion against the New York Yankees in the ALDS. This season, though, the Twins will look build upon Johan Santana's Cy Young performance and a healthy Joe Mauer.

While there were some notable departures from the team, including Corey Koskie and Cristian Guzman, the small market Twins have once again reloaded at those positions.

The season this year though could be decided by the performance of the three M's: Morneau, Mauer and Mays. These are three guys who did not play much of last season, or in Mays case, at all in 2004.

Their impact in 2005, be it positive or negative, will be the difference maker between another early first round playoff exit or a team gunning for the World Series.

Last season, Justin Morneau hit 19 home runs and 58 RBIs to go along with a .271 batting average in only 74 games at the big league level. If you combine that with his 22 minor league home runs before being brought up to the Twins, he had a combined total of 41 home runs on the season. These numbers could possibly be pointing towards the coveted true clean-up hitter the Twins have always lacked over their recent playoff runs.

If Morneau can do some damage this year and become a 30 home run, 100 RBI, and .300 avg.-type player, the Twins will no doubt have a better offensive team than they have had in their previous three playoff runs.

However, Morneau came into spring training this year hindered by nagging injuries and sicknesses that he suffered during the off season. His strength levels were said to be at a level below 100%.

He also will no longer be the unknown player that opposing teams have not heard of before, which means teams will be bettered prepared for hem. It will be important for Morneau not to fall victim to a sophomore slump due to some of these factors.

The next key player for the Twin's 2005 season is no secret -- Joe Mauer ? who, last season, showed flashes of brilliance before injuries slowed him down.

Mauer now will have to battle his knee surgery and rehab to get back to the level worthy of a former No. 1 draft pick and match his 2004 performance in which he hit 6 home runs, 17 RBIs and had a .308 batting average in only 35 games.

What the Twins see in Mauer is a solid defensive catcher who is a pure hitter. This would be nice for 2005 considering the Twins were always juggling veteran catchers last season.

It also would give their rotation an everyday guy behind the plate who they could get used to working with. Just how well Mauer's knee can hold up over the course of a 162 game season will be very important to his season?s success..

The third player who will have a direct impact on the Twin's season is pitcher Joe Mays, who will be trying to overcome Tommy John surgery that forced him to miss all of last season. The Twins would love to see Mays return to his form from the 2001 season in which he posted 17 wins and a 3.16 ERA.

Specifically, Mays will look to solidify the back end of the starting rotation that is one big question mark going into the season.

Pitchers Johan Santana and Brad Radke will provide a solid, reliable one-two punch, and Carlos Silva proved last season he can be successful as the third starter. The final two spots will most likely go to Kyle Lohse, who struggled all of last year going 9-13 with a 5.34 ERA, and Joe Mays, who has not played in almost two years.

Mays will be motivated to play his best though, since this is the final year in his four-year contract he signed with the Twins three years ago.