Ben Sheets is averaging nearly a strikeout per inning and leading the Brewers staff which is off to a hot start.

The real season is here! Thanks to cable’s free preview and happily timed vacation, I got to see a lot of baseball, which is great even if the Red Sox have been pretty bad. Well, after basically a week of the season, the league is upside down.  The Yankees and Red Sox are at the bottom as the Orioles and the Rays lead the East. The White Sox are leading their division with the Indians and the Tigers (who are truly stinking up the place) are at the bottom.

Oh, sorry, this is the National League feature. Right…

Florida Marlins

As we have heard multiple times from discussions of the 2007 D-Backs, teams don’t make the playoffs when being outscored. The Marlins have been outscored by an average of about two runs per game, but are 3-2. Still too early to make much of stats, but the Marlins have no stolen bases….which means none for Hanley Ramirez, who has started the year off with the only real hot bat on the team-1.321 OPS including a homer. Luis Gonzalez has several hits in 11 at bats with a homer, making him a good stopgap NL pickup so far. Jorge Cantu has returned to the numbers that completely made us forget about his 2005 season. The Marlins just re-acquired Wes Helms from the Phillies, which should, at the least, steal some at bats from Cantu, and may relegate him to Helms normal role of backup. So far, the best tactic for their pitching staff seems to be to wait and see. Mets/Phillies/Braves fans should not fear, as they do not have the pitching to be a contender.

Washington Nationals

There is no way I can legitimately pick them not to finish fourth in the division with Jim Bowden still there. Normally when your opening day starter is already day-to- day, it’s bad. When it is Odalis Perez, your team may be improved. I do congratulate him on his ability to be this mediocre with so little spring training action though. Injury has certainly been one of the biggest stories in D.C. Currently; Dmitri Young is also day-to-day. Elijah Dukes and Chad Cordero hit the DL, while Shawn Hill and Johnny Estrada are still on it. Nick Johnson is mashing so far (and running the bases aggressively, if you saw the opener). Double-digit steals are not out of the question for him. Being unable to get into a middle infield spot, Felipe Lopez has been starting in left field, but still not impressing. Considering how many mediocre outfielders they have signed in recent years, he would probably be no worse. The pitching staff has been a mixed bag of results so far. Matt Chico struck out nine with three walks in 11 innings, but allowed seven earned runs. Tim Redding had seven shutout innings in his win, with four total base runners, but only struck out two. Jon Rauch seems to have taken over the “temporary” closers role (how good is Cordero really at this point).

New York Mets

Well, they have allowed the third fewest runs and scored the fourth most for a +11 differential, but are only 2-2. The offense has an OBP of .382, including pitchers. From my limited observations, Carlos Delgado’s power doesn’t seem to have returned, but if he can hit like this it won’t matter much to the team (5 for 16). Angel Pagan is tied for second in runs, tied for first in RBI, and has an OPS of .983 - he could force some issues when Moises Alou comes back from injury. Johan Santana lived up to their expectations (win, 8 K’s in first start). Oliver Perez struck out 8 and allowed no runs in his first start of six innings. John Maine started strong, but had things go south pretty quickly. Pedro Martinez showed his frailty much quicker than I expected and shouldn’t be projected to pitch until at least late May. Orlando Hernandez shouldn’t be expected to arrive in the majors until April 20^th or, and who knows how long he can stay healthy. Mike Pelfrey gets to keep his pitching slot for a while longer as a result.

Atlanta Braves

The Braves are similar to the Mets in runs this year, and surprisingly, have a similar record. Mark Teixiera has been a drag on the teams OBP, but has three runs and RBI despite only having four hits and two walks. Second base has been a bonanza for the team. Kelly Johnson has been iffy this year for health and limited to seven at bats but has three hits, two runs, four RBI with a homer. Martin Prado has taken advantage of his playing time, posting a .944 OPS with six runs and a stolen base. Tim Hudson has a win and two quality starts already with no walks allowed. Tom Glavine only allowed one run in five innings but failed to get a decision. Jair Jurrjens got a win for his 5.1 inning start, in which he struck out five and walked only one. John Smoltz only went five innings in his first start but struck out five and only allowed four runners, none of whom scored.

Philadelphia Phillies

 I think I have said this before, but Chase Utley is good. So far he is 7 for 17 with five walks. He has scored seven times and had six RBI, all without a strikeout. (Take note Ryan Howard, who has five strikeouts and only four hits. Shane Victorino has started slowly (.158 BA). Jimmy Rollins continues to prove he is one of the best offensive shortstops with a homer, a stolen base, five runs, and three RBI. Pedro Feliz is still waiting for an extra base hit. The rotation has gotten quality starts out of Cole Hamels and Adam Eaton (though only Hamels’ eight innings with six K’s and one earned run was really “quality”). As kind of expected, Tom Gordon picked up no saves and now Brad Lidge is back from the DL.

Milwaukee Brewers

The doubters are being silenced. Leading the NL will do that. The offense is really firing on all cylinders. Seven of their hitters have between eight and ten combined runs and runs batted in. Don’t expect Gabe Kapler to continue have an OPS over 1.2, though. J.J. Hardy is only two for nineteen with one run and one RBI.  The pitching staff, led by Ben Sheets, boy that sounds good to say, has an ERA just over 3, a WHIP just over 1, and almost a strikeout per inning. Dave Bush was not so good in his first start and as everyone knows Eric Gagne has spectacularly blown one save already, but has converted another.

St. Louis Cardinals

The Cards have been able to compile their 5-1 record at home so far. Albert Pujols’ stats kind of  look like a hyped up middle infielder with two runs and an RBI to go with his .353 batting average. Rick Ankiel is leading the team in runs, RBI, and home runs. So far Troy Glaus’ offensive presence has been about what Scott Rolens’ would have been. (Rolen is on DL for Toronto). He has two doubles and two singles and two RBI with no runs scored. Their starting pitching has been absurd. They have allowed only four earned runs in 37.2 innings. Their pitching coach has been successful with a diverse range of pitchers, but betting on the likes of Brad Thompson, Kyle Lohse, Braden Looper, and Todd Wellemeyer to continue this pace long-term seems to be pretty unlikely.

Cincinnati Reds

The Reds basically kept Scott Hatteburg around in case Joey Votto wasn’t quite ready. So far, neither is hitting. Add in Edwin Encarnacion and Adam Dunn both hitting under .200 and you could see the team having a losing record. Fortunately, Jeff Keppinger is one of the bats picking them up. He has an OPS of 1.306 with two homers, six runs, four RBI, and a stolen base. With Brandon Phillips being one of the premier offensive second baseman, his line of 1.067 OPS with four runs and four RBI is a lot less surprising. Aaron Harang has performed like the staff ace he is: two quality starts with 12 K’s. He hasn’t been rewarded with a win yet, though. Johnny Cueto continues to be one of the biggest stories in baseball after his first major league start. Striking out 10 with only one baserunner (even if it was a home run) is pretty historic. Francisco Cordero has been one of the best closers so far this year (one save, one win, .33 WHIP, 0.0 ERA), but I still consider him a waste of the teams money.

Pittsburgh Pirates

Well, they are .500 now. How much longer can we expect that? The answers to that may lay in how long Ryan Doumit can hit .450, or how long Nate McLouth has an OPS of 1.163, and be in the league leaders of stolen bases, or how long Xavier Nady has an OPS of 1.218 and lead the baseball in RBI. Jason Bay and Adam LaRoche are already in slumps, so they may come back at the right time. Their mostly young staff has had the mixed results we have come to expect from the Pirates. Zach Duke has the lowest ERA of the starters, but allowed 10 hits and only struck out one. Paul Maholm struck out nine and only allowed six runners, but five of them scored.

Chicago Cubs

Quite a few of baseball pundits feel like the Cubs could go all the way. The only thing stopping them is a losing history. But, if the Red Sox could turn it around, maybe the Cubs can too. On that note, Alfonso Soriano has only two hits and a walk, but does have a homer, two runs scored, and a stolen base. Ryan Theriot is only hitting .200. However, Derek Lee and Kosuke Fukudome are each hitting at least .400, and have each accounted for ten runs. Ryan Dempster did fine in his return to the rotation, allowing one earned run and striking out five in six innings. Rich Hill got a quality start and four K’s. Carlos Zambrano has struck out 12 in 13.2 innings and has a WHIP of .80, and an ERA of 1.32. Kerry Wood has been acceptable as a closer with two saves, three hits, a walk and three strikeouts, and only allowing runs in one of his games.

Houston Astros

The team should be able to hit, as evidenced by the number of hitters that are slugging .500 or higher.  Carlos Lee, Lance Berkman, and Miguel Tejada, and three other hitters have home runs this year. Making up for their low batting averages this year, Michael Bourn has stolen four bases, Berkman two, and Ty Wigginton and Hunter Pence one each. In the rotation, Shawn Chacon and Chris Sampson have each managed quality starts.  Brandon Backe has struck out 10 in 11 innings. Not to mention that they have Roy Oswalt, who should have much better games ahead. These are the kind of performances they will need to have a chance this year, barring getting different pitchers.

Arizona Diamondbacks

So far they are the cream of their division, though they share the lead with the Dodgers. They have outscored their opponents by an average of 2.5 runs per game and have the third fewest runs allowed in the NL. Justin Upton has an empty .333 batting average and three homers (he had no other runs or RBI), but that is pretty good for a guy they aren’t counting on to be an offensive leader. Mark Reynolds has two homers and six RBI, the most on the team. Chris Young has been one of the elite fantasy players in OBP leagues. He had a .400 OBP, three homers, seven runs, four RBI, and two stolen bases. Most of the rest of the offense has been spotty; Conor Jackson has had limited playing time and hit .385 but with only a double for extra base hits, Eric Byrnes and Steven Drew have homered but have low batting averages, and Chris Snyder only has two hits. Brandon Lyon has the worst ERA on the staff, but has a win and a save. Micah Owings and Dan Haren each have a quality start, Edgar Gonzalez only allowed one run in five innings, and Brandon Webb lives up to his number one starter status with two wins, two quality starts, 11 K’s, and an ERA of 2.08. If the rotation holds up like that, they should, at the very least, be in the running for the division title.

Colorado Rockies

After making the World Series they have gone into a serious tailspin this year. Offensively they have been anemic, barring Todd Helton, who has two home runs and a .320 batting average. Garrett Atkins is hitting an empty .304 (he must know that I finally got him in a fantasy league). Franklin Morales and Kip Wells have had the best starts so far. Which is nice for them…but what about the three guys ahead of them in the rotation, and the most veteran pitcher they have, Mark Redman? Manny Corpas has already blown one save and allowed runs in his last two games.