The Tampa Bay Rays find themselves in first place, a feat they've accomplished largely without their ace pitcher, Scott Kazmir.

Here we are with seven full weeks of the season under our belts and things could not look stranger as far as the standings go. If you told me back in March that the Tampa Bay Rays would be sitting in first place in mid-May, I would have laughed at you. Especially when you consider that their staff ace, Scott Kazmir, was on the DL for almost the entire month of April. What is more surprising is that the Yankees are the basement dwellers in the AL East, and the Orioles are still hanging in there in third place, just behind the Red Sox.  The rest of the division races are very tight, with the exception of the NL West, where the Diamondbacks have already pulled away from the pack. In the coming weeks as more division games get played, we should start to see the better teams rising to the top. In fact, there are a couple of key series this week that could play a role in shaping the divisional races in the AL East and AL Central. They are this week’s Series of the Week highlights, which will be followed by the usual two start pitcher lists, and the rest of my weekly fantasy tips.

Series of the Week – Weekday Edition – White Sox vs. Indians – Tues – Thurs

The Indians and White Sox have flip flopped at the top of the AL Central for the last couple of weeks, with neither team catching fire in what is arguably the most mediocre division in baseball through the first seven weeks. Both teams have had some very good pitching, with the Indians hurlers bordering on unhittable at times, recently going through a streak of 34 innings without giving up a single run. However, both teams have had difficulty putting together any kind of consistent offense, with several players on both teams seemingly unable to get untracked.

They have met for three games already this season, with Cleveland taking two of the first three games. Indians pitchers have a 4.00 ERA against the White Sox hitters this season but have allowed 6 home runs and issued 13 walks in the three games played. A.J. Pierzynski batted .500 (6 for 12) in that first series, with a home run and 2 RBI, while Jermaine Dye batted .417 (5 for 12). Jim Thome batted just .167 in the first series, but made his few hits hurt, with two home runs and four RBI. White Sox pitchers had a 6.48 ERA in the first series, allowing just two home runs while issuing 12 walks over the three games. The hot Cleveland hitters were Grady Sizemore and Franklin Gutierrez, both of whom batted .333 with a home run and four RBI each. Asdrubal Cabrera also had a good series against the Sox, batting .250 with 3 RBI and some timely hitting.

The pitchers scheduled for this series are Jose Contreras vs. C.C. Sabathia in the opener on Tuesday, Javier Vasquez vs. Paul Byrd on Wednesday, and Gavin Floyd vs. Jake Westbrook in the final game Thursday. If Westbrook does make that start, it will be his first start in a month or so. He has been on the DL with an oblique strain. The White Sox will miss a match up against Cliff Lee, who has been the best pitcher in the AL over the first few weeks of the season.

Series of the Week – Weekend Edition – Orioles vs. Rays – Fri – Sun

It is amazing to me that we are even discussing a series between these two perennial laughers as having significance in the grand scheme of anything except perhaps a battle for the basement. Yet, here we are with the Rays sitting in first place, one and a half games ahead of the Orioles who are sitting in third place. As they face each other this week, the team between them in second place, the Red Sox, is on a West Coast trip where they typically struggle. So it is conceivable that either the Rays or Orioles could be in first place with a lead of several games and the Red Sox in their rear view mirror when all is said and done.

The Rays and Orioles have already faced each other eight times this season, with the Rays taking five of the games. Rays pitching has maintained a 3.67 ERA against the O’s and allowed six home runs to Orioles hitters who have batted a combined .224 against the Rays. Aubrey Huff has done some damage to his former team, batting .258 with two home runs and six RBI, and Brian Roberts has contributed a .429 average with a home run, three RBI, and three stolen bases. Orioles’ pitchers have maintained a 5.66 ERA against Tampa Bay hitters, allowing 10 home runs and walking 41 batters in the 8 games played. Carlos Pena has done the most damage against the Rays, batting .250 with four home runs and 12 RBI. B.J. Upton has also terrorized the Rays by batting .400 with 2 home runs and 10 RBI.

The pitchers scheduled for this series are Brian Burres vs. Matt Garza in the opener on Friday, Jeremy Guthrie vs. Edwin Jackson on Saturday, and Daniel Cabrera vs. Jamie Shields in the series finale.