The 2004 season is three weeks old and the surprises are outweighing the predicted performances by far.

How about the NL Central where the Reds are tied with the Cubs for the lead. The Brewers knocked off the Cardinals again and they did it with pitching and timely hitting. The Pirates aren’t exactly pushovers either sweeping the Mets last weekend.

Texas may be the biggest surprise in the AL. Given up for dead after the A Rod trade, the Rangers are tied with the A’s and the Angels for the lead in the West. Texas is doing it with a young lineup and hold onto your hats: good starting pitching.

Detroit, the pathetic team that lost 119 games last year, is 1/2 game out of the lead in the AL Central. How about that? The revamped lineup scores runs, Ugueth Urbina leads a semi reliable bullpen, and Pudge Rodriguez gets my vote for most enthusiastic player in the league.

Click below for more!How about the start for Carlos Beltran? He is simply the best player in the American league right now. I’d take him in a heartbeat over Vladimir Guerrero. If Kansas City ever got its pitching together, they would have some team. Mike MacDougal is up and with the team. What a strange injury he had this spring. I’ve heard of having the flu but to be knocked out for two months because of the flu is something else.

Dan Wright isn’t getting it done for the White Sox. Neal Cotts will be in the rotation before too long.

Jake Westbrook threw seven perfect innings against the Tigers in relief last week. Today he starts against them and the inconsistent Jason Johnson who is due for a good game. Cleveland and Toronto aren’t hitting a lick against lefties so let’s see if the Tribe can knock the righty Johnson around.

Toronto faces the Orioles today and Sidney Ponson. Give Sidney four runs and I think he gets a win. Trouble is getting four runs off of Roy Halladay who might go on a ten game winning streak.

Javier Vazquez comes back on three days rest today against the Red Sox in NY. He might be fine today, it’s early in the year, but let’s see what his next few starts look like before deciding if today’s early start was worth it.

Pedro has to pitch outdoors in NY against the Yankees. Interesting to see what he does today. Watch his pitch count if it gets close to 105, he is out of the game.

Derek Jeter goes 0-21 and you would think it’s a national emergency the way the Yankees are analyzing his slump. They should be more concerned about Jose Contreras who is not looking too good. They will hit sooner or later, no doubt about it.

Arizona lost Roberto Alomar and Shea Hillenbrand is hittng under .200. With some age around Richie Sexson also holding this offense back, I think the Diamondbacks are heading for a mangerial change very soon. Robin Yount get ready.

The Mariners are happy with Freddy Garcia’s pitching, but oh that offense gets shakier by the day.

When Joaquin Benoit shuts you out for six innings, the red flags go up.

The Angels don’t seem to miss Garret Anderson’s bat right now, but they will if he is out of the lineup for any extended time. He never misses a game so he must be hurting.

Ben Sheets seems to have turned the corner and is a threat to shut you out when he pitches. Are the Cards in a hitting slump? Sheets will prolong their woes today if he is on. Jeff Suppan will give up enough to keep the Brewers in the game.

The Mets can’t hit and the Cubs can. End of story. LaTroy Hawkins got the save for Chicago yesterday so Joe Borowski’s tenure as Cubs closer looks like it may end soon.

Joe Kennedy said it best after his second consecutive good start. Let’s see where I’m at in June. Kennedy pitches today against Wade Miller who lacks control even though he has a good arm. Colorado gets it done today at home.

Dontrelle Willis needs to step up for the Marlins tonight at home against the Braves. Atlanta knocked Josh Beckett around twice shaking the youngster’s psyche. Willis needs to show Beckett how to beat the Braves.

Phillies couldn’t be happier seeing the Expos right now. The real test will come when they start playing the big boys in the league because the only other good team they faced, Miami, swept them twice.

The sun is out and that means Rich Harden better keep the ball down in Oakland. Same goes for Ramon Ortiz who gets hit hard and often. I say the A’s get well today if they can score runs early which keeps the Angel bullpen out of the game.

Have a nice day!