Mets
start MLB season on top
Kim Oswell
The arduous five-month baseball trek through highs, lows, slumps and injuries
has begun and early predictions are being made and bets are being placed. In
a season that lasts over 160 games, the first three weeks do not mean much, but
it may indicate which teams are ready for the long haul.
The statistics are shocking when you look at the Major League Baseball standings,
especially the American League West, which has been one of the most competitive
divisions in the MLB. None of the four teams that reside in the division are
above the 50 percent mark. The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim pathetically lead
with a .462 percentage, holding a 6-7 record. The Halos should thank veteran
Tim Salmon for his timely offense after having shoulder and knee surgery in 2004
and taking last season off. Salmon has 13 seasons under his belt and is coming
back strong to prove he deserves a spot.
The Boston Red Sox “idiots” survived the Johnny Damon offseason trade
to the New York Yankees and stand strong in the AL East with a 9-4 record. The
Chicago White Sox and Cleveland Indians are clinging to the top spot in the AL
Central with eight wins apiece.
The real story in baseball is the 10-2 record held by none other than the New
York Mets in the NL East. Pitching ace and former “idiot” Pedro Martinez
acquired his 200th career victory at Shea Stadium Monday night against long time
rival the Atlanta Braves.
History has proved the Braves are fierce opponents for any ball club, but especially
for the boys from Queens. The Mets team from 1999 is considered one of the best
in the past 20 years, yet was eliminated from the postseason by the menacing
Braves.
Many of the Mets hopes and dreams have been buried at Turner Field, which is
why General Manager Omar Minaya structured the 2006 squad around Carlos Delgado,
Xavier Nady and Paul Lo Duca. Being five games ahead of the Braves is a big deal
considering it is the biggest lead any MLB team has ever held 12 games into the
seaon. The Mets are forced to play without star Chipper Jones, who is out with
a leg injury, but they know it is still early and the Braves will not go down
without an all out war. It will be interesting to see how long New York can hold
onto an unprecedented early lead.
To round out the league, Houston Astros are at the top of the NL Central with
a .692 percentage and San Francisco Giants are barely ahead of the Colorado Rockies
in the NL West with an 8-4 record. The NL West Dodgers are off to a slow start
with only six wins thus far and I’m sure Grady Little is praying Nomar
Garciaparra recovers quickly from his stint on the DL from a strained rib cage
muscle. The boys in blue are playing in a newly renovated stadium so Los
Angeles is hoping to witness hard-nosed baseball and looking forward to more
than just
Dodger dogs.
Three weeks into the season baseball fans are still settling into their niches
on the couch or finding out which bar has the best game-time specials. After
years of following baseball, getting my heart broken and celebrating victories,
I have learned to never turn your back on the game. There are only more surprises
and disappointments to come. That is what makes the game great.
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