White Sox Good, Red Sox Bad

The Chicago White Sox are in first place and the Minnesota Twins are in last. You can tell it's still early in the season. But the Sox scheme of pitching, defence and speed is paying off. They are now tied with the Braves and Dodgers for the best record in baseball at 4-1.

Meanwhile, Twins manager Gardenhire learned that first baseman Justin Morneau's headaches from a beaning this week in Seattle would keep him out of the lineup for a few more days. Then he found out No. 3 starter Carlos Silva could miss half or the entire season with a just-diagnosed serious knee injury.

You might be quite happy to learn that the Red Sox lost again, their third loss in five games. Their manager has been in the hospital for a few days with chest pains and the pennant race hasn't even started in earnest yet. David Wells was blasted again and has allowed 10 runs on 19 hits in 10 innings, hardly Pedro-esque. So perhaps it's a nice time to break out the Even Idiots Can Get Lucky Tee Shirts.

Nat Is Where It's At

For those keeping score, it is now Game Winning Homers for Jose Guillen 2, Psychotic Episodes for Jose Guillen 0 after Guillen did the honours and the Nats defeated the Marlins to stay a game out of first behind the Braves at 3-2.

Cubs Fans Hysterical Already

After they lost their home opener to the Brewers on Friday to fall to 1-4, panic was clearly setting in for Cubs fans. Sun-Times writer Jay Mariotti was apoplectic:

"I wouldn't normally advocate mercy-killing a baseball season on April 9, but nothing I saw in the home opener suggests this team should keep playing games."

Sheeesh. You want something to complain about buddy? Try being a Mets fan for awhile.

Besides, Carlos Zambrano won the pitcher's duel against Ben Sheets.

Even if the Cubs continue losing, there's always the long list of celebs to sing at Wrigley Field to keep the mind off of suicidal thoughts.

That, and the thought that shortly after getting blasted in a minor league assignment, it looks like Prior will pitch for the Cubs very shortly.

So maybe it's not time to push the panic button over and over again yet.

*****

Only 13,536 were on hand at Tropicana Field to see their beloved Devil Rays win their third game in a row and move into a three-way tie for first in the AL East with the Yankees and the Blue Jays.

You'd think with a young second baseman like Jorge Cantu tearing it up, there'd be a little more enthusiasm for the home team. Four games into the season, Cantu has been the team's primary power source, hitting three home runs in 15 official at-bats to tie for the Major League lead with Detroit's Dmitri Young and Cincinnati's Joe Randa.

Ee-Chee-Row is still going strong. Now hitting .526 in his first five games with 10 hits. On pace for 324 hits for the season which would, of course, break the record of 262 he set last season. Hell, it's only 42 more hits than last season, or one extra every 4 games or so.

On the very opposite end of the spectrum sits Dodger JD Drew who with zero hits in his first 22 at bats, has the most at-bats without a hit so far in the Major Leagues. Way to earn that free agent contract.

And the Early Loser Parade has already started. Starting pitchers who have already lost two games this season:

1. Barry Zito, Oakland 0-2 11.57 ERA
2. Jose Lima, Kansas City 0-2 10.80 ERA
3. David Wells, Boston 0-2 8.44 ERA
4. Jake Westbrook, Cleveland 0-2 7.20 ERA
5. Brad Radke, Minnesota 0-2 6.08

NL West Shootout

I listened to that thrilling Dodgers-Diamondbacks extra inning wonder. It just goes to show you that when you haven't got a decent closer, no lead is ever safe. The Dodgers ended up winning it 12-10 by virtue of a 4 run 11th inning but even then, the Diamondbacks had raced back for two in the bottom of the 11th before finally falling. The Dodgers had already come from behind in the 8th to take the lead only to see the Diamondbacks tie it in the bottom of the 9th. They almost had it in the bottom of the 10th as well when they loaded the bases with one out, but Yhency Brazoban struck out Glaus and former teammate Shawn Green to get them out. And before that, Milton Bradley made a game-saving diving catch on a Glaus blooper to shallow center with two out and runners on the corners in the bottom of the eighth inning. Quite a game, less than a week into the season and if these two teams play with the same intensity all season, the NL West could turn into a very exciting race. I might end up listening to quite a few of their games this year. This one was still going on well past six thirty in the morning here in England.

It's one thing for Sammy Sosa not to have hit a homer yet in his first five games as an Oriole but he hasn't even driven in a run yet either. He hasn't walked yet and he's hitting .250. But he's stolen a base.

Menu

Pitching matchups on Sunday include:

Sox ace Mark Buehrle and 2004 American League Cy Young Award winner Johan Santana at the Metrodome in a showdown of two of the American League's top left-handers.

Pedro faces John Smoltz as the Mets try to win their first game of the season. In one start, Smoltz's ERA is 36.00.

Another good duel could be the 1-0 0.00 Rodrigo Lopez for the O's who tossed 6 scoreless innings in the O's season opener against Yankee Carl Pavano. Pavano was offered more money to pitch for the O's than the Yankees offered in the free agent splash this offseason and perhaps the O's will be looking to exact a little revenge for being snubbed.