If someone told me last year that the Astros would start the season off with 27 wins in their first 40 games I would have died from laughter. My favorite team the Twins are off to a good start which I'm not even sure how as pitching line up has only one decent guy (like usual for them). I do have to give a shout out to my favorite player though Joe Mauer who got his first homer of the season yesterday in walkoff fashion in extras.
Astros has a decent off season. I figured they would improve, but not into a playoff team like they are right now. I remember a Sports Illustrated article a year or two ago predicted the Astros would be in the World Series in 2016, after losing in the playoffs in 2015. Right now that article actually looks like it could be correct.
Twins got a decent offense, although losing Ervin Santana for his 80 game drug suspension is a blow to their pitching. Tori Hunter's return and Paul Molitor becoming a manager seemed to really help the team become the really solid team they were in say around 2009 and 2010. I think Kyle Gibson is a good pitcher, and I think Phil Hughes is a guy who likes to change peoples' expectations of him on a year by year basis.
In other news the Yankees are slumping and are tied with Tampa for the division, especially after being killed by the Nationals. The Mets are no longer in 1st place, but only because the Yankees are giving the Nationals some easy victories.
Oh and a little fact:
Madison Bumgarner's 5 HR since start of 2014 (97 PA) matches:
Alex Rios (550 PA)
Kurt Suzuki (630 PA)
Joe Mauer (688 PA)
Two of these guys are Twins by the way
Nationals are 1st place, don't you doubt my team!!! Used to live in DC, NATIONALS ALL THE WAY!!!
If there is such thing as having a 2nd favorite team, then the Nationals are. I usually watch the games they play against the Mets since 2009, when they were a last place team. It is unfortunate they don't win in the playoffs, they are just so stacked from top to bottom.