SPORTS
Strange starts to MLB season
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Also by Greg Schmitz:
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- Wisconsin volleyball team heads to beach (April 2, 2008)
- Linebackers trying to regain form (April 1, 2008)
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- Big cleats to fill (March 25, 2008)
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- After drubbing, football team tries to regroup (October 8, 2001)
- Detroit Lions sign Emanuel, drop Spellman (October 24, 2001)
- Despite loss, Memphis passes test (February 28, 2008)
by Greg Schmitz
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
A lot has happened in just one week of the MLB season. So let’s take a look at some of the early surprises that have happened around the big leagues.
One of the biggest surprises so far is the fact that the Detroit Tigers are 0-6 after the first week. Making this even harder to believe is that all six games were at home. After pulling off the trade for Miguel Cabrera and Dontrelle Willis, many experts picked the Tigers to make the World Series this season.
With the middle of Detroit’s lineup consisting of Cabrera, Gary Sheffield and Magglio Ordonez, many figured the Tigers would score plenty of runs this season and that Justin Verlander, Jeremy Bonderman, Kenny Rogers and Willis would be enough pitching to get by. However, Detroit has only scored a total of 15 runs so far, good for 28th in the league. And their pitching staff hasn’t been much better with their ERA of 5.70.
Yes, the season is still young, and the Tigers can rebound. But now history is no longer on their side, as no team in history starting 0-6 has won the World Series, and only two have made the playoffs.
Last year’s World Series participants aren’t off to a much better start either. The Red Sox and the Rockies are a combined 4-9, and both find themselves in last place in their respective divisions. Colorado —fifth in baseball in scoring last season — has scored a Major League-low — 10 runs in six games — and has failed to top three runs yet. Boston’s potent lineup with David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez in the middle hasn’t done much better, scoring only 23 runs in seven games.
Kosuke Fukudome has made an impressive debut in America for the Cubs on opening day, hitting the first pitch he saw back up the middle for a single. He went 3-3, including the game-tying three-run home run in the bottom of the ninth inning in his first big league game. And while the Cubs went on to lose the game, Fukudome has had an impressive first week, batting .421 and driving in five. Fukudome is proving that his presence in the five-hole of the Cubs lineup will make it difficult for opposing pitchers.
St. Louis’ pitching has been another surprise this season. The rotation of Adam Wainwright, Kyle Lohse, Brad Thompson, Branden Looper and Todd Wellemeyer didn’t look that promising heading into the season. However, the Cardinals currently have the second best ERA at 1.83 and are holding opponents to a .235 batting average.
Despite all the surprises during the first week, one of the biggest surprises for me has been the play of Gabe Kapler. In the first week of the season, Kapler is batting .438 with two home runs and six RBIs, helping Milwaukee to a 5-1 start.
What makes his play so surprising is that Kapler took a year off to manage a single-A affiliate of the Boston Red Sox last year. Now after signing a minor league deal, Kapler played his way onto the team during spring training, and in the first week of the season he has hit as many home runs as he did in 72 games with Boston in 2006.
So there you have it. While there is still plenty of baseball to be played, and a lot can change between now and the end of the season, it should be another exciting year in baseball if the first week is any indication.
Greg is a senior majoring in communication arts. Let him know what you think has been the biggest surprise of the first week at gschmitz@badgerherald.com.
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