MLB Update

OK, here's how we're going to do this. I hate the silly divisions that MLB put in back during the mid-1990s, and the divisional standings are simply confusing when you're trying to figure out the wild card. So we're just going to list all the teams by league, with the divisional leaders in italics. Number of games behind are in parentheses:

NATIONAL LEAGUE:
1. Philadelphia: 19-9 (o)
2. Florida: 18-10 (1)
3. Colorado: 17-10 (1.5)
4. St. Louis: 17-13 (3)
5. Atlanta: 15-15 (5)
6. Los Angeles: 15-16 (5.5)
T7. Cincinnati: 14-15 (5.5)
T7. San Francisco: 14-15 (5.5)
T7. Washington: 14-15 (5.5)
10. Pittsburgh: 14-16 (6)
T11. Arizona: 13-15 (6)
T11. Milwaukee: 13-15 (6)
13. Chicago: 13-16 (6.5)
T14. Houston: 12-17 (7.5)
T14. New York: 12-17 (7.5)
16. San Diego: 12-18 (8)

The biggest surprise here is the hot start from the Marlins, although they always do better than expected. The Giants are not on pace to repeat as champs -- providing further evidence that the Phillies really were the best team in the NL last year.

AMERICAN
1. Cleveland: 20-8 (0)
2. New York: 17-10 (2.5)
T3. Kansas City: 16-13 (4.5)
T3. Tampa Bay: 16-13 (4.5)
T5. Los Angeles: 16-14 (5)
T5. Texas: 16-14 (5)
7. Oakland: 15-15 (6)
8. Boston: 14-15 (6.5)
9. Seattle: 14-16 (7)
10. Baltimore: 13-15 (7)
11. Toronto: 13-16 (7.5)
12. Detroit: 13-17 (8)
13. Minnesota: 10-18 (10)
14. Chicago: 11-20 (10.5)

A bunch of surprises here so far. The Indians have no payroll, and their manager is an alumnus of Natstown, so no one expected them to be leading the American League at this point. Boston and Tampa Bay (who were supposed to be good) got off to terrible starts, although they're playing better now. Kansas City has been a doormat for years, so it is surprising to see them so close to the top. And Minnesota and Chicago expected to battle for the AL Central title, not to be stuck at the bottom of the whole league.

Current Predictions:
NL EAST: Philadelphia
NL CENTRAL: St. Louis
NL WEST: Colorado
NL Wild Card: Atlanta

AL EAST: New York
AL CENTRAL: Minnesota
AL WEST: Los Angeles
AL Wild Card: Boston