Evan Longoria and the Rays are Major League Baseball's top team.
(Creative Commons)

Rockin' Rays

The Tampa Bay Rays are off to the best start in the league in the toughest division in the league, which bodes well for the Florida ball club. It's amazing how frequently the Rays get overlooked in the deep American League East. These guys are scary. They have terrific young starting pitchers in Matt Garza, David Price and James Shields; a speedy lineup that wreaks havoc on catchers across the league; and an excellent defense.
 
What more could the team ask for? Actually, they could ask senior citizens in the Sunshine State to take time away from the links to head out to the stadium and support them. Despite the Rays' hot start, the ballpark looks like a ghost town.
 
Floundering in Fenway

The Rays are the team the Red Sox were trying to build in the offseason, but the Sox haven't gotten the same quality of pitching, hits, steals or defense as the Rays. Designated hitter David Ortiz is only living up to the first part of his position -- it appears he has forgotten how to do the latter. Without Big Papi performing, the Sox have a glaring hole in the lineup.

On top of that, their catcher, Victor Martinez, looks like he is just giving stolen bases away. One of the Red Sox coaches blamed this on bad habits Martinez picked up while playing with the Indians, but that's no excuse. Martinez has been with the Sox for 79 games. And aren't bad habits supposed to be fixed during Spring Training? Apparently the Red Sox forgot.
 
Mark Your Calendars
 
Mark Teixeira in April: 11 hits and no light at the end of the tunnel. Mark Teixeira in May: six hits by the second day. Apparently, May is the end of the tunnel.
 
It's surprising that the Yankees managed to do so well through 24 games without getting production from big bashers Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. Much of the Yankees' success can be attributed to Robinson Cano, who rewarded Joe Girardi's decision to move him up in the lineup by playing like a star. The Yankees had one of the toughest schedules in April -- facing the likes of the Red Sox, Rays and Angels - but still find themselves in second place with 16 wins.
 
Now if only the Rays would start losing some games...
 
Royal Pain
 
Reigning Cy Young winner Zach Greinke is winless so far this season, but it's not for lack of trying. The ace starter is 0-3 with a 2.27 ERA and 33 strikeouts in six starts. His latest loss came Sunday against the Rays. Greinke pitched eight innings, gave up four hits and a run, and didn't walk a batter, but the Royals still lost 1-0.

It's simply embarrassing that the Royals lineup can't back a terrific performance like that with at least a run or two to get Greinke the win. I wonder if a pitcher can win the Cy Young without getting a win the entire season.
 
Simply Amazin'
 
Queens was filled with fans praising the Marvelous Mets for all of the week. With Mike Pelfrey finally pitching like a real major leaguer and rookie phenom Ike Davis at first base, the team stood in first place in the division and life was glorious.
 
Then there was Sunday's game.
 
With ace Johan Santana on the mound facing the division rival Phillies, the Mets failed to hold onto an early. The Mets were leading 5-2 in the fourth when the wheels fell off. Santana walked 47-year-old pitcher Jamie Moyer to load the bases and gave up a grand slam to Shane Victorino. After inexplicably walking two straight batters (one of whom was a pitcher!) and giving up the grand slam, Santana was allowed to keep pitching. He rewarded Jerry Manuel's faith by giving up a single to Placido Polanco followed by a home run by Chase Utley.
 
Doing well this season is probably the worst thing possible for the Mets. They will continue to tease fans by looking competitive before promptly choking it away in September. They're better off mired in abject failure, which would force team owners to blow up the franchise and start from the beginning.
 
Dodgers in the Dumps
 
The talk headed into the season was whether or not the Dodgers could defend their title in the National League West. So far they've answered that question with a resounding no. The Dodgers have a record of 11-14, are tied for last place in the division and seem to be tearing apart at the seams. The owners are getting divorced, the general manager is ripping into his young stars and the pitching staff can't keep runners off the bases. The future does not look bright for the L.A. ball club.
 
I blame Neil Diamond.

On Opening Day he appeared at Fenway wearing this jacket, which called for the franchise to move back to Brooklyn. Clearly, he placed a jinx on the Dodgers.  
 
Sunny in San Diego
 
The San Diego Padres started hot out of the gate and are currently sitting atop the NL West with 16 wins. The Padres managed to put together a 26-inning scoreless streak until Yovani Gallardo of the Brewers hit a home run this weekend.

Anxious fans in Fenway who are begging for the Padres to trade them first baseman Adrian Gonzalez sure aren't happy with San Diego's hot start. The Padres' slugger probably isn't going anywhere now. The NL West is up for grabs this year - as it is every season -- and the Padres look like they're within reach of winning it.