It's a Game of Wonders

They say baseball is a game of wonders. Well, okay, I don't know if they actually say that - but it's true. This is especially so in the beginning weeks of the season. It's the time of the year when the teams who are slated to finish last are in first, and vice-versa. When the potential league home run hitters have zero, and the reserve/part-time players have seven. Let's take a look at a few examples here in 2008.

HOME RUNS

In 2007, Brewers' first baseman Prince Fielder became the youngest player ever to hit 50 home runs in a season. After two weeks of 2008 baseball, the second-generation star has none. It took Fielder only two games to hit his first of the year last season. Of course it took him until game #16 to hit his second. But so far, the Brewers have played 13 games in '08, and Fielder has yet to go deep once. At their request, Fielder and fellow youngster Ryan Braun have switched spots in the batting order. Fielder was batting third in the lineup, while Braun, the NL Rookie of the Year last season, had been batting fourth. But the two spent the majority of 2007 flip-flopped in the order, and both went up to manager Ned Yost and told him they are more comfortable batting Braun third and Fielder fourth - an act that shows some major signs of maturity from the two young stars of the Brew Crew.

And while Fielder sits on zero home runs, how about Gabe Kapler? This is a guy who came up with the Tigers in 1998, had amazing potential, and his own K-Swiss commercial. And he looked good in his first few seasons in the bigs, as he hit 49 home runs from 1999-2001 with the Tigers and Rangers. But from 2002-06, he hit a total of 19 with the Rangers, Rockies and Red Sox. In 2005, he tried to play in Japan, but that was a complete failure. So after failing in the Far East, Kapler came back to the Near East and played again with the Red Sox. After rupturing his Achilles tendon, however, his playing career was pretty much over...or was it?

Kapler retired after the 2006 season and was hired as the manager of the Greenville Drive, a minor league affiliation of the Sox, in 2007. After spending the 2007 season managing the Drive, Kapler expressed interest in making yet another comeback to the majors. And he did just that, signing a contract with the Brewers. Kapler made the club out of spring training, thanks in part to the 25-game suspension handed down to Mike Cameron to begin the '08 season. And what a comeback it has been, as Kapler is tied for the National League lead in home runs with five, along with Bill Hall, Mark Reynolds, Mike Jacobs and Justin Upton.

Now, granted, it's early in the season. But considering this man was out of baseball for all of 2007, it's rather astonishing to see Kapler doing what he's doing right now. It will be tough for the Brewers to decide what to do with him once Cameron is eligible to play, but for the time being, Kapler will be determined to continue to put up the numbers he's flashing right now.

Speaking of home runs, which team enters Monday leading all of baseball in homers? The Yankees? No. The Red Sox? No. The Mets? No!...the MARLINS! That's right, the Florida Marlins (and the Arizona Diamondbacks) lead the major leagues with 21 home runs as a team. Meanwhile, the Mets sit dead last with a grand total of five (they are tied for last with the Royals). Can that be right?!

Division Standings

Coming into 2008, the Detroit Tigers has some incredible expectations. Many were predicting them to win the AL Central; most picked them to get into the World Series; and some even slated them to win it all. And why not? They have one of the most potent lineups in baseball, with some decent-at-worst pitching, and a great manager. So where do the Tigers sit after two weeks of baseball? Well, entering Monday night, the Tigers have a record of 2-10 and have the worst record in all of baseball - by a lot.

The Diamondbacks have the best record in baseball (9-3), which shouldn't surprise very many people. But what might surprise you to know is that the Cardinals have a 9-4 record to lead the NL Central, the Orioles and Blue Jays are atop the AL East with a 7-5 record, and the White Sox lead the AL Central with a 7-4 record. The biggest surprise may be the A's and their 8-5 record leading the AL West!

So things in baseball are a little wonky right now. The bests are the worst, and the worst are the best. But this seems to be the trend in the early parts of major league baseball seasons. By the end of May, we should see things start to shape up the way they are meant to. That being said, remember that baseball is a game of wonders, and anything can happen.


Statistical, biographical and historical information courteous of ESPN.com, MLB.com and baseballreference.com