Taking a quick glance around, the standings reveal a much different landscape than many prognosticators would have predicted at any point in the season, let alone late in April after nearly a month of games.
That's exactly how things have turned out, however, with the Dodgers, Nationals, Indians and even the Orioles claiming the top spot of their respective divisions at this juncture in the year.
While it's unlikely that all those teams will remain in their respective driver's seats by the end of the season — or their next game — it stands to reason that at least one of them could be the real deal.
The Dodgers seem rejuvenated by the sale of the team to Magic Johnson, and it probably doesn't hurt that outfielder Matt Kemp is tearing up the Valley on a nightly basis. On the other coast, the Orioles appear to have carried over some of their momentum from beating the Red Sox in the final game last season to help them jump out to an early lead in the AL East.
Elswhere, the Washington Nationals are off to the best start in franchise history led by Stephen Strasburg and their strong pitching staff while the Cleveland Indians have somehow scratched their way to the top of the AL Central heap.
While the baseball season is barely 10% finished, some of these plucky upstarts could be settling in for the long haul. Which do you think has the best shot?
Which surprising first-place team has the best chance of contending all season long?
