MLB Season Review - First Three Weeks

THE GIANTS JOHN BOWKER - THE SAN JOSE GIANTS!!! WHO KNEW ABOUT THIS GUY???

The Giants appear to be on pace and fully capable of fulfilling the Statistical Troika of Doom this season:

1) Score less than 500 runs - check
2) Less HR's than Wins - slightly ahead of pace, damn John Bowker
3) Lose over 100 Games - minus Tim Lincecum, this seems like lock

I see a lot of people going to Giants games disguised as empty seats, more than ever before in recent memory. I wonder why. Team ownership can comfort themselves all they want with the knowledge that the vast majority of those seats are paid for this season. But consumer are funny, they like to get value for their hard earned money and if they are eating the tickets or giving them to friends who aren't interested in showing up, that cannot bode well for future attendance. I'm just saying.

Giants .247/.367/.296 BA/SLG/OBA numbers are all well below the league averages. The staff ERA of 4.44 is slightly above the league average as is opponents BA of .295. The bullpens comparative numbers are even worse, meaning no lead is safe and the team's supposed strength may not be one after all. LONG SEASON for the Gigantes.
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The Rays are not getting the burst out of the gate I expected, allowing Toronto and even the Orioles to run to the front. Given past history, this team does not want to dig too big a hole for itself.

The hitting numbers .248/.401/.330 are average at best, mediocre in this division. The pitching staff is surprisingly holding it's own across the board, starters and bullpen. I thought the offense would be better, but maybe when the weather warms...oh yeah, they play in the constantly 72 degree Tropicana Muffin Dome. Maybe when they venture outdoors, the offense will come around.

The Longoria signing was a shocker. I thought the economics was the main reason for sending the kid down out of spring training? Then they bring him back for six games and lock him up for about a decade. It's a heck of a deal for the Rays if he produces as expected but the precedent is a bit dangerous. Wonder how a B.J. Upton feels about how the organization see his future. Or Carl Crawford. I know it was different ownership, but this could have clubhouse ramifications for the kid. Hopefully not, but human nature is a funny thing.
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The White Sox are off to a good start, bringing back memories of the 2005 season for their fans. I think that's a bit of a reach and the division is better now than it was then, but they look like they will contend, replacing the Twins. The Tigers can't be as bad as they've shown so far.
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The Cubbies are out of the gate strong. Not clicking on all cylinders yet offensively, but the pitching looks strong and deep. No holes there so far. Kerry Wood is settling into his role as the closer, one of the early question marks.