A look around Major League Baseball after one week

After acquiring shortstop Edgar Renteria, third baseman Miguel Cabrera and starting pitcher Dontrelle Willis in the off-season, the Detroit Tigers were a popular pick to win the AL Central and possibly the World Series. After getting swept by the Kansas City Royals and the Chicago White Sox, things are looking different. The Tigers, the only team in the Major League Baseball without a win at the time of this article, must redeem themselves as they look to face the defending World Series champions the Boston Red Sox.

The Arizona Diamondbacks and outfielder Chris Young have agreed to a six year extension. The contract includes a team option on the final year. Young, who was acquired in the trade that sent Javier Vazquez to the Chicago White Sox in 2005, set rookie franchise records in home runs, runs, doubles, steals, slugging percentage and extra-base hits in 2007.

Nobody could have scripted the Washington Nationals’ opening game any better than the Nationals themselves. With a new stadium and several key players coming back from injury, it seems like the only way the Nationals could have gone is up. However, after winning their first game thanks to Ryan Zimmerman’s two-out walk-off home run, the Nationals have now lost five games in a row. The Nationals seem like a legitimate contender in the tough NL East division, but with continuous losses, it likely will not happen.

Ken Griffey Jr. is getting closer and closer to 600 home runs. Griffey hit his first home run of 2008 and number 594 in his career this week. His home run came off Philadelphia Phillies' starter Brett Myers. The home run was just his 100th home run for the Cincinnati Reds, the team he has played for since 2000.

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Johnny Cueto owned his first game. The twenty-two year old struck out 10 in 7 innings in Cincinnati victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks 3-2. Cueto retired his first 15 batters and the last time this feat happened was in 1997 by Seattle Mariners Ken Cloude. Cueto only allowed one hit, a home run in the sixth that broke the perfect game.

By Michael Shull
ProBaseball-fans.com Guest Writer

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