Mavericks Off To Impressive Start

[Kevin]

Halfway through May, the upstart Mavericks have not slowed down a bit. The surprise team of 2003 finished a very respectable fourth place. They entered the 2004 season as one of the favorites to end the Kings reign as champions. Yet nobody expected any team, much less the Mavericks, to dominate the first month and a half the way the Mavericks have.

Through Saturday, May 15 the Mavericks lead the second place Kings by an impressive 17 points. Nobody has even been close since they built up their lead in late April. The offense has been outstanding, but the pitching staff has been nearly perfect. The Mavericks currently hold 47 pitching points out of a possible 50. They lead the league in ERA and WHIP and are second in wins, saves, strike outs, home runs and runs batted in.

The Mavericks offense is led by their first round draft pick, third baseman Hank Blalock. A steal at the seventh overall pick, Blalock has cashed in with a .301 average, 10 home runs and 29 runs batted in. Mike Lowell and Jeromy Burnitz have pitched in some impressive numbers as well. The Mavericks took a bit of a hit when they lost Richie Sexson to an injury a couple weeks ago. However, their lead has remained steady so getting Sexson back could be icing on the cake.

The real story has been the pitching staff. None of the starters are likely Cy Young candidates this year, but all are pitching extremely well. Matt Clement and Dontrelle Willis have lead the way. The surprising bullpen has dominated the competition. Armando Benitez leads the league with 14 saves, only allowing one earned run so far. Keith Foulke and Octavio Dotel have performed well as closers for their respective teams. LaTroy Hawkins has been getting some saves recently as well. This is definitely one of the best bullpens in the DTBL.

It is unlikely that the Mavericks will keep this commanding lead throughout the remainder of the season. The nearest competitors have been sidetracked by injuries and extended slumps by superstars. They all figure to make a run at some point this season. However, the Mavericks have to like how they sit at the moment. It will probably take an extended run for another team to catch them. Also, there is very little chance that the Mavericks won't be in the title hunt later this summer. Quick starts can be overrated, however they can also keep you in the running for the entire season.