Author: Tom Stryker - Saturday, May 06, 2006

If you like your baseball with some surprising twists, then you only have to look at Cincinnati and Detroit to get as much of an early-season shock as you may need.

The Reds, picked by many to be in last place come September in the National League Central, have the best percentage in the Majors entering Friday's games. And the Tigers, trailing the Chicago White Sox by a game and one-half, have the second best percentage in the American League.

Both of these teams opened the season under the radar, but have their opponents focused on them now as the baseball season approaches the 20% completion mark. Let's take a look at these two surprising clubs.

CINCINNATI REDS

You have heard much about St. Louis, Houston, Milwaukee and even the Chicago Cubs, but Manager Jerry Narron has his Redlegs atop the baseball world right now. One of the biggest reasons is off-season acquisition Bronson Arroyo, who is 5-0 with a glittering 2.06 era. His mound colleague Aaron Harang is 5-1. The huge (6-7, 270 pounds) Harang carries an era of 3.78. Offensively Edwin Encarnacion (.298) has been a huge boost offensively. He is tied for second in the National League in double, fifth in rbi with 25 and is in the top 10 for extra base hits. His bat explosions have eased the loss of Ken Griffey Jr., who hasn't played since April 12 with a strained tendon in the back of his knee.

Griffey won't be back in the lineup soon, so Encarnacion and others have taken up the slack left by Griffey, who had a nice start to the season before going down. Injuries could take their toll on the Reds. Other than Griffey, Rich Aurilia was put on the 15-day disabled list recently with a strained left groin. Before going on the DL, Aurilia was hitting 295 with 5 homers. His bat will be missed. Austin Kearns is hitting .315, while Adam Dunn has been waving the power bat for Cincinnati. He has hit 11 homers. Brandon Phillips is at .308 and Scott Hatteberg also at .308. The Reds recently went 5-1 against St. Louis and Houston and were 6-1 on their last road trip. So they can't fly under the radar any longer. Everyone is aware of their start.

DETROIT TIGERS

Veteran manager Jim Leyland knows that 29 games doesn't make a season. He also knows he may have to chase one of, if not the best team in baseball in the Chicago White Sox, just to win his own division. But April and early May surely showed plenty for Leyland and Tiger fans to smile about. And it all starts with pitching. Through their first 28 games, Detroit pitchers only have allowed 87 runs. That was the lowest total for that many games in the American League since Oakland allowed 84 in 1990. Mark Maroth carries the best record of the pitchers with a 4-1 mark and a sensational 1.78 era. Kenny Rogers is 4-2 with a 2.59 era and Jeremy Bonderman is 3-2 and 3.99.

How real are the Tigers? We might find out realy quickly. Detroit is now on a nine-game road trip that begins Friday night at Minnesota. Offensively, first baseman Chris Shelton has stolen most of the Detroit headlines. He is hitting .311 with 10 homers and 20 rbi. But second baseman Placido Polanco has been solid (.287), and Magglio Ordonez, a former Chicago star, has climbed to .292 with 6 homers after a slow start. Another offensive weapon will return to Detroit soon - Dmitri Young. Young hasn't played since April 14 when he had a strained quadriceps in his right leg. Young only was hitting .219 when he went down, but he is a proven hitter. His return will help. The long ball has been a big Detroit weapon. The current roster has hit 44 already, but Leyland keeps working on his club to play small ball and rely less on the homers.

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