The season isn't even a week old and there are some interesting items for us to think about and discuss.

I always thought Howard (I used to call him Howie) Kendrick would win at least one batting title before his career was over. Every year I drafted him and every year he fell short of expectations. I don't change my habits quickly. I drafted Kendrick again this year and maybe, just maybe all of us who have kept the faith will be rewarded. He's on fire. Kendrick has an outstanding approach at the plate and he knows how to hit. So far, so good in 2011.

Jim Thome just keeps rolling along. Pitchers should throw Thome the low fastball at their own risk. He's a machine to the deepest part of center field on that pitch. I think he's a Hall Of Famer for sure and I hope he goes in as an Indian. The team was never the same after he left along with guys like Manny and Albert Belle. Thome is one of the strongest players I've ever seen.

Pitchers are really busting Albert Pujols inside. He's making the adjustments and it's just a matter of time before he starts punishing pitchers. His hands are as quick as ever and I certainly don't see anything wrong with him when I watch. He's just in a slump.

Joe Girardi might just burn out Rafael Soriano. Maybe they think he should pitch every single day for the $$$ he's making. Tonight he just didn't have it. He's missing all over the place but he's also getting squeezed.

Don't look now but Willie Bloomquist has 4 stolen bases. Yes, he's available in your league but he'll be back on the bench when Stephen Drew returns to the lineup. But Bloomquist has done the job with the bat. It's a shame he had to play SS but the team doesn't have a back up for Drew.

Jordan Walden is the new closer for the Angels. Actually, it took exactly one week longer than most people predicted. Walden has a very good arm and he really doesn't rattle very easily. I think he'll keep the job.

No April deep freeze for Tex this season. What's in his sunflower seeds? And how about Nelson Cruz. I knew he was heating up, but not this much.

It's a shame for the Blue Jays and for his fantasy owners, but I guess Jose Bautista is going to miss the entire weekend due to personal reasons.
Baseball players are human and things happen in their lives. I'm sure he isn't missing the games because he wants to.

Manny is hitting .063 as I write this. Damon is at .091. And Desmond Jennings is sitting by the phone. It won't be long.

John Jaso is hitting.000

Salty is not only having a miserable time at the plate but base runners are taking off and stealing against him and the Red Sox pitchers. Apparently his little hiccups with getting the ball back to the pitcher have emerged again as well. I'm not a big Salty fan. Sorry.

Brandon Beachy is some type of pitcher. He could be flying under the radar in your league. My weekly column on RotoWire this week will feature Beachy. I hope you'll give it a read. He's going to be a good starter for a long time.

it was really strange to see so few people in the stands at Wrigley Field these past two days. I guess even Cubs fans want to see a winner and won't sit out in the cold to watch mediocre baseball. But the team looked respectable in the first week. The Cleveland crowds after the Opening Day sellout were the lowest in team history. Wonder why?

I'd like to bottle Joey Votto's swing and sell it. We have so many great young hitters and pitchers to watch and Votto is right at the top of the list.
The Reds are going to be very tough to catch if the Central lets them get too far out front.

Have you seen the Twins Tsuyoshi Nishioka? He looks like a moderate wind will blow him over. Very slight frame with no meat on his bones. He's listed at 5'11" and 175 but that must have been with a small child hiding in his hip pocket. How can he make it through a warm summer with humidity? I'm just askin'.

Ogando vs. Pineda= a great pitching matchup of two very young power arms in the same division. I'm not sure Ogando belongs in the rotation but the Rangers are happy they stretched him out this spring.

A couple of interesting early Indians notes---Shin- Soo Choo isn't hitting and Travis Hafner is hitting. What's up with that?

The Red Sox are 0-4. That'll change. It will, won't it?

OK, that's all for tonight. Stop by and read about Brandon Beachy later in the week on RotoWire. I'll be glad to have you visit. And remember not to panic about your own fantasy teams and your own favorite MLB team. Next week is soon enough to begin to worry.