Fan News

Jered Weaver's injury was an odd one.

"Never believe what you see in April from Major League Baseball."

That may be an overreaction—something fans do all too often. "Don't believe everything you see" would be more accurate. 

If there is a simple thesis that baseball fans need to follow, it should be that what you see in the first weeks of the season, for the most part, have no bearing on how things will turn out at the end of the year. 

One week into the season, the Dodgers sit in third place in the NL West, one game behind the Arizona Diamondbacks and Colorado Rockies. 

So far, the team has allowed just 10 runs in six games, demonstrating the strength of its pitching staff.  It has certainly been an impressive start, but there are some things to watch for as the season progresses.

Here are the six best early-season storylines.

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In the top of the sixth inning Monday night, the Colorado Rockies knocked out San Francisco Giants' starter Madison Bumgarner. They coaxed five walks out of him on the night and cut the Giants' 3-0 lead to 3-2 against him.

The Red Sox won a pitching duel in their home opener.

Thanks to a Daniel Nava home run and a phenomenal performance from Clay Buchholz, the Fenway faithful witnessed the ninth straight win on Opening Day in Boston.

Every year, there's at least one surprise when it's time to dole out the hardware. Last year, R.A. Dickey was the first knuckleballer to ever win the Cy Young, but he's not alone when it comes to the seemingly out-of-nowhere greatness that we see on podiums every fall.

As many of us know, the Toronto Blue Jays have lofty expectations this season. Whether it be from the odds in Vegas to the chatter around the league to the success-starved fans, everyone agrees that the Blue Jays should make the playoffs this season.

With many fair-weather fans joining the fray in Toronto, it would help to give them a little more information about the team, especially regarding the new players on the squad.

Much has been made about the need for expanded instant replay in Major League Baseball, but as long as there are human umpires on the field, there will always be a certain level of human error. 

Dustin Pedroia and the other influential clubhouse leaders in Major League Baseball have various means of encouraging their teammates. Fortunately, every roster has a reputable veteran role model in 2013.

Albert Pujols is known for going about his business quietly and setting a high standard for on-field performance. By contrast, Nick Swisher and Torii Hunter will make themselves available during downtime to connect with men of all ages.

Before the 2012 season, San Francisco Giants fans cringed when they heard Barry Zito’s name.