Major League Baseball is only 30 games into its season, but we already have seen interesting—and, in some cases, controversial—story lines pop up.
We all know the big headlines have been Alex Rodriguez and Manny Ramirez being caught with performance-enhancing drugs.
But that isn't the only good—or bad, depending on your affiliation—news we have around the league.
The AL East, AL Central, and AL West have had some surprising divisional leaders up to this point.
So who is the big winner?
There are many perspectives you can look at, but the most obvious one has to be the Toronto Blue Jays.
Toronto (22-12) is the current leader in the toughest division in baseball, the AL East.
Admit it. You all thought the Red Sox, Yankees, and Rays would fight it out for the division.
So, with the emergence of Toronto, is it really going to be a four-team race down the stretch?
After the loss of A.J Burnett in the offseason, the Blue Jays were counted among the bottom-feeders of the league.
So how have they come out from the bottom and risen to the occasion?
Part of this must go to Blue Jays manager Cito Gaston, who was the manager when the Blue Jays won the title in the early 90s.
After Gaston became manager (again) last season, the Jays finished with a hot streak.
Adam Lind has been the catalyst for the Jays, hitting .333 with a team-best 31 RBI.
The key component for the Jays, however, has been in the rotation. Led by Roy Halladay, who with a 6-1 record and a 3.29 ERA, is making his case for the best pitcher in the American League.
The bullpen has also been filled with solid arms, led by Jason Frasor who is 4-0 with 0.77 ERA.
Even after this good start, Toronto still has not gained much respect.
They will have a chance to prove themselves within the division in the month of May.
The schedule includes meetings with the Yankees and Red Sox (twice).
Toronto's Focus in Upcoming Months
If the Blue Jays want to be true contenders until September, standing pat might not be the best option.
Toronto has to be buyers and must find a good hitter and pitcher in the market.
Lind won't be able to carry the offense the entire season; some help will be needed.
They also can't count on Halladay to carry them to the playoffs on his own. They are still one starting pitcher away from truly being divisional contenders.
It will be interesting to see how the Jays will play in the upcoming months. Time will tell if Toronto can handle its success and bring the winning culture back to the Rogers Centre.
Matt Miselis is a writer for bleacherreport.com. Also be sure to check Miselis's new blog at http://thecouchpotatosportsblog.blogspot.com/
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