Baseball Picked the Wrong Year to Give Up Disparity

Just kidding. From a big picture perspective, parity is better for the game in the long run.

But in the short run, it's bad for us fans of big-market powerhouse teams.

Do you know that the Washington Nationals, who finished 80-81 last year, are second in their division at 24-17? (Wait, 80-81? They skipped a game?)

Of course you do know that AL East world is upside-down. The Sox are at the bottom, and the Yankees are a mere game ahead of them in fourth place.

The juggernaut Orioles remain in first place at 27-15. Just last year the O's were 69-93. Their run this year could turn out to be a fluke, but so far it's pretty convincing.

I'll be curious to see if Camden Yards is more full than usual, and with fewer Sox fans (that is, more Orioles fans) than usual. Clay Buchholz gets the start tonight against Tommy Hunter.