Dodgers: hemorrhaging runs

Baseball experts know how to identify certain trends early in a season. One of the more noticeable elements of the first 10 days of the Major League Baseball campaign is that the Los Angeles Dodgers are not shutting down the opposition. Manager Joe Torre's hurlers have limited the opposition to fewer than four runs in only two of L.A.'s first eight games this season. Even the bullpen - which has been deep - is not getting people out, as shown in a discouraging 9-7 loss to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday, April 14. It's early, but pitching has already become a big concern for the Dodgers.

Giant pitching performances in San Francisco

Some sportsbook operators might be re-calibrating their assessments of the San Francisco Giants after nine games. While the rival Dodgers are giving up a lot of runs, the Giants are being very stingy. San Francisco's pitching staff has allowed more than four runs in only two games this season. A lot of folks around Major League Baseball laughed when Barry Zito endured an awful first season in the National League, but now, the former ace of the Oakland Athletics is once again pitching like a big-time stopper. Zito's rediscovered form, combined with the dynamism of staff ace Tim Lincecum and the continued growth of Jonathan Sanchez, gives the Giants three high-quality starters. They'll hang around through August this season… at the very least.

Royals: The bullpen is a Royal pain

Anyone who has some common sense when engaging in online betting knows that the Kansas City Royals are not a team to be trusted. This is especially the case when considering the team's bullpen. Manager Trey Hillman has already been thoroughly exasperated by the performance of his relievers. In just a week and a half, the Royals have given up at least six runs in after the sixth inning in four separate games. The Detroit Tigers scored six runs in the seventh inning of two separate games against the Royals this season. In a third game, Detroit beat Kansas City with three runs in the eighth and three more in the ninth. It's going to be a very long year for Missouri's American League team.

Mariners: Milton makes another mess

Baseball gurus are all too aware of Milton Bradley's temper. The outfielder might have seven RBIs to this point in the season, but his lack of emotional control has already become a concern for the team that gave him his latest opportunity in the major leagues. Bradley quickly wore out his welcome last season as a member of the Chicago Cubs, but that didn't stop the Seattle Mariners from thinking they could make Bradley work. Last Friday, in a loss at Texas, Bradley reminded baseball people why he's such a liability, as he got involved in a heated exchange with a fan. Mariner manager Don Wakamatsu has already had to have a personal meeting with Bradley. This does not bode well for Seattle in 2010.