Every spring, baseball season starts. And every spring, forgotten teams everywhere rejoice and have high expectations. Sadly, almost every year these expectations go unrealized; fast starts taper-off and the status quo continues, leaving underachieving teams trying to figure out what went wrong. This year though, this year it could be different. Expectations are being realized by an exciting mix of teams that have flashed promises of talent. The teams that have led a startling turnaround from last season all have one thing in common, one thing that make me want to believe that their victories can last: they win on the road. Look at the standings. If you quickly scan through the division leaders, the usual suspects quickly catch your eye. Scrolling down from the top it doesn't look that different; first you notice Boston and New York are tied for first, then you see that the White Sox have a healthy lead, then... nothing. All of the other teams you would expect are gone, replaced by this year's version of the Baltimore Orioles or Washington Nationals. That's not exactly a good comparison, as both teams faded down the stretch and were never seriously in contention, but I would caution you to withhold judgment on this bunch for a few more weeks; these teams are getting it done. Look at the new blood on top-Texas is fighting for the lead, the Mets have a nice cushion in the NL East, Colorado (COLORADO!) is doing its job in the West, and that's not even the biggest surprise of them all: Where are the Cardinals? They aren't that far back, but just the fact that they aren't in first is considered unusual. Seeing them behind Houston is a bit of a surprise, but understandable, but seeing the Cincinnati Reds in first place-I doubt anyone expected that a month ago. The key to these teams hot start is their road record; these five clubs are playing a lot better than last year due mostly to their combined 50-25 on the road so far. (The four I already mentioned are joined by the Detroit Tigers, who have an amazing 12-5 road record; being second to the defending world champions shouldn't depreciate what they have managed to do). We will see whether it continues, whether they faced a soft schedule to begin the season or are overachieving for their talent level. But I am impressed with all of them, especially the Reds for winning in a tough division. There are five teams in their division with a .500 record or better; the other two divisions in the NL have a combined four. The hardest aspect of winning in Baseball is playing consistently-- the combined effect of an entire season wears down every player on the team, so depth is a necessary part of winning. Whether these teams have depth, I do not know, but at this point in time, they are the leaders of the pack.