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Well, here we are again. It's almost the halfway point of the 2005 Major League Baseball season, so I thought I'd write about the 5 players or teams that have surprised me the most so far. Bear in mind that I don't watch all the games or follow all the teams. This is not a comprehensive list by any means. This is just what I have noticed as a fan from my spot on the couch. So don't get upset if your favorites aren't on here!

5. Dontrelle Willis
We all expect Dontrelle Willis to perform, so we shouldn't be surprised that he's had a successful first half, right? I agree to a certain extent. But I don't think anyone expected him to be this dominating. The D-Train has 14 decisions in 15 starts; is tied for the major league lead with a 12-2 record; is second only to Roger Clemens in ERA with a 1.76; and has been a workhorse for the Marlins, with 107.2 innings in the books. And he's done all this on an underachieving Marlins team that is a scant 2 games over .500 on the season.

4. Brian Roberts
I had never even heard of Brian Roberts before this season, but now I read his name in the papers and see his highlights on SportsCenter all the time. The Baltimore Orioles second baseman got off to a great start in April and has barely slowed down. He is leading the American League with a .357 average, is tied for second in hits with 92, and is making a name for himself as one of the toughest leadoff hitters in the league.

3. Jon Garland
Before the season started, there were talks of the White Sox wanting to shop Garland around. He had become expensive, and wasn't putting up the kinds of numbers the front office wanted to see. But Garland is finally living up to his promise this season. Instead of being the number 5 starter, as some predicted in spring training, Garland has become one of Chicago's aces. He has a 12-2 record with a 3.40 ERA, and looks to be vying with teammate Mark Buehrle for All-Star starting honors.

2. Derrick Lee
Derrick Lee has given Chicago Cubs fans something to smile about in what has otherwise been a disappointing season thus far. Lee is batting a whopping .390, leads the majors in hits (105) and home runs (22), and is tied for second with 64 RBI. He is a true triple crown threat, too.

1. The Chicago White Sox
Was there anyone that picked the Chicago White Sox to win the American League Central Division this year? It's doubtful. Most people expected the Minnesota Twins to come out on top again. But the Sox have had outstanding seasons from Garland and Buehrle, and solid contributions from Freddy Garcia and the rest of the pitching staff. The hitters have come through when it counted and the result is a White Sox team that leads the division by 10.5 games.