Will Derrek Lee make another run at the National League triple crown? Al Tielemans/SI Gennaro Filice's Mailbag Submit a comment or question for Gennaro. Name: Email: Hometown: Question: SEND

THREE UP

1. D-Lee & Co.: Since the turn of the millennium, the Cubs have never come close to cracking MLB's top 10 in run production. In fact, Chicago has finished in the bottom half of runs scored in seven of the past eight seasons.

But 28 games into the ninth season of the Aughts, the Cubs lead the majors in not only runs (174), but also total bases (456), on-base percentage (.375), average (.288) and many more offensive statistics. Making matters even stranger, Chicago has compiled these gaudy numbers while getting next to nothing from $136 million leadoff man Alfonso Soriano, who just missed 14 games with a strained calf.

There are many cumulative reasons for Chicago's offensive outburst:

• Kosuke Fukudome's instant impact.

• Geovany Soto's breakout performance.

• Aramis Ramirez's continued growth in the cleanup spot.

• Ryan Theriot's table-setting savvy.

• A surprisingly effective, Brian Roberts-less second base platoon.

• Reed Johnson's contagious plate patience.

But one factor truly stands out above all the rest: Derrek Lee's clean bill of health.

Back in 2005 Lee finished third in NL MVP voting and made a run at the Triple Crown, leading the Senior Circuit in batting average (.335) and placing second in home runs (46). Lee broke his wrist the following April, causing him to miss all but 50 games in the '06 campaign. He bounced back to play 150 games last season, but didn't regain his power stroke until after the All-Star break (when he hit 16 of his 22 homers).

Lee dismisses the notion that the wrist tempered his production during the first half of '07, but Cubs hitting coach Gerald Perry has a different opinion. "I'm sure it wasn't bothering him or hurting him last year," Perry told the Chicago Sun-Times, "but any time you have anything with your hand in baseball, it's going to take a while to get back to full strength."

The 32-year-old Lee certainly looks like he's back to full strength in '08. He owns a .360 batting average and leads the Cubs in home runs (8), RBIs (23), runs (26) and OPS (1.098). Lee is often overlooked when it comes to discussing the game's finest hitters, but make no mistake about it: A healthy Derrek Lee is one of the most devastating forces in baseball.

2. Angels' aces: In 2007 the Angels cruised to their third AL West title in four years behind a pair of lights-out starters: John Lackey and Kelvim Escobar. Thirty games deep in '08, Los Angeles finds itself in a familiar position -- first place -- with two dominant hurlers once again leading the charge. Weird thing is, neither Lackey nor Escobar has thrown a single pitch for the Halos.

By beating the A's on back-to-back nights this week, Joe Saunders and Ervin Santana joined Frank Tanana as the only pitchers in franchise history to go 5-0 in April.

Saunders, who compiled a 15-8 record as a part-time starter over the last two years, is definitely a surprise. But Santana's 5-0 start is more astonishing, especially considering three of those wins came on the road. The 25-year-old has always struggled outside of Angel Stadium, but he was absolutely dreadful on the road last season, finishing at 1-10 with an 8.38 ERA.

"We've never worried about that internally," manager Mike Scioscia recently told the Seattle Times. "We know that if we get his mechanics right, he's going to be fine, no matter where he is pitching."

Well, the mechanics must be right -- Ervin owns a respectable 3.72 ERA away from home.

At a perfect 10-0, Saunders and Santana still have a ways to go to equal the '07 record of Lackey and Escobar (37-16). But remember, Lackey is close to returning. And once this happens, Saunders and Santana become Los Angeles' No. 4 and 5 starters, respectively. It's a pretty nice luxury for Scioscia to have this kind of production at the back end of the rotation.

3. Nasty Nate: Here at Three Up, Three Down, we feel pretty guilty about the numerous verbal haymakers this column has tossed at Pittsburgh just one month into the season. So here are some positive words about a very praiseworthy Pirate: Nate McLouth.

McLouth arrived at spring training as a fourth outfielder, but he left with the starting center field job. He immediately exploded onto the national scene with a 19-game hitting streak to start the year. This was no Freddy Sanchez, slaptastic streak, either; Pittsburgh's leadoff man drove the ball all over the park, posting a hefty 1.082 OPS.

Through 28 games, the 27-year-old spark plug leads the Pirates in home runs (7), doubles (12) and runs (24), while ranking second in batting average (.330), RBIs (25) and walks (15). Pittsburgh has been searching for a long-term answer in center since Andy Van Slyke retired, and it's beginning to look like the Pirates have finally found their man. His gritty, blue-collar playing style definitely drives Yinzers wild.

As for that "Nasty Nate" moniker I haphazardly attached to the slugger ... Yeah, it's wholly unoriginal. But it just feels so right. "Welcome to Pittsburgh: Home of Big Ben, Sid the Kid and Nasty Nate."