First-week mayhem makes for a happy new year for baseball

— -- Baseball is awesome, isn't it? Here's how the already-insane 2016 baseball season roared out of the gates: Justin Verlander got a hit before Mike Trout. ... Kenta Maeda hit a home run before Jose Bautista. ... Mark Trumbo stole a base before Billy Hamilton. ... Jeff Francoeur drew a walk before Joey Votto.

If you saw this stuff coming, could you do me a favor and buy me a Powerball ticket? But even if you didn't, you might have noticed something:

It isn't last year anymore. How exactly can we tell? Because a bunch of crazy stuff already has happened!