Midseason Review

We're at the halfway point of Season 5, and it's turning out to be the most fun season since our inaugural campaign. Here are some of the major storylines so far!

• While the Haymakers (8-4) have been comfortably in first since the start of the season, the other three teams are locked in a tight battle for second. As of this writing, the Blue Legs (6-6) hold that spot, with the Resolutes (5-7) and Canaries (5-7) on their heels. At the end of the regular season, the first- and second-place teams will face off in a best-of-five series for the Creighton Cup. Will the Haymakers reach the championship series for a fifth consecutive season?  
• With the expansion Resolutes now in play, the talent pool has been diluted quite a bit. Not surprisingly, scoring is way down. Thus far, teams are scoring 3.48 runs per game, more than a half-run drop from the 4.18 per game that the three original teams were scoring last year.
• On a related note, pitchers reign supreme! The single-season ERA record (1.61, Mickey Welch, Season 4) is in jeopardy as the Resolutes' John Clarkson (3-3, 1.53 ERA, 53 innings pitched, 2 shutouts) and the Haymakers' Cy Young (6-0, 1.84 ERA, 49 IP) have dazzled in the first half. Meanwhile, Pud Galvin (5-1, 3.18 ERA, 51 IP, 1 SO) has exceeded all expectations after coming over to the Blue Legs prior to the start of the season. Although Clarkson and Young have the inside track for Pitcher MVP, Galvin seems to be getting better with every start. As for some of the other accomplished moundsmen, Tim Keefe of the Canaries (2-4, 3.77 ERA, 43 IP) and Mickey Welch of the Haymakers (2-2, 2.54 ERA, 39 IP, 1 SO) have struggled in comparison to their past standards; Keefe, however, did manage to strike out a league-record six consecutive batters during one of his starts. 
• The Position Player MVP race is shaping up to be a two-man contest between Cap Anson of the Haymakers and Nap Lajoie of the Blue Legs. Lajoie is tied with teammate Sam Crawford for the league lead in home runs (three), but last year's top sluggers -- George Davis and Sam Thompson -- have experienced a major power outage, with nary a home run between them. 
• Finally, three cheers for the Resolutes, who are solidly competitive in their very first season! Led by rejuvenated hurler John Clarkson and slugging left fielder Fred Clarke, the Resolutes are a threat to reach the Creighton Cup series. How are they succeeding? In a word, pitching. They're dead last in defense and their offense is scoring a paltry 2.50 runs per game (also last), but their pitching is ranked second behind the Haymakers. 

The second half begins tomorrow! Hmm...for future reference, maybe we need a midseason All-Star Game or something...