Middle of the Fifth!

I've been playing through ball games fast and furious lately, and already I'm at the halfway point of Season 9. The Resolutes, Haymakers, and defending champion Blue Legs are all treading water, but the Canaries have shaken out of their years-long slumber to lead the pack at 8-4 with a solid +15 run differential. After finishing below .500 for the past four seasons, they're vying to make playoffs for first time since they won their only championship back in Season 4. One of the key contributors to their success is pitcher Pud Galvin; although he's a former Playoff MVP, he's typically been more of a #2 starter than a true ace. This year, he's sporting a 1.76 ERA and a perfect 5-0 record through five starts. He's got the inside track for Pitcher MVP, but he'll need to watch out for Blue Legs hurler Al Spalding, building on last year's career renaissance with a matching 1.76 ERA (albeit with a middling 3-3 record due to lack of run support). Both men will try to best the single-season ERA mark of 1.61, set by Mickey Welch of the Haymakers in Season 4.