The 1893 season is in full swing. The big news in the early going is the rule change which moved the pitcher's slab back to 60 feet, 6 inches. The expected rise in offense is occurring, though a few of the hurlers seem to have adjusted fairly well.
Through 40 games the Bridegrooms are in the driver's seat in the National League, but a pair of contenders sit just four games back waiting for a falter from the guys in Brooklyn. The number of teams within ten games of the top spot is down to three as the rest of the teams seem to have settled in at or below .500 for the time being.
The move of the pitching rubber back to 60'6" is being seen as the reason offense is up - for the first time in recent memory the top ERA mark in the league is above the 2.00 level with Chicago's
Thelen the current leader. Baltimore's
Kushner is making a strong push for top pitcher honors, having won 15 contests thus with his nearest competitors having "merely" 10 apiece. Kushner is second to Thelen in ERA with a 2.19 mark.
Among batsmen, Baltimore's newly acquired outfielder
Lachlan Garrigan has made a strong start and is currently fifth in average with a .354 mark. The top batting average is held by Cincinnati's
Buster Brown who is flirting with .400, a mark that hasn't been reached since
Carpetbagger Jenkins clipped at .407 in 1889.
RICK KUSHNER, ORIOLES