American League Summary April 17th
NATIONAL LEAGUE EARLY-SEASON REPORT
The National League has begun as a crowded race, with the Los Angeles Dodgers and St. Louis Cardinals sharing the early lead at 4-2. Chicago and the surprising New York Mets sit only a half-game back, while Milwaukee, Pittsburgh and San Francisco have all shown enough offense to remain dangerous. The standings are tight because nearly every club has played only four to six games. Joe Christopher owns the league's top qualified average at .583, but the broader offensive story belongs to a group of familiar stars. Tommy Davis leads with 3 home runs and is tied with Roberto Clemente at 8 RBI. Clemente is batting .409, Maury Wills has 12 hits and four steals, and Willie Mays has two home runs with six RBI - the corrected total reflected in the current replay export. Run prevention has given the league leaders their edge. Juan Marichal has posted a 1.00 ERA, while Warren Spahn stands at 1.20 and the Dodgers have leaned on Don Drysdale and Sandy Koufax for a combined 36 innings. Larry Jackson leads the league in innings pitched, and Koufax tops the strikeout list with 15. Through April 17, Earl's 1964 Replay has delivered a lively, unsettled National League race with stars already asserting themselves on both sides of the ball.