Parsimonious Foursome

What team has the best front-line pitching staff in the major leagues? Shocking as it may seem, the New York Mets. Despite a team batting average of .221, lowest in the National League, the Mets last week were only two games out of second place. For an explanation, there was no need to look beyond the pitching of the team's four parsimonious starters: Jerry Koosman, 24, Dick Selma, 24, Tom Seaver, 23, and Nolan Ryan, 21. Among them, the four boast a season's record of 25 wins, only eleven defeats, and a combined earned-run average of 1.74. The excitement they generate is reflected at the gate. In a year when attendance elsewhere has declined dramatically, 54,259 fans turned out at Shea Stadium last week to watch Rookie Koosman beat the San Francisco Giants 7-3 and boost his record to 10-2.

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