National League Rate Stats Down

Running through the National League hitting totals through Tuesday's games show that compared to recent years hitters are doing worse as a whole in 2007.

The league batting average sits at .257, on-base percentage at .331 and slugging percentage at .399. For each of these three rate stats the last year that they were this low follows.

• You have to go back to 1992 to find a National League combined batting average less then the 2007 figure of .257. In 1992 the NL hit a combined .252.
• On-base percentage only needs to look back one year when the 2006 NL combined for a .330 figure.
• For slugging percentage you have to go back to 1993 to find a figure equal to or lower then 2007's. Back in '93 the NL's slugging efforts came in at .399.

Perhaps unseasonably cold weather the first three weeks of the season have something to do with what is shaping up to be one of the cooler overall offensive efforts the NL has mustered in over a decade. The upcoming summer months will tell us whether the first month and a half of this season have been a fluke or not.