Dalton Jones Average Plummets 25.8 In April

FenwayNation's Dalton Jones Industrial Average (DJIA) experienced a precipitous decline in April—falling 25.8 points to 74.2. The drop in the Index was fueled by declines in confidence with all key metrics, but most tellingly in relief pitching (-35.5) and starting pitching (-21.3).

FenwayNation offers its readers this monthly reading of "The Mood Of The Nation" through our exclusive Dalton Jones Industrial Average. Named for the all-time Red Sox pinch-hit leader, the average is a composite index of four key metrics: starting pitching, relief pitching, total offense and total defense. The initial 2012 preseason reading from our panel was normalized and set to 100.0 as the benchmark reading for the remainder of the year. The editors of FenwayNation have selected a panel of readers from throughout the world to weigh in every month on the state of the Carmine Hose. The Index number—and its fluctuation up or down—has proven, over the years,  to be an accurate bellwether of actual performance.