Wichita eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1886-1890, 1888-07-15

"A Shake-Up Likely.
The Cleveland correspondent Of Sporting
Life, writing to that paper under date OF
July z, says:
The Cleveland team is one of the sur
prises of the association race. With good
pitchers it would be great factor in the
race, but the chances are that 1t VIII
never get above sixth or below seventh
place on account of the pitchers, unless, in
deed, there is a big shake-up all around.
The management is seeking material out
side the box, when the team, standing sixth
in the race, fourth in batting and fielding
and fifth in base-running, has used seven
pitchers the best average among which is
BIS earned runs per game; this is Bakely's
showing. The other averages are: GilkS,
earned runs per game; Crowell, 2-l7;
Oberlander, 51S; Morrison, 81; Stemmyer,
2; O'Brien, rs.
This makes an average per game OF
earned runs OFF Cleveland's pitchers Of over
as During the same period the Brooklyn
pitchers had but little more than Is earned
runs per game made off them. And yet an
effort is being made to strengthen the team
and not the pitching staff! This is bosh.
What the Cleveland team needs is two good
pitchers at work. Only one more is needed.
GiIks can do his share of the work and
O'Brien will win more games than he loses
from now out Or the men are badly mis-
taken. There is some doubt about o. Brlen
success, but not much. He has improved,
but needs steadiness more than any thing
else l have always believed in Croweu
and do not know what to make Of his re-
cent bad work. The chances are that he
will soon be released.
The team records of the association up to
the end of June show that the Athletics are
entitled to first place in the race. They lead
in hitting and fielding. and are third in base
running. But it is here that the pitching
superiority of st. Louis shows Itself, for
King, Devlin, Foutz, Terry, Hughes and
Caruthers lead in the pitching work, with
Hudson and Mays right at their heels. Cln-
cinnati leads the base-running, with st.
Louis second, Athletics third ana Cleveland
fourth. Brooklyn is second in fielding, ST.
Louis third and Cleveland fourth, while IN
batting only the Athletics, Louisville and
Cincinnati lead the local team. The reason
for Cleveland, Kansas City and Louisville
being low in the race is clearly shown.
Their pitchers have been hit hard. There
are not many batters with averages over
300. Here they are: Lyons, .40i; Bier
baur, sos; Stovey, 1907; Robinson fAth-
letic), 1923, Griffin, 300; Orr, .33l; Pinck-
ney, 32s; Clarke, .3s1; Reilly, 1858; OCon-'
nor, 1876; Faatz, .313; Snyder, $50; Collins,
3O7; Browning, .S53; Hecker, 1888; Wolf,
.Sls; O'Neil, .S46; Herr, .3S3.
The leading base-runners are Welch, AZ
steals; Greenwood, 26; d. O'Brien, %;
Nicol, 50; Reilly, As; Faatz, 80: Daris, 10;
Collins, 81; Mccarthy, so; Comiskey, Al;
Latham, Al.
During the week drives have been made
for Sutton, White, of Louisville; Curtis, of
Birmingham Pitcher Nichols, of Memphis,
and Fuller, of New Orleans. Only White
and Nichols, who is a promising young
pitcher, would nave aided US. But Nichols
is Kansas City man and he has joined the
Menges and Manning group So has Curtis.
Fuller is, / suspect, to go to Louisville.
Sutton could not be heard from more than
once and must have retired or gone to the
Rochester club.
Most certainly Won der Abe had no right
TO use Devlin in the Western team. He
was not only violating the rules, but a spe-
cisl agreement made at the time he was ad-
mittc5 to the Western League. Charley
Morton did perfectly right TO take his Des
Moines team off the field. The st. Louis
papers divided on the act The Globe Dem
Dcrat admitted the correctness of Morton's
action, but thought be ought to have played
under protest The other papers were Won
der AhesQue.
There was startling division among ne
pther journals, one of our local papers
headed the news; Morton Bad Break
Verify school of baseball instruction for
rising journalists is needed. do not know
whether Des Mones did or did nosget its
guarantees for the two games. Some of the
st. Louis papers told Morton he had lost
them, because he would not play under pro-
test. If not, there is a board of arbitration
that will see that they are paid. There Is
no law or justice on st. Louis side and such
tricks as the one of ringing in Devlin ought
to bring out a fine. every time.
There Is not one town in the United
States that gives such poor support 10 q
great team outside st. Louis. There were
less than 1000 people to see the Clevelands
play four fighting games against the Browns
last week. and the Browns fought their way
10 the front during them ard only won be
cause they played admirable ball. As l
understood the situation. the town never
was or is a good baseball town and the
sooner Won der Abe, Comiskey and his team
get out of it the better it will be for them
and the association. Won der Ahe is "a 900
or $4,000 out on the season and seriously
contemplates change Of base. New York
isn't open, else the New York club wouldn't
lease grounds IN HoSoken, and it would not
surprise me If the Browns were shifted TO
such Q town as Buffalo this season fl
was in the baseball business for cash and
had such team as the Browns TO locate, Id
turn my eyes 10 Cleveland. O., and the Ma
tional League. This is a league town. A
season and half in the American Associa-
tion with its jerks and public qnarrels has
convinced. me of that. With . Comiskey
and such a team as he has in Cleveland,
$4,000 season at least could be earned.
Newspaper canvasser ca rev years henceJ
Don't you want 10 subscribe 10 the Daily
Cssdtiscyr' American citizen - No. I've
got no use for newspapers" "Don't see
how that can BE-" Why. you see, I have
. private wire Of my own to the baseball
grounds. s1Omaha World
ssMariA,n sid Brown to Mrs. B, "the
married men IA our place are gong to play
, game ef baseball with the single ones"
''Weu, if the married men are al like you,"
replied Mrs. Brown, they'll lose the
game" "Whyf" "Thcy'h be too long in
IetAing home. IN =. Tsms.