Daily Yellowstone journal., 1890-05-11
THE BOSTON TEAM
Its Chances for the Players
Pennant Seem to Be Good.
RADBOuRNE IS IN GREAT FORM.

The Boston team of the Players league
have struck a gait that is fast making the
teams APPRENTICESHIP that they will get the
largest share of that 10000 in prize money
10 which all in common must contribute
at the end of the season. The way Capt.
Michael J. Kelly and his assistants are
pounding crack pitchers and rolling up
runs and victories Is well calculated to
worry their adyersaries, particularly the
New York brothers, who do not appear to
be in il at all. II this thing keeps up much
longer they will be calling some Of these
invincibles cracked pitchers.
There nave already been many surprises
in the memorable campaign just opened,
and one Of them is the remarkable form
shown by that old war horse Radbourne.
OF course it is early in the game to make
predictions. but IL Radbourne holds his
speed and Stovey, Richardson, Nash, Brou-
theirs and Kelly keep up the lively can
nonading the lively Keefe ball is receiving,
the gentlemen from Boston will come pref
ty near winning the Brotherhood bunting.
At any rate il looks now AS IL the guess ]
ventured to make some time since-that
Boston. Brooklyn, New York and Chicago
would wrestle for first money-was well
founded, save rs regards New York. And
there il no certainty that New York will
not be in il before long. IL won't do to
count Brother Ewing out Of II yet. Ii they
do not get too deep into the cunsomme,
Bucks team will strike a winning gait
soon, and when they do they will make it
lively,
So far H. Bucks team 90 they are not
the same old Giants. Figure il as you will
the loss Of Ward, Herman aud Welch has
made a yacnum Ward was frequently ir
regular. but when the Giants got into a
tight place he was nearly always ready to
pull them out. They used To say out in
indianapolis that Mike Herman was a
demon with the stick. Certainly those
hunts and hard drives Of his were handy
adjunets to victory. And Welch-wcll,
Mickey and his smile were Of some value
in spite of the fact that since he refused to
sign a Players league contract his old com
rades have voted him a stiff. The reasons
for the many defeats of Ewing's men in the
past two weeks are not mysteries. Bucks
pitchers have been hit hard and his out.
felders have been a bit slow. That's all
there is TO il. Buck has read the riot art to
all hands, and unless there is some ball
playing pretty soon there will be some sur.
prises.
The Buffalos nave surprised the country
by their success, and the Chicagos have
been somewhat Of a disappointment. Com.
iskey has not got quite the work out of
them that they are capable Of doing, but
"a, .-..., sha. do nnt saa,,, 20 ku.. ru,,h
to fear except Boston and Brooklyn.
Wards team have certainly done splendid
work SO far. and will do better as the sea-
son progresses. Their victories from Bos-
ton and New York are u pointer that they
are likely to keep well up with the process.
sion.
In the League race the surprise has been
the good hall played by the Philadelphia,
Boston and Chicago colts. who have kept
well TO the front and seem to show no dis
position to let go.
All three teams are playing magnificent
ball, and have seemingly, for the time at
least, eclipsed the veteran teams of New
York, Brooklyn and Cincinnati. Mutrie's
aggregation have made no better showing,
20 far as position is concerned, than Ew-
ing's men, for both teams are ornaments Of
the rear division. and well In the rear, too.
Still they have played good ball. The
main trouble seems TO be a lack Of effec.
tive team work and the aptitude the stars
of the team nave shown in making costly
errors. But with such pitching and base
running talent rs the team %undeniably have,
they will not long remain in the back
ground. They have the material to win
the ~pennant, and Manager Mutrie, like
Manager Ewing, is confident that before
the list Of June his men will be well to the
front.
Sizing up both teams, I think Mutrie
will be nearer the top than Buck will when
the two teams go on their first western
trip. The western teams, with the excep-
ton Of Cleveland, have been holding their
own against each other during the opening
games: but IL Is plainly evident that Cleve-
land and Pittsburg are not probable candi-
dates for first place honors. The Bostons
are doing the best batting, but seemed to
lack intelligent direction In their games at
Brooklyn. They have a great lot of base
runners, but unless their ambition in this
respect is curbed when they are hitting the
ball out Of the lot, II will lose many Ames
for them before the season closes.
The Brooklyn team seem u be suffering
from the same trouble that has beset the
New York Brotherhood team. Their
pitchers are not in proper form, but I think
this will merely be temporary. Caruthers
has pitched one good game and so has
Hughes. A few days Of good hot weather
will greatly help Byrne's pitching talent,
because physically all the pitchers are in
good condition and have taken good care
of themselves all winter. Summed up the
colt teams Of the league have the call at
present, but the indications, TO me mt least,
are that before the end Of June New York
and Brooklyn will be well up, making n
pretty race with Chicago, Boston and Phil
adelphia. The weakness Of Philadelphia's
team IL 10 the box, and IL will he apparent
when the heavy stickers begin to get their
eye on the ball In earnest, and Chicago will
suffer from the same cause before long.
So far the Players league teams have
done more batting than the National
league teams. Indeed, the Brotherhood
pitchers have been pounded all along the
line. Il Is too early yet TO figure out, II II
car be figured, how much Of this Is due 10
the eighteen inches added to the pitchers
distance. Tim Keefe says that II In due
mainly to a too lively ball and the fact that
the pitchers are not In condition. Tim. In
my judgment, has hit the nail on the head.