Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-05-27

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tanned by the Chicagos
IN - the and Louisvilles 1t Is
not likely that they will
be at all dangerous at the finish, but it Is no sure
thing regarding the other ten contestants as to
where they will be when they pull up at the
end. A few victories and few defeats will
put several Of those in the second division
among the frst six, or vice versa. Two west
ern clubs. the Clevelands and the Pittsburgs,
appear to be running away from the others, but
they have yet to make their eastern trip, and
can be confidently expected to drop few po-
sitions before that dread ordeal Is over.
Whether they have the bottom to again forge
to the front on returning to the west is ques-
ton.
The St Louis Browns set out at o clipping
pace and 1t looked like q runaway race for
them, but on leaving homo they began to
tumble and have dropped out among the lead
ing eastern clubs. Pittsburg was slow in get
ting started, but when once away showed game
ness and quickly went to the front. The club
II known for its dashing, aggressive play, and
when on the tide Of success makes the most of
it opportunities. 1t il strong in every posi-
ton, and II II has staying powers and meets
with no serious accidents should remain we'll up
In the 'front.'. In Gastright, Ehret. Terry and
Killen tt has . quartet Of four good reliable
pitchers. They are none of them stars Of the
first magnitude, but pitch frst-class ball and
cess Of Killen and Gastright of last years
Warrington nine will be watched with interest
here.
The St Louis nine, although not greatly
changed from last year, has shown q remark
able Improvement in its work. The fielding
has been excellent and the hitting hard. The
club had . great advantage in beginning with
the relatively weak Louisville team and
grippsd frmer hold on first place by its de-
fsats Of the Cincinnati Red Legs, who were weak
in the pitchers box 1t would be hard to find
an infeld that works more earnestly than the
ST. Louis. Werden. Quinn. Glasscock and
Crooks would be ball players for the love of it
II they were not such for money. They
throw their heart and soul into q game.
and probably we shall witness some
week when the Browns come. They are as full
of tricks Hermann himself, and there Ia no
team whom the Washingtons have more to fear.
But the Browns are weak In one respect, and
that il an important one this year in the box.
Gleason is their best pitcher although Breiten-
stein has done some good work. vet Gleason
has by no means shown himself to be formidable.
Cleveland the other day touched him up for
fourteen hitA The mines excellent fielding has
covered this weakness in the box to a great
cannonsding it will take the hvelIest kind Of
fielding to keen tine Senators from winning.
Cincinnati has proved Disappointing. Cham
berlain is Its best pitcher, and he is not formid
able. Mullane gives way under severe punish
ment, while Jones is an ''in-and-outer" q
spotty pitcher. The nine has had enormous
number Of men on its pay roll, and has suffered
rom Its experimenting, as matter Of course.
The outfeld has been unsatisfactory. and until
Morgan Murphy signed the nine was weak in
catchers. The hitting ability Of the nine has
not been strong. and it has only been Comiskey's
generalship and the mines good fielding that
has enabled 1t to keep a respectable position in
the race. With the nine fully settled on and
the development OF the pitchers, Cincinnati
should take fair rank. As it is now, however,
the team II not highly esteemed in the east.
Cleveland. of course, is the strongest western
team. IL IL especially strong in its batteries.
Every one knows how well the team fields.
Then there are some heavy, hitters and above
all there 10 an unusual amount of staying power
in the team They fight with determination in
the face of apparent defeat They cannot be
charged with being "quitters." Ewing has
proved to be tower OF strength. With the
disabling Of Childs, the heavy-hitting second
baseman, Ewing went on the bag ard played it
Gus accident can keep the Spiders from being
near the top, and no one would be surprised to
zee them win.
The Chicagos are a poor reminder Of former
greatness. It is but a shadow of that once
great team Hutchinson has turned out to be
done some very creditable work. The team is
very 'spotty," strong in spots. That it can
take game from a strong team once in while
IL shown by the fact that it downed the Cleve-
lands the other day. But the Senators have
little to fear when they stack up against the
Colts.
Barnie's team from Louisville have had
run Of "hard luck, there's no question about
it. II Is q good team. composed Of first-class
material, but has been handicapped by weak
pitching. Their pitchers have been a 'pud-
ding" for the opposing mines. yet in the face Of
the hardest kind of hitting the team has been
doing the best fielding Of any league team.
Barnie IL now in the east looking after pitchers.
He Is said to have his eye on Kilroy and King.
Unless he can brace up his box he cannot ex-
pect to do very well.
The good work Of the Baltimores and the
poor work Of the Bostons have been the base
ball surprises in the east. When the Baltimores
were defeated by the Senators four games out
OF six and virtually beaten in another it was
not expected that they would turn in and de-
feat the New Yorks, Bostons, Philadelphias and
Brooklyns. But they showed themselves I'M
usually strong at the bat. But Boston, New
York and Brooklyn had each only one pitcher
who could be relied upon and even they, Sti-
vstts, Rusie and Stein, succumbed to the Bsti-
more batsmen. The Baltimore infield was
some time in getting settled To begin with
they had no competent third baseman.
ORourke tried the place but miserably failed.
Re!tz ct second and McGraw at short were disap-
pointing. With the signing of Shindle the i'm
provement was noticeable. McGraw did not
have TO look out for third and Rsitz could con-
Ane his attention to his own ground. He be-
came more accustomed to league company
and justified the faith placed in him. Bill
Brown on first was a disappointment, and hard
hitting Jack Milligan took his place. As Milli-
gan 10 harder hitter and equally as good q base
man, II not better, the improvement was de-
ctded. In ORourks. Kelley and Treadway the
Orioles have an active outfeld. The latter has
already established his reputation as q thrower
and has nipped many a runner at third base
and the plate who took unwarranted liberties
with one-bass hits to right field. In McNsbb
and Mcmahon the club has two good pitchers.
Yet the team is one Washington should defeat
twice out of three games
Brooklyns only weakness has been in its
pitchers and they getting into shape. Its
place Is right up among the leaders
Nichols Is BOstons only reliable pitcher, but
Staley and Stivetts will get into form in time.
A the season progresses they are bound to i'm
prove They are a team that is liable to make
things lively for any pitcher. But the team is
not the equal Of last years team or the teams
OF 1891. They play very ragged ball at times.
When down here q number Of them were out
carousing the night before and their work in
the game was evidence. They are suiting their
work to their reduced salaries