Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-05-10
GET SOME new MEN
Urgent Need Of Strengthening the
Local Ball Team.
APPARENT WEAKNESS OF TIE MrIELD
Fourth Successive Defeat by the
Baltimore Club.
BOOKED FOR LAST PLACE

The base ball season Is sufficiently ad-
vancsd to make one thing certain to the
local ball cranks. 1t is that Manager
Schmelz cannot expect to drag the Wash
ington club from last place with the team
constituted as at present. To be sure,
Chicago loses with equal regularity. but
Uncle Arson will surely strengthen his
team, and the local manager had better
anticipate him. In the first place, Paul
Radford. honoest, Woodworking ball player
as he is, will never fill the bill at shortstop
He has been thoroughly tried in the infield
in years gone by and had to be restored
to his proper place in the outfield. In the
second place, Sullivan has not shown up
In the form that would warrant keeping
him at either short or second. If he could
bat as hard as he falls down he would be
all right. Unless Ward should prove mt to
resume second base satisfactorily it is ap-
parent to those who have closely watched
the play Of the Senators that 1t Is abso-
lutely necessary to secure a new second
baseman and a new shortstop II II Is IN
tended to win by play and not by luck a
fair proportion of games.
Now, as to the outfield. The most per-
sistent grumbler has nothing but good
words for Abbey He plays left held all
he knows how, and that is a good deal. He
is a good batter and fine runner and Is
weak spot He is a sure catch. but he can't
run and his batting is fair and that only in
spots. Setback is a good fielder. He shows
excellent Judgment in running for fly balls
and he covers a great deal of territory. He
made splendid run for Brouthers long
fly which nearly struck the score board
yesterday, and he doubtless would have
made the catch had he not fallen when he
turned, for he was well under the ball
Paul Radford Is not a Brouthers at the bat,
but he is a good right fielder. 1t Is doubt
full. therefore, II Manager Schmelz at pres
ent could strengthen the outfield Of Abbey,
Setback and Radford. He can strengthen
his infield. however. which is weak, and the
stay-at-homes will expect to hear very
shortly of the engagement of some new
men. II not the management may expect
to see the crowds at the ball park dwindle
perceptibly and rapidly. Before the season
opened was the time to find out IL Setback
could play short stop and not in the cham
pionsnip games.
OF those who like 10 see earnest bali
playing not the kind they have been treat
ed to recently. Who could sit still and not
grumble to see big First Baseman Cart
wright attempt to steal third on Robinson
when there was a good chance of his being
batted home? Who could but growl when he
saw Radford, advanced from first on a rat
ting hit by Joyce, run half way to third
then turn in his tracks and allow Joyce
who had followed to second to be caught
In vafnly trying 10 get back to first? 1t
Isn't the fact that the home club Is beaten
that causes the spectators to kick. A we'll
played game. win or lose. is always met
with the universal remark, well, the SEN
ators played a strong game anyhow" But
such exhibitions as have been given at the
9TH street park Of late do not come within
the league base ball playing class. The
cranks would be glad to hear that Manager
Schmelz has a line out to land such a man
as Shorty Fuller. who has been succeeded
by Murphy as shortstop for New Yorks
Fuller Is not a heavy hitter, but, then,
neither is Sullivan. and Fuller does not fall
down half the time. There would be no
bowling IL II should be announced that Jack
Crooks has placed his signature to a Wash
inston contract to play second base How
ever the local cranks do not wish to desig-
nate the men TO be signed. only to call at
tentton to the necessity of signing some
men. and signing them quickly.
1t may be that john Mcmahon when he
gets well can play a good short or a good
second; 1t is known that he can play
good first. But he isn't with the team now,
and somebody is needed to play now Cart
wright fields this position we'll but he is
not up In batting, and 1t is said that big
bili Brown has been or will be released
by Louisville. Nearly every club Is carry
ing more men than 1t needs, and several
OF them will unquestionably let 20 a player
or two II the request is accompanied by
a portion OF the 1880 that was received
for Meekin and, Farrell. BY the way, those
men have proved a heavier loss to Wash
ington than they have gain to New York.
We haven't the pitchers that league team
ought to have, but the public would like
TO see the pitchers that we have backed up
properly by men who know how to play
ball and who try to play all the time.
Just look at the Baltimores. Any pitcher
could pitch well when he knew he was
supported by live men, who never lose a
point and who are on their toes all the
Time Baltimore Is mentioned because
MANAGER Hanlon has built his team up
from just as poor nucleus as Washington
has. He followed the rule, however, of
holding on to good man when he got him
ana letting go an Indifferent player when
he discovered his Indifference
Let US see some real ball playing, Mr..
Schmelz.