Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1894-09-18

crease their standing. Anson's nine OF
largo young players is, as usual, coming
| up fast when it is too late. The veteran
does not deal in buncombe when he says
he would yet land well up toward the top
if he had either the Cleveland or New
York pitchers to hold down opposing
mines in batting.
The Clcvclands arc handicapped by the
absence of Childs, and as the nino is now
made up it is nearly the weakest batting
combinations in the National league. Still
they have pitchers which in degree offset
that weakness, q point of advantage to
| which 1 called attention early in the sea-
son. The Pittsburgs' batting is satisfnc-
tory, but they are weak in the box" II
any western team ends tho season in tho
front division, it will be either Cleveland,
Pittsburg or Chicago. 1t would not sur
prise me to see the ChicaSos pass the Pitts
burgs before Sept 80. W. -.
The Baltimores have strengthened what
seemed for u time to be fatal weakness.
kid" Gleason is pitching strong game
for them, and Esrer is doing better than
he did in Washington, probably because
his field support is better. The New
Yorks are encouraged by the fact that
German appears to have rounded into
form, thus giving them a set of three of
the best and most reliable pitchers in any
League club. Tho finish among tho three
leaders should be memorable one.
This year the interest is not conferred
alone in the winner of the pennant. There
is almost az much desire among the teams
themselves to get second place as to win the
| championship, because the first two teams
in the race will have that October fight
for the Temple cup, which cost 500, but
which will be worth probably $4,000 or
$40, 900 to the contestants and as She
members of the two teams will divide the
net gate receipts of the series in proper
tions of IS and IS per cent it means from
| $500 to $500 extra money for each player
of the contcnding clubs. A knowledge of
this fact will cause the baseball public to
watch the struggle of the teams to win
out "sccond or better" With more than
usual interest, l know from personal in
| formation that the Bostons arc anxious
that the New Yorks shall get the place, "
| for in that event most of the games of the
extra series would be played in New York,
| where the patronage is SO much greater
than in any other city. IF we can't win
It,, )" said one of the Bostons to me few
| weeks ago, I'VE would like to see the New
| Yorks get it and let us in second. To tell
| you the truth, tho boys would almost as
soon be second as first if New York could
| end at the top. But of course we shall
| rndeavor to win every game"
As the race reaches the homo stretch the
| l2plorable weakness in pitchers becomes
| more and more apparent, and the scores
| grow larger and larger. The hope of some
that when the dog days came a few of the
"disappointments" would round to- has
not been realized, and it looks as if the
ranks of the order of has beens" will be
materially recruited by the deadwood
| from National League clubs. Let us look
over the list. The Bostons have one pitch
| o., Nichols, upon whom they can mostly
! depend, but Stivetts and Stalcy are weak
Mt times, whilo their new man from the
Pennsylvania State league, Hodson, hasn't
| given great promise.
Perhaps New York is better off than
any club in the League if German may be
said to have recovered from the effect of
his last winters illness, as seems probable.
In Rusio, Nleckin and German the club
viii como very near to having the three
leading pitchers Of the League. Brook
ltli > corps Is tITdtlC. NHcl hCautuy WAS
invinciblc, Stein was useless Now Stein
is away up, and Kennedy is away off.
Daub Is unreliable, and Lucia. tho new
| man from New England, has not been
thoroughly tested.
Philadelphia has not first class pitcher
| in the team and most of them arenot even
mediocre. Washington has star in Mcr,
GER The rest are uncertain and not of moro
than fair ability. Baltimore can depend
on Mcmahon. Gleason and Espcr, with
good field support, should do fairly well.
The west is worse off yet. Pittsburg
| mover knows whether its pitcher will be
| bottcd for 90 runs CT three or four. Dwyer
Is the only "ty7irlcr" in Cincinnati who
can be called even mediocre. Brietrnstein
is st. Louis only card Anson has Griffith
| ard three or four other pitchers who are
hammered with regularity. Louisville
can't Claim one star on its pitching staff.
Cleveland alone OF the western teams has
| two good men for the center.
II all tho newcomers Of the year Griffith
| ar.i Mercer clone have risen to promi-
| ncncc. Mercer is the wonder Of the year.
His great work against the Bostons, Cleyc-
lands and philatlclPhias stamps him as a
pitcher who has q brilliant future. Hc is
yC ung and for Il man of slight build has