The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1896-04-22
SCRANTOS'S GOOD CHANCE
Clubs Strength Seems Greater Than
When Solely on Taper.
A STRONG IITCnlNG CORPS
Outficld aud BaekstOp Departments Arc
All Right-Ouiy First Baseman aud
ShOrtstop Are Wantcd-Athletie
Park Improvements.

Scranton base ball epicures can have
the satisfaction of knowing that how
ever opinions may have changed dur
ing the past week or ten days as to
the relative strength of the Eastern
league clubs. this city's aggregation
has during the interval shown itself
more worthy of favorable comment
than was true of week ago when the
players reported here. In making any
comparisons, however, 1t must be noted
that practice games amount to little.
Any opinion ventured as to a teams
strength must be based upon the team
and not upon its practice playing, as in
exhibition games the great object Is to
train and drill and try the men, and
training a running horse for his big
engagements: he IL at the beginning
of training weighted and held in check
and sent a,Ong at certain gait be-
hind "a stable mate until a few days be-
fore the race. So with base ball; a
day or so before the season opens the
teams will be asked to go in and win.
the pitchers alone being exempt from
downright hard playing. For these
reasons II is repeated that an opinion
Is not worth the paper 1t IL written on
II based on a l6 to score or Il score Of
1 to 3. nor is the opinion more valuable
II put forward because of n clubs
showing against Baltimore or Newark.
An opinion Is now worth something II
only based upon the individual and
team work of the men and their con-
dition. Scores are valueless until af-
ter the season opens on May |. for not
until then will each club be doing its
prettiest.
Only in accordance with the above is
Scranton
much better than the clubs strength
on paper one week ago. The Outfield
has been found to be gilt-edged: the
pitching department surely seems bet
ter than that of Syracuse. Rochester
or Wilkes Barre and two experienced
and reliable catchers will be behind
the plate. Only, two positions give
cause for apprehension. and they are
at short and first. STILL neither pre-
sents an insurmountable difficulty.
Chiles can play first and hit possibly
as well as Tom Power. although the alb
sence of Powers generalship and
never-give-up spirit and his knowledge
of the game would be handicap.
Sweeney can play short fairly well.
but Is no hitter. Possibly Pete Eagan
or Flack would be played in the posi-
tion If McDermott does not find a
man before the season opens. At all
events. there Is enough spare material
among the men signed to tide. over any
difficulty for short time.
Scranton Is predicted safe on pitchers
for reasons that are perfectly plain and
acceptable Johnson, Brown and Hor-
ner are not experiments. If such may
be stated on the record Of any pitcher
in preceding year. That McDermott
does not release Herr. Cronln or Stem
nell indicates that all three are worthy
of further trying. 1t certainly does not
indicate that they all are weak. as
each had better than an ordinay pedi-
gree before being signed.
Wilkes Barre and Scranton each will
have a sore trial at the opening of the
season, as they begin abroad with six
games with Springfield and Providence,
and then come home for six more
games with those clubs. Providence
In particular is strong and Is through
out the league the club most generally
touted to win the pennant. Springfield
seems nearly as dangerous as last year
and that means much. Syracuse, which,
II betting were permitted. would be
quoted at about the same odds as
Providence and Springfield. should
make the best of its opening games
with Toronto and Buffalo. Rochester
UldktS tut SAME dIlu Tic re-
| suit seems now a toss-up with the
chances favoring the Canucks.
A great change can now be seen in
the beautifying and improving Of Ath-
letic park. The increased outfield ter
ritory. caused by moving the center
and right field fence, has been ploughed
| and narrowed and Is ready for the
road roller All Of yesterday five-ton
steam roller was worked over the dia-
mond and the old outfield. In the lat
ter section the improvement is SC
marked that the change will bring fits
of Joy to any outfielder who was so un-
fortunate as to jolt around the field
last year. On the diamond, too, and
behind the plate there Is great
change. the whole showing. a magni-
tude. levelness and finish that should
encourage the new owners to throw
bouquets at themselves, although such
compliment may be expected from
the cranks of long ago and by the new
hundreds of spectators that will surely
be attracted this year to Athletic park
The masonry for the grand stand ad'
dition is nearly ready to be put In place
and the woodwork will be finished dur.
ing next week. The entire property
will have been made anew by the time
of the first games at home, beginning
| Friday, May 3, with Springfield