The evening times., 1896-08-06
GREAT LEAGUE PITCHERS.
Washington Is Only Credited With
One and That Is Mercer.


"Who is the hest pitcher OF the season2,s.
Is a question that is agitating the cranks
as much as ever, says the Chicago Record,
The campaign is now far enough advanced
to judge OF the merits OF clubs and individ-
uals; every twirler has now been tried out
most thoroughly, and, there seems 10 be
little reserve talent left unused.
1t looks as II the young Blood OF the season
was not in 1t TO any great extent, so far
as pitching is concerned. Hill and Fraser. of
Louisville, and McJafnes, of Washington,
have shown some signs OF ability, and some
OF the men picked up at the finish or last
fall are doing well enough. Yet the
veterans rule, and their old, willy heads
are the ones that are doing the, Whining.
Red" Ebret, in Cincinnati, is doing
as good pitching as ans body Dwyer,
Rhines, Fisher and Foreman, the rest Of
the Reds pitchers, aresall winning their
games, and yet not one OF the five Cincin-
natl slabmen was considered really great
before this summer. Its case where the
hearty confidence and honest exertion Of
the team behind them make The men vie.
torious.
Hoffer and Mcmahon, Baltimore's star
pair have been erradc this year and
neither ba sdone the work he did last sea
son. Yet they win-auybody could win
with the Baltimore teamto BACK him-and
neither has done the work he did last sea-
other nine. Pond Hanlon's young discov-
cry, has done a great deal. 70 keep Baltl
more up in the front. and there have been a
few good games pitched by Esper. Hem
ming and Garrison. Nevertheless, the WORK
or the Baltimore six has not been equal to
that OF the Cincinnati five.
Cleveland is powerfully armed in the
box. Last year had either Young or Cuppy.
been injured. all bets would have been off
with the Tebeau gang. This year Wilson.
a fotI f.f Cf Crrvrlr hn frtrn
winner aud could take the place Uf.eitffer
OF the stars as game capturer. Wallace
is u good fourth and the Cleveland quar-
tet must be regarded as dangerous clear
through the campaign.
Chicago just at present seems well fixed
for pitchers, but there is an element of
uncertainty about the work of Anson's
twirlers. Griffith can always be relied
upon; the heady little fellow has no su:
perior as a general and, with a shade
more speed, would be far and away the
best pitcher in the League. Terry, Friend
and Briggs are all given TO falling down
when games are needed, although they do
some great pitching ever and anon.
Frank Killen, the left-bander, is' doing
Pittsburg's winning. Hawley is still head
strong and erratic. Hughey is no wonder.
and Hastings is apt to prove too light for
the League.
Nichols, of Boston stands alone as the
teams one. great pitcher.
Orth, Phiiadelphia's last year wonder,
not winning games; Carsey never was
marvel and has nothing but his nerve.
Taylor is hard to govern, and Gumbert is
in the evening OF baseball life. The
youngsters, Keener and Garvin, will do
some day. Meanwhile, they are losing
games. .a,. lta .
Brookiyn's pitchers are really good.
Stein, Kennedy, Daub and Payne are all
good men. They are almost, il not quite,
as valuable as any four of the Cincinnati
pitchers, AMI yet the club can't win.
Washington can't win, because the nine
has only one pitcher. Mercer is equal to
the best, but Maui, German, King and Nc
James do not rank among the steady win
ners.
New York, under the babeful Influence
of Andrew Freedman, is lucky to ever
win at all Meekiu and Clarke could win
with any other club, but they can't with
the Giants, nor can any of the Freedman
Irwin experimental twirlers. st. Louis
has two good men-Breitenstein and Hart
-and another who may be gool some day
in Donohue, but the Browns can't do any
thing to anybody.
Louisville tries hard, but Fraser, Hill
and Cunningham, much as they are BOOM
ed by the Bourbon press, lack the deep
skill and staying powers of really great
boxmen. ..--s,. ,..,..-...
On work done so far this year. the really
great, winning pitchers, who have taken
In the neighborhood of 900 per cent OF
their games, seem to be Gnfffth, Nichols,
Young, Cuppy, Wilson, Pond, Mcmahon,
Ehret, Dwyer, Rhlnes and Killen.