Evening star., 1896-01-18
ERE THE GATESOPEN
Sizing Up the Clubs Of the Big
Base Ball League.
fHU CITY A DARK H0RSE IN fHE RACE
Improvements in the Different
Teams.
NTE-S ASON GOS SIP

ANTE IS ASON GOSSIP
Six weeks from today a majority of the
| National League base ball ciGfs will be on
| their way to southern points to secure a
| months practice preliminary to the open
] ing Of the season Of 1895. The 'sizing up"
| Of new players drafted into the different
clubs has tecone quite as important as the
| getting into form of the seasoned players.
| 1t is safe prediction that the young play
| ers will fan By the wayside like leaves in
autumn. but to find ene good enough to
hold his own in fast company out of
| dozen makes a good investment for the
| magnates.
1 With the opening of the season SO near
base ball gossip is branching out every
| where, and the relative strength Of the
twelve clubs appears to be the chief topic
The Washington club Is undoubtedly a
| dark horse in the race, and how dark it
| will remain during the season is the only
| problem that is worrying the lovers of the
| national game n this city. Few persons
| outside Of Manager Schmelz and the own
ers of the Senators are placing them in a
| higher position in this years championsh hip
race than they occupied last season. With
all the other teams so much stronger than
| they were last year, and Washington about
/ the same. II is hard to see how they are
going to do any better, even IL they do as
4 well
| De Montreviile and Lush will give addi-
| tiOnal fielding strength. and in the case of
| the short stop this will be greatly appreci-
| ated in this city, as that position has been
weak since Danny Richardson was on the
pay roll.
| A majority of the base ball writer's warn
the local club that they will have their
4 hon do full oh - oa,iSN f,i1f
| where the strength Hes in that disiofnted
young-blood aggregation is a mystery.
| With Louisville and St. Louis out of the
| race, whom does Washington expect to
| that even sterling Jim MCGUIRE will have
| hard time handling 1t.
| Baltimore the FavOrite.
Baltimore has been strengthened and is
| the favorite for the race among a big ma
Jerity. A friend. close to the Orioie man
| aeement told the writer recently that
Doyle VIII not raay first base. Hanlen is
satisfied with Carey on the initial bag, but
| is little worried about Robinson. Think
how long Robby" has been playing, and
| then wonder how long he can last. Last
year the "bleachers' were frequently call
ing for Clarke, and this in the face Of the
formers great popularity They We're quick
| to notice the "going lack" of the once
great catcher and wanted the best player
behind the bat. Baltimore will be a mark
| for all the otner clubs, but they have faced
this situation before. played together and
come out on top. This will be their third
| try, and confidence is a great factor in
base ball
Their great rival, Cleveland is backed
both east and west for championship hon
ors, and On form and reputation should
| win. Their chief handicap rs overconfi-
dence. and their chief obstacle the Cincin-
natl club. The Cleveland boys win persist
| in undertaking the red legs, and last year
lost six games straightaway before they
concluded there were other ball players in
the country. How those games wonld
have counted at the end of the season. As
| with Cincil natl. SO it Is with all the, clubs
| I'VE have won the Temple cup! Who can
beat us?~ is the self-sudatory cry of the
Cleveland boys. ana before their voices die
out they are back in the rUck fighting to
keep their heads above water. Then fol-
lows their usual grand struggle, creeping
up place by place, and finally losing by a
nose. The race will be harder this year,
and woe betide the club that gets on bad
at the start
The PazxlinS DOstoAs.
Just where the Bostons are going to land
is problematical Manager Anson Of the
Chicago club insists that they have no
chance for the pennant. but he declines to
state his reasons fer thinking 50. He never
liked Duffy, who will captain the Bossons
the coming season, and perhaps his preju-
dice has got the letter Of his Judgment
a
will be missed, although their places win
be filled by very clever players. Collins
will not be released, and Is looked upon as
being the equal of Nash already, and Ham
iIton, while better batter and base run
ner, is not the fielder or al1-around team
player that is Mccarthy.
Duffy will make every man play his best.
He demonstrated his ability with the Bes-
ton association club. and If the talent is
there it viii be brought out. In pitchers
the team will be just as strong as hereto
FORE when they uere several times cham
pions: but their weakest point however, ID
behind the bat The Bostons pulling to-
gether cannot help but be q great factor In
the race.
pugnacious player like Joyce or Doyle to pa,
the spur on them in the race, and theiI
claims would he Of the best They are
placed anywhere from first place to sixth
whether they win be stronger this year than
last, or. In fact, very much about them Ir
Nash they have obtained a man who has
had considerable experience as a captain
and he should be able to drill the men in
team work, something IN which they have
| always been woefully deficient About
the only real weakness appears to be in
the pitching department.
New York Improved.
New York is looked upon to do much bet
| ter than last season, and undoubts sdly will
Rusie, Meekln and Clarke should make q
| ciuD OF ydnlSaHS WIN IL tney playS1 TO
; gether. Tenn work will either make or un
make the New Workers the coming season
On paper, through the addition of Pfeffel
| and Gleason. they are 40 per cent stronger
but can Manager Irwin make them pull to-
gether?
Brooklyn, Pittsburg and Cincinnati are
the dark horses of the race with really GOOD
claims to be designated as such. Brooklyn
with McCarthys generalship will b,
, strengthened and the team wasn't a poo
! ore by any means without him.
Pittsbmg. with Ely. at short and Lyons a
| third, will certainly cut a figure, especial,
! with KiIlen as an additional factor The!
will always be fighters. with Beckley ant
Donovan on the team, and the club tina
wins game from the smoky city ooys viii
have to play good ball from start TO finish
Buck Ewing will demonstrate to tn,
| well-wishers of the Cincinnati Club tia
| that club has been strengthened by the re
leasing OF Latham, excellent player that h,
, is. Any close follower OF the game ha.
| noticed the friction in The club brough
about by Latham's funny remarks Irwin
who takes Latham's place. Is a good steady
: player, while the other new acquisitions
| Peitz and Ehret, are praised to the skies b,