The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1897-04-12

Heroes OF the Diamonds.
The Boston Herald in making q fore
cast of the strength of the national
baseball teams for the season of 1897
says:
"The league baseball clubs are now
made W FOR the season and some in
teresting comparisons are possible. The
drying out process has begun in most
of the clubs. and when the regular
season begins players who fail to show
sufficient ability will be dropped.
"The champion Baltimores should be
stronger If anything this season. The
club is better fortified in pitchers. 1t
has Mc(iraw back at third which
means an Improvement in hitting and
base running, and the batting strength
Of the team is improved by the acces-
sion of Stencil. The latter is not the
equal of Brodie as a fielder or as
base runner. In Quinn the club has a
fine substitute infielder, and in OBrien
a finer substitute outflelder. No CLUB
is better provided for emergencies.
Boston carries a smaller roster than
any other club, sixteen men. 1t has
heavy pitchers, should be very tast
in all departments, and keep down run
BtlllHB OIl lut pal VI lho OpPShNsAN ~
minimum.
BILLY" BARNES TEAM.
Manager Barnie of Brooklyn has
some excellent material and will be able
to present team that can keep its
opponents guessing a good part OF the
time 1t should make a good record in
the field, being fairly strong at the bat,
and very uncertain quality in base
running.
The ChiCagos can be termed team
of giants and sure to show up very
strongly. The club has secured a great
pitcher in Callahan, a young man of the
Griffith order, and Denzer is also spoken
well of. Friend should be more effect
i've than he was last season. Young
Connor of the Western league, a Dan
vers boy, will try conclusions with the
veteran Pfeiffer at second. Both out
field and intield will be taken care of in
first-Class style.
Cincinnati made ten strike in Sc
curing Breitenstein. by all odds the
best left-hand pitcher in the country.
The catching department has been fur
ther strengthened by the signing Of
Shriver. Corcoran will doubtless be in
line when the season opens, and his
holding off is advertising him as well
as the Hub.
"The Clevelands will make 1t hot
running for the champions this year if
any club does. The club has secured
a hard-hitting, fast-running, and fine
fielding outfielder in SockaleXis. In the
pitching department, too, the club is
stronger.
louisville should be stronger this
year than last. If the club is well
handled. In Catcher Butler, the best
backstop by far in New England league
was secured. Young Magee should
make a success as league pitcher.
The change in the infield, Werden go
ing to first base and Rogers to second
should help the team a great deal The
outfield is one of the liveliest in the
league today.
NEW YORK NEEDS RUSIE.
"The New York catching department
is not uncertain. The club needs Rusie
to be considered in the race at all
Meekin falls far short of being the ev.
ery-day pitcher the big man is, Do.
heny promises well and Gcttig is sai6
to have great speed and to be a very
capable pitcher. The club has a full
nine of pitchers, and ought to have
three fast ones out of the whole mum.
Der. Stafford may come up to Captain
Joyce's expectations in left field, bu
up to the present time he has not Sc
the. world atire by his work in an,
position he has picked in the club.
"If past work of the players goes fol
anything Philadelphia ought to pleas,
Its friends. a cracking good pitcher
was secured in Pitcher Johnson, o
Scranton. and another good man il
Fifield, of Delaware. Ii looks as /
Harley would replace Cooley in tn,
outfield, II Geir and Gien succeed il
showing up we'll at shortstop, as look,
probale, the infied will be well bal
anced.
"Pittsburg viii be considerably strong
er than was at first anticipated. Bier
bauer is one of the finest second base
men in the country and will greatl,
strengthen the inheld. The club canno
be regarded as a first division team
and looks the weakest of the lot.
washington has a lively lot of play
ers that are likely to keep their Oh
ponents hustling all through the sea
son. 1t should land we'll in the secont
division"