Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1897-12-11
Mr.. WAGNER PLEASED
The Local Team Much Improved by
the Recent Deal.
BRAMY INSfEADOF MACHINEPLAYERS
Looks for the Senators to Improve
Their Rank.
URRENT SPORTING NOTES

As given out in The Star last evening
| Mr.. Earl Wagner and Capt. Tom Brown
arrived in Washington yesterday afternoon
from Baltimore, where the pair had con-
Guided the deal for the exchange of Doyle,
Reitz and Amole for DeMontreville, Nc
James and Mccain. Mr.. Wagner brought
the documents in the case with him and
turned them over to President Young for
Official tabulation and announcement.
An Evening Star reporter found Messrs.
Wagner and Brown in close consultation
with President Yourg when he called
at the latters Office on G street and in a
few minutes the Washington base ball
owner was free for talk with the base
hall public
How does the deal strike your" were
the first words Mr.. Wagner uttered as he
sEcok hands with the newspaper man. do
You think We have made a mistake in ex-
changing mechanical ball players for
brains? We have the best end of the deal
as it stands today. If McGann is the great
man that all managers and players claim
then there is chance of the deal breaking
even.
All the managers previous to Brown had
a 6esirc to develop .phenoms.' We have
changed our policy end in the future Wash
ington will not be Kindergarten for 9TH
er clubs. The club. with the addition of
as the best of them. will contain only one
or two mechanical players
without a first-class infield A club cam
not win. Take the first five clubs in the
championship of 81 except the
New York club because their pitchers pull
ed them through-all of whom had great
iEhelds. The only place that L feel the
least bit anxious about is third base, and
yet we have three fast young men to select
from for that position-Smith. Leahy and
Wagner.
The pitching force of any club is more
or less lottery, but we think we are all
right there, especially if Swain can mas
ter a quicker motion while delivering the
ball. SO as to hold runners closer to the
bases.
LAS an illustration of the strength of the
senators next year place the following
team in the field: Farrell, Mercer, Doyle
Reitz. Wrigley, Smith, Setback Brown ard
Gettman. There is a team that will aver
age in batting strength .312. There Is not a
slow man in the nine, and as for brains
they have the gray matter to give away.
AS an offset to the above nine let me
name the nine that represented Washington
quite often last year: Mcclure, McJames,
Tucker, o Brien, DcMontreville. Reilly. Sell
bach. Brown and Abbey. How does it show
up in comparison? Yet this latter asgrega-
ton won games for last year.
Last spring l placed the senators in the
first column. but only saved myself through
a tie for sixth place, on account of tie Bos-
tons lying down to the Brooklyns in the
last series. Now, should our pitchers come
within 70 pei cent of what expect of
them | am confident and make the ,redic-
ton that the senators will be in the first
four IL 1S.,S.
AS to our extra players, you already
know, Reilly goes to Minneapolis: Casey
and White will be returned to Toronto, and
Tucker and Seybod are being negotiated
Cor. Catcher Snyder will be retained,
Harvey Smith tells me ne is a conner in
every sense of the word, and who knows
but that he may be able to work himself
| Tnp ipfell Smith I..alV and W3g-
ner are all possibilities, and will be carried
throughout the season..