Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-09
Cincinnati Looks to Be the PEN
nant Winner.
BOSTON IN SECOND PLACE

tonal League the different base ball writ
ers generally select their home club for
pennant honors, and thereby weaken their
arguments. For this reason Washington
newspaper men are unbiased, as the Sem
ators are just few chips shy of being
champions, but we have hopes and the ma
tional game is so uncertain that we may
nave these gay expectations crystalline
into good. hard facts.
The Senators can be put in fourth place
They have big chances of going higher and
cannot slip below that position The pitch
ing stan of the Washington club has all
the earmarks of being extremely strong in
Mercer, Amoie, weighing, Dinneen and
Donovan. while the catching staff is the
best In the big league. The strength be-
mind the bat will prove larger factor in
winning games than many people, who do
not read the game between the lines can
imagine Mercer and weighing do not
need the headwork of our great trio of
catchers, but the other members of the
pitching corps are young, and while their
work was exceptionally good last season
they did not have the support, both behind
the bat and in the field, that they will get
from the Senators the coming season.
rake Dinneen as an example He has all
the curves in pitchers repertoire: good
speed, and cool, shrewd head on his
shoulders. With Farrell or Mcclure back
Ing him up and knowing all the batters as
| they step to the plate. it is almost fore
gone conclusion that the slugger will have
| a hard time placing the bali safe. Amole
mad good coaching from Robinson of the
baltimores, but his stay within the Oriole
camp was short, and Farrell and Mcclure
will continue his instructions. Heeedwork
VIII play a prominent part in the Senators
games the coming season and will land
them many victories. Looking the WASH
ington players over critically. it will be
noticed that there is not dullard among
them. In the matter of base running field
ing and playing the game between the
| lines it is believed that there is not a
stronger aggregation in the National
League than our own Senators. Their
slight weakness in batting and pitching, as
compared with three other clubs will about
land them fourth.
The club that will carry the champion
ship banner next fall looks very much like
| the Cincinnatis. Manager Ewing has been
building up that team for the past three
years. every season getting better and it
| looks as if he had about plugged up every
weak point developed in the aggregation
last year. Other clubs have been strength
| ened since last fall. but none SO much as
the Ewingites. Their frffield belongs to the
old class styled as "stonewalls," the Bos-
ton four being the only quartet of infielders
| that are in their class. Their outfield has
been strengthened in every way. 1t is
stronger with the bat. better in the field
and on the bases. and the letting out of
Hoy will help the club. No matter how
good n an Hoy may be, he bothered the
other men on the7team on account of his
disabilities. The aeldees on both sides of
him have admitted they were afraid of COL
iisions. and N the matter Of quick change
In signals many shrewd plays were lost
Sehind the box the club will do very well,
but in the pitcher position the Cincinnati
club has been wonderfully strengthened
with the backing the Red Legs will give
him, Hawley will win IS per cent of his
games. IL not more. Hill should prove a
wonder, and everybody knows what Brei-
player Stefnfeldt gives promise of being a
wonder ana Mcfarland and Holiday in the
same capacity fortify the club all around.
For second place the Boston club has the
best chance. The Beaneaters will fall
short Of first place. but by a very narrow
margin. so small, in fact, that luck will
play an important factor. Boston has been
basking In the sunshine Of the lucky god
dess for some years, and it looks as if Gin
cinnati is due for little Of this encourage
able it to land the flag. Nichols of course,
will be signed at his price, as without him
the club gets out of the class of probabili-
ties.
Manager Joyce's New York aggregation
should get third place Many writers have
tipped this club off for championship hon
ors, but the old fault of a poor start will
handicap them. Around about the first of
July the Giants will hardly be in the first
column, but when they commence to climb
they will forge TO the front with their usual
| rapidity. First place will be within hailing
distance, but two strong propositions. Gin
cinnau and Boston, will head them oft, and
| the games lost at the start-off will look like
mountains. JOyces pitching staff is won
derfully strong. and without it the aggre-
cation slips back to almost an equality
with st. Louis Give the Cincinnati club
| the New York twirlers and the Red Legs
would never be headed from the start to
the finish Of the season.
belongs to the Clevelands Manager Te-
| beau can talk championship prospects ali
| he has a mind to. but the Indians look
| weaker as the seasons fit by. Cuppy is
out Of it; his arm will have to be given a
years rest, which leaves Young the
main standby. Young is not a Rusie and
will not improve: in fact. he looks as If he
is due for. a slip backward. With the
Brush resolution enforced, considerable of
Cleveland's strength Is taken away, as the
aggregation will have to play clean ball
and lose many games through trying to be
gentlemen on the ball field.
In placing the clubs, the question of just
how big slump the Baltimore club will
take the coming season is a hard one to
solve. Discord has broken out In the ranks,
worse. in fact, than last year. and the dis
tions that they cannot be replaced The
breaking up Of the great fnf1eld of last
season will prove another extremely hard
handicap to overcome. Another defect that
will show itself before the season Is a
month old is the loss OF Jack Doyle. Bou-
quets are not thrown at Jack because he
Is senator this year, put simply at his
personality. The iOriole aggregation at
three distinct times last season gave all
the indications of quitting, but the ener-
getic, indomitable will of Jack Doyle kept
them down to the grindstone. SO that they
got the Temple cup series and lost the flag
by an eyelash. The catching department
will be weakened, as Robinson is thinking
seriously of quitting the game and signed
this season only 1.-THE earnest request Of
Manager Hanlon tRobby knows his base
ball days are numbered and he would like
to quit at time when he is classed as
first-rater. The club will not finish higher
than sixth. and may goa great deal lower.
Brooklyn should land in the seventh
place, and may GUST Baltimore out of the
sixth position. A great deal of Brooklyn's
success depends upon Jones at short stop.
Should this young man prove success in
that position. the clubs ability to defeat
the strong clubs and fall down before the
W ak will continue throughout the season.
Tucker will strengthen the Bridegrooms
wonderfully, but their weakness In the box
and behind the bat Is a serious handicap.
Philadelphia will do well to land in