The evening times., 1899-05-09
WORK OF EASTERN
and WESTERN CLUBS
Runs, Hits, and Errors Made
by League Teams.
An Interesting Comparison Between
the Two Sections.
Batting and Fielding HOnOrs Nearly
Even, While In Team Work the
East Has Proven Superior.

getting, batting, and fielding ability of the
National League teams up to and includ-
ing today, is very interesting.
1t shows, among other things. that while
the East and West have batted and field
ed almost equally as well as each other,
the team work Of the Eastern contingent
is far superior to that of the representa-
tives Of the wild and woolly, two more
hits made by the former being productive
of seventy-nine more runs than were
garnered by the latter.
1t might be reasonably supposed that the
hits made by the Eastern clubs were gen.
orally longer than those made by the Wes-
terners, but when it is stated that the
safeties for more than one base are about
q stand-off, the wide discrepancy in runs
can only be attributed to better work on
the bases by the Eastern teams.
All the clubs now in the first division
have been putting up q good game, but
glance at the table below will convince
one that 1t is the fielding and not the hit
ting Of St. Louis and Cincinnati which is
keeping them there at present. Unless the
Indians get their eye on the ball by the
time the Eastern teams begin their series
with the westerners St. Louis is very apt
to take a tumble.
Some OF the writers are predicting the
downfall of the Quakers when they get on
the Western circuit. Just why the club
representing the City of Brotherly Love
should be selected to fall down is hard to
discern.
1t is true that their fielding has not been
of the best, but they more than offset
their poor work in the field by heavy hit
ting, and as long as they swat the ball at
the rate they have been up TO the pres
ent time it will not be necessary for them
to lose any sleep about holding their own
on the trip. If they return home any
where near as well off they are now
they will make a better bid for the flag
than ever before. When it is considered
that St Louis has been meeting such
teams as Cleveland Pittsburg and Louis
vile, while the Phillies have been up
against much stronger ones. including the
champions of last year, it will be conceded
ed that the Quakers have done better work
than the present League leaders, having
made seventy-five more safe hits.
Another factor in the race that must
not be overlooked is the Baltimore Club.
Although Hanlon took the bulk OF the
stars of last years Orioles to Brooklyn
with him. McGraw has gotten together
hustling lot of players who have put up
a remarkably good game thus far, and II
they are as successful against the West
ern clubs as they have been against the
Eastern teams they may prove to be
stumbling block to some Of the aspirants
for the championship. NcGraw is endeav-
oring to strengthen his aggregation where
ever he thinks it possible to do so, num-
Der of his players being laid up at pres
ent.
AS 10 the Bostons, no concern is exhib-
tied by the fans at the Hub because the
team is not nearer the top now. The
Beaneaters always get of badly, but when
the hot weather rolls around they gensr-
ally strike their gait. move up and take
command, and few clubs are able, after
Boston does get in front, to lead them for
even a day or two.
The "Superbas'' are not putting up the
strong game that was expected of them,
their batting being somewhat weak.
Keeler and Kelly are the only ones on the
team who are hitting at all consistently.
The reason Washington occupies such
low position in the race is because they
have not been able to connect with the
ball for safe hits as often as was nsces-
sary 10 win, while they hold the record for
the greatest number of errors made. The
Senators have had more than their share
of hard luck, having lost half a dozen
games by a single tally. but Manager lr-
win believes that when the team gets all
the regular men in harness, they will i'm
prove in batting and team work and do
their share of winning.
The following table shows the runs, hits,
and errors made by the two sections. A
peculiar thing in connection with it is the
fact that St. Louis. with but II runs and
157 hits. has been able to retain the lead,
while it was necessary for Philadelphia
to score 1S6 runs and make 232 hits to no
third place, Chicago having taken second
place from them yesterday: