The San Francisco call., 1904-04-09
PORTLAND TEAM
LACKS VIVACITY
Its Players Rank With the
Best, but They Do Not
Work to Good Advantage

The Portland team cannot win many
ball games until Manager Fred Ely
administers little elixir of life to his
brown-hosed warriors. When the club
was origin y announced the dope stu
dents shook their heads and predicted
it would be hard outfit to beat. Dur
ing the first two weeks il was a mat
ter of general wonder that the Browns
won so few games, but ii was not long
after the first appearance here that the
reason was plain. individually il is a
fine team, but collectively it is about
the limit. There is no guiding hand
TO run things at a critical time. Cap
tain Castro has been the chief offender
in the matter Of bad mistakes of the
head.
Imagine a man, who has played in
the big leagues and is taking a post
graduate course among the minors,
playing for a runner on the lines when
two are out in the ninth inning, the
score a tie and an easy bounder is bat
ted to short field. Imagine the same
man trailing fifty feet off his bag on
a pop-up fly to the infield. captain
Castro did both of these things Tues
0de anu w 6QnESQdN anu nelDGQ Oak-
land TO a couple of unearned games In
addition to paying a goodly sum for
Castro's release, Ely is expending a
big salary to retain him. The vene-
zuelan must play vastly better ball to
merit his cost.
Hal Chase of Santa Clara continues
TO clout the ball, run bases and field
his position in grand style, but when
the .Southerners compare him with
Dillon they are doing the lad an injus-
tice. While he has all the ear marks
Of a coming star, too much should not
be expected Of him. Los Angeles might
be in the same fix with Portland but
for Dillon's headwork and manage
ment. When the leader leaves for the
East the fans will soon notice the diff
ference, as Dillon is a natural leader
and one who commands respect as well
as obedience. Captains in the big or
ganization receive $500 extra for their
labors and good ones are difficult to
find, as they are born, not made. Nor
ley does not deny the fact to himself,
hence his efforts to keep Dillon on the
payroll another season.
Rabbit" Miller was the best second
baseman in the Eastern League in 1903. !
although the records award him third
place. He is a small chap and a fielder
Of the Mohler order. His batting re-
cord amounted TO .260, or about the |
Schlafly- Mohler gait. In addition, he |
is good at sacrificing and runs bases
in good form. Manager Harris made |
no mistake in securing him and his
luck in getting such a man was due to |
Jim Morley's foresight When the |
peace compact was proposed the Los
Angeles president wanted to protect !
himself and signed Miller, although he
really had no use for him AS the name 4
was on the claim list Miller could not |
play elsewhere without Morleys con-
sent and he finally released him to
Harris rather than allow good man
to escape from the league.
Leahy and Schlahy are the first
players to sustain injuries and the loss
Of the former is a keen one at this
time, but is all for the best perhaps. !
as Tommy is in poor condition for ac-
tive duty, and the layoff. while his lee
Grated finger is healing, will do him
good. Lohman has Clancy to help out
and the absence of Schlahy is not felt
so much.
"Rube" Waddell will not be asked tod
join Portland, although he was award
ed to that club by the peace pact. Ely
has waived claim and the redoubtable
Rube will be allowed to go in peace
with the Athletics OF Philadelphia. The
Browns need no better pitching staff
than they have now. Theilman.
Shields, Butler, Iberg and Druhot have
everything that is wanted.