The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1904-01-30
GOOD YEAR FOR
THE AMERICAN

The AMERICAN
ASSOCIATION SHOULD PROSPER
WITH WESTERN LEAGUE.
Hard to Size Up tho Team at This
Date-Race in the National League
Promises to Be Much Closer Than
Last DEMONSTRATION in American
League.
With the positive assurance that
the Western league is out Of both
Kansas City and Milwaukee, the
American association is due for q, pros
porous season this year. St. Paul
will have the use Of her down town
park all thru the season, assuring
paying attendance. Minneapolis, with
q winning team, will be one of the
best drawing towns in the circuit;
Louisville, Columbus and Toledo are
good towns Kansas City always was
a crackerjack under Jimmy Mannlng's
management, and altho it has to car
ry the weight Of being Tebeau's second
string, the town should draw we'll if it
has a first division team. In any case
it will be much better than last year,
when the team was unable to play for
some weeks during the flood, and
when Gears bunch had to buck the
Western league. Milwaukee may not
be the best, but it will be better than
last year, because there also competi-
ton is removed. indianapolis looks
like the weakest town. The Hoosier
fans have never supported anything
but winner, and even with a crack
team they do not turn out as we'll as
the enthusiasts of some of the other
cities. On the whole, however, the
association starts the season in much
better shape than a year ago.
It is too early to estimate the
strength Of the American association
teams, because few Of the managers
have given out their lineups. Louis
vile, Minneapolis and st. Paul prom
Use to make good, because in all three
of these cities experienced and sue
cessful managers are in charge. Col
umbus should do fairly we'll under
Clymer, who delivered the goods when
he was at Louisville. 1t will now be
seen how much Of this success was
due to Clymer, and how much to Te-
in charge at Indianapolis and Toledo;
Bill Phillips in the Hoosier capital,
and Herman Long at Toledo. Neither
of these men has yet proved his abil-
ity to develop a winning team, althO
both are individual players of recog
n1zed ability and long experience. It
is a we'll known fact that men who
might make good managers are often
prevented from attaining success by
the club owners, who do not allow
their managers free hand. 1t Is the
popular impression that this was the
trouble last year at Toledo, and that
Doc Reisling could have made a.
much better showing had he had carte
blanche.
Cantillon at Milwaukee had good
team last year, but one which failed
to play up to it's paper form. He is
getting together a lot of promising
men to take the places of the ones he
lost by draft. .s~a,...... ,-t.0..
President Watkins is still backward
in ann ouncing the names Of his play
ers. He has all the old Millers on his
list except Vasb1nder and Yeager,
whom he traded for Roach and Bailey
of Columbus. Both Of these are good
men, and MUNICH, the new pitcher
signed this week, comes highly rec
;ommended. OF the old Millers, Oyler,
Maloney, Sullivan, Thomas, Lally, and
perhaps one or two others, appear fast
enough for, the league, but Watkins
has not yet stated. whether they will
be retained. Captain Fox will be a
valuable acquisition, and Watty has
fast 1nfelder,s one or two outf1elders,
and some more good pitchers.
The New York giants in the Nation
al league promise to be a strong fac
tor In the race this season. The trade
by which McGraw secured bad Bilp
Dahlen should strengthen the infield
,f~111 n
to be heavier. Last year this was one
Of the weak points Of the giants, and
only the superb. pitching Of Matthew
son and McGtnnity kept the team in
the race. The club is still below the
standard In pitching. having only two
In all the giants are about twenty-fiv
per cent better than in 1908, when
they finished second.
Cincinnati also looks stronger on
paper than it was a year ago. SUIT
hoff, Hahn,, Ewing, and Harper, are
pitching staff. altho Harper was be-
low his usual form last season. KEEL
ley also has three good youngsters in
Kellum, Walker and Elliott, and out
Of the bunch he ought to get at least
one first class man. Higgins will help
that the%mtdgetI will make good. In
the outfield Kelley has Donlin, Sey-
mour and Dolan Of last years team,
and he will also. have either OdweH or
Izerwin, of louisville Kelley has the
chance OF lifetime to make good
now. and if he fails it will be because
he has not the qualities that make up
a. successful manager.
Chicago Is another team that looks
stronger than in 1903. Selee has been
gradually collecting bunch Of fast
youngsters, and last year made a won
derful record with a comparatively
green team. It takes several years to
develop awinner in one Of the big
leagues, and Selee has at last got his
team into shape to make a good stiff
will be strengthened considerably also,
and is likely to make trouble for the
best Of them. The Brooklyns and
of strength. Ned Hanlon appears to
be giving more attention to his minor
league interests than to the trolley
dodgers. Hugh Duffy may do won
sders with the. Phillies, but he will
have to do that to show a winner.
The champion Pittsburgs must
strengthen considerably to take the
flag for the fourth time, for the fight
will be fiercer this season than, in 1908.
Up to, date it is impossible to see
where the pirates have been improved
greatly. Still that great infleld and
outfield will take lot of beating. The
race in Hhe whole league should be
much closer than last year.
In the American league it looks as if
the same teams which finished in the
first division last year will be there