The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1906-04-26
TEAMS Line UP
Eastern League Clubs Pre-
pare for the Seasons Goa
test for the Pennaat
MEN WHO MAKE THE FIGHT
JERSEY CITY rEAN-Is WEAK IN
PITCHERS, AND INDEED IN
GENERAL DOES NOT SHOW
LAST YEARS STRENGTH


The baseball season has begun. To
day the Eastern League clubs line up in
the contest for the pennant. Every man-
ager, with whatever resoureefulness and
knowledge of players he possesses, has
been working overtime since the close Of
the campaign of 1905, when three clubs
Providence, Baltimore and Jersey City
had to fight it out to the very last day
before the Grays could be heralded as the
winners, with one object in yiew--to
strengthen his team. And it would APP
pear that the efforts of the managers
have in each instance met with success.
The weaker clubs have bent every
energy to secure the best players ayaila
Bile to bolster up the spots where they
were the worst handicapped last year.
Many 8a9tern League players were
drafted last fall by major league clubs,
Dul SIilCG lllHtI tlAu@ lIA9 6lSdSSl JuIlly
of them have been returned. Neverthe-
less, several of the clubs have had to fill
up gaps caused by the drafting of those
players who starred at the bat, in the
field or in the pitchers box last season.
1t seems to be the general opinion that
the weaker clubs of last year have been
sufficiently strengthened to warrant the
prediction that the race this season will
be close one all around. There Is bound
to be a pennant winner. and there must
naturally be some clubs stronger than the
others. The quality of baseball played
in the Eastern League is of a very high
calibre, and the first division clubs are
quite generally considered to be fully as
strong as the second division teams in the
two major leagues. A highly interesting
campaign, close race and a prosperous
season financially are not only looked for
in the Eastern League this season, but
close followers of baseball affairs un-
qualifedly predict that such will surely
be the case.
Jersey City. it would appear, will be
weaker in the pitching department than
last year, having lost Walter Clarkson,
Olmsted and Lindemann, retaining Nc
~
and Foxen. A couple of twirlers un-
available to major league clubs will prob
ably fill out the Skeeters' pitching staff.
Pete Cassidy will again be at first base,
but Joe Bean has been moved over from
short to second to replace Pattee, drafted
by Brooklyn. Wallie Woods is still with
the Skeeters this year Third base and
short field will be taken care of by selec-
tions from four newcomers into fast COM
pany-Grant, Holmes, Moore and Reil
ley. The outfeld will again be composed
of Clement, Halligan and Keister. Jer-
sey City, according to the present lay of
the land, doesn't seem to be quite as
strong as last year, but Billy Murray has
met with extraordinary success during
his career as baseball manager in pro-
ducing winning teams, and this season
may be no exception. 1t is needless to
say that Murray and the Jersey City
club owners s,,,ll leave no stone unturned
to have at least first division team.
Last spring some were optimistic /
enough to believe that Newark would
finish better than where it wound up
in fourth position-and that the local
club would, at least, beat out Je sey City. |
Similar predictions for this season have
alreacv been made. Last year the Sail
ors, as d team, led the league in fielding,
but in team batting they ranked only
seventh. Newark was then comparatively
strong in the pitching department, and,
if anything, is in better shape in this re
gard this year. AToriariky will be missed
but Carrick, Breckenridge and Bronkie
all appear to be able to deliver the right |
kind Of goods to win games, providing
their teammates give them the needful
support with the stick. Fertsch and
Pardee have exhibited Rn early return to
form, while Hesterfer, though somewhat
backward in getting into shape, should
come along and travel at his old-tima
speed within fortnight or so. Then.
there is Mccoy, recently secured from
the Washington Americans, to be heard
from.
Three good men will be behind tlre3
bat in Shea, McCauley and Ross. The
latter's work has already attracted criti-
c;sm of most favorable nature and
brilliant future istpredicted for him. Shea
was in bad shape last year, but has re-
ported this spring in fine condition. He
md McCauley, both possessing that
knowledge of the league batsmen so nee
eseary to u backstop on a winning team,