Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-03-03
MANY CHANGES ERE
THE SEASON OPENS
Difficult to Discuss Prospects of
the Various Major League
Teams Now.
Tendency of Managers to Cast
Away Old Timber and
Build Up With New.
By J. c. Morse.
Special Correspondence Of The Star.

1t will be a most difficult matter this year
to dope out the possibilities in either major
league race until the clubs return from
their southern trips and one can get an ad-
equate line on the real makeup of the
teams. One cannot foretell what changes
may be made in the lineup between the be-
ginning of the exhibition campaign and the
championship opening.
There is no doubt at all that there will be
many releases before the clubs reach their
own grounds. 1t is not the easiest matter
either. to decide what men to keep and
what men to let 60 for an exhibition trip
is not always the best gauge by which to
judge a player.
With so many shifts in the management
of clubs. naturally new ideas of conducting
club will follow. and 1t will take some
time before everything is in first-class run
ming order.
In the American League three clubs will
be under new Observation-Disclosures. Boston
and Detroit OF the new corners. Cantillon
and Jennings are well qualified for their
new charges by reason of their ample eX-
perience while Stahl has been so closely
allied with Jimmy Collins, the former
manager of the club that he ought to be
fully acquainted with every detail Of the
business.
If we turn to the National League we
find that the only change in management
is in an eastern club-Philadelphia-w
William J. Murray will supplant Hugh
Duffy. the latter going back to minor
leaguedom. Not another change is to be
made in the National.
Stahl will have his hands full in the Bos-
ton club. for great things will be expected
of him. The club was a rank tailender last
season. and made the worst showing ever
made in major league ball by a first-class
first rate. but that pitching corps has been
handicapped for q long time by the lack
Of hitting and good base running behind It,
Last season the batting was practically nil
were continually growing because they
were holding the opposite side down to few
hits, yet there was so little batting behind
them the club did not win. What a mock
cry the record Of games won and lost by
the pitchers under such conditions! A
pitcher will size up to excellent advantage
when his team is helping along to some ex-
tent If one sizes up the Boston club one
will find prospects Of an excellent fielding
team, but nothing that will cause any APP
prehension that the club will be any
stronger in points where it was weak last
season. Parent. once one of the leading
batsmen and base runners of the country,
has gone back. Is it because he long ago
won his spurs? He was once mentioned in
connection with the leading players in his
position, but no longer is that the case.
The 1nllelQ sizes up very weak, lnQeeU, IN
the base running department., and that de-
partment surely Is one of the most impor-
tant in a team and woe be to the club that
does not show to some advantage in that
respect OF the outfield Stahl and the new
conner, Sullivan are the only ones who give
promise of showing up at all well in this
department
Il
The tendency of managers is to cast of
secure players anxious to make regulations
for themselves and not retain men who re-
fuse to live up to past regulations. and who
receive very large salaries. but do not earn
them. That is what Ned HanlOn has done
in Cincinnati. He has cast of q lot of old
timber and has searched for the best young
sters he was able to secure. He has pro-
crossed on the principle that secured for
him pennants galore and glory in Baltimore
and he tried the same thing in Brooklyn. but
did not succeed in accomplishing results. It
seems that Patsy" Donovan has been
more successful with that team. for 1t is
generally recognized that he will do well
with the club this season. and that 1t Is
bound to make good record In the race.
1t looks as II 1t would take Hanlon time to
show results In Cincinnati. 1t Is not so
easy to build up a team Of pennant win
ners now as it was when Hanlon took hold
in Baltimore.
So with the Boston Nationals. 1t is e.
sentially team Of young blood, and Man
ager Tenney is bending his energies in that
direction, securing speedy youngsters rather
than oldtimers. who. while still able to put
up a good article Of ball. have done their
best work and are on the down grade, yet
want all kinds of money to play.
80
Certainly the new Washington manager
is a dark horse and wants to be looked out
for. He is man bound to get out Of his
men all the work there is in them. He
has some mighty good material. too, and
there is no doubt 1t has the markings Of
fast ball team. II he doesn't make q better
record for Washington. and easily at that.
city, 1t will be surprising indeed. Cantillon
has an air Of confidence about him that is
infectious. He thinks very highly indeed
OF that chap, Perrine, the innelder, and &C.