The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1907-05-05
By THOMAS S. RICE.

ington trading Jake StahI to Boston for
any other player than Tannehiu whom
President Taylor is not inclined to give
After New First Baseman.
Secondly. Washington is now angling
for a first baseman of experience and
acknowledged worth who. It is con-
fldently predicted, would be as good as
any in the American League with pos
sibly two or three exceptions.
There are good reasons why this first
sacker should leave the club be is now
with. and the reasons are in no way con-
nected with his work on the field
They are entirely personal but power
full and it is not likely that his wish
to find a new berth will be permanently
baked by the men for whom he is now
playing.
Up 20 midnight last night no offers had
been made in reply to Washington's cir
cular telegram to the other American
League clubs asking for offers for Jake
-ahl Chicago is willing TO buy him
, for real and ready money, but Can
tillon is IN no hurry 10 accept this coin
If he can get his value in shoe leather.
Hopeful of Trade.
The washington chief believes that
somewhere in the other seven clubs
there is a good man who does not Just
fit into the combination he is now
mingling with and would prove a val
liable acquisition II he could make a
change, and as the club has a week in
which TO dicker, neither the Chicago
nor Boston propositions will be accept
ed until everybody has had a chance to
say something.
Speaking Of the washington team
yesterday and its recent reverses, Man
ager Cantillon said:
"You can't get more out of a jug than
there is in it. Therefore. why should
the fans become peevish about the show
ing of the team here2
Cantillon's Eyes Opened.
"AIl we can possibly hope to do Is TO
get the best baseball possible in the
material at hand, and that is what
am trying 10 do. And that is why I
am making the changes in the lineup.
1 had never seen the Washington team
in major league game until this sea-
son, and no man can tell the answer
about e team until he has seen it go
against others in its own class.
when we started out in the spring,
I picked what I thought was the best
combination to get away with. and have
since studied II carefully I have found
a number of decided weaknesses in the
work alield and at the bat and on the
bases; hence I considered it best to try
to plug up some Of the holes by shift
ing the men at my disposal. How this
will turn out. l can't tell any more than
the man in the moon; but my opinion
is that the team viii be strengthened
all around.
washington hasn't a pennant win
ner. or the makings of one. but I pre-
dict confidently that the club will not
go along losing long series of games in
row. as some others are doing. We
will win games, and many more Of them
than the managers of teams that are
intrinsicaly better will expect.
Grounds for Cheerfulness.
I'VE have not set the world afire, but
IL must be remembered that we have
broken even with New York, which is un-
doubleday the strongest American
League team in the East. We have mis-
cued in the last two games with Boston,
but the Boston pitchers simply served
up an article that our boys couldn't
touch, and that's what major league
pitchers are paid to do.
Our own twirlers are in shape, and
Will deliver the goods just as well as
you could expect considering the re-
mainder of the team. For instance,
Case Patterns work this season in win
ming three straight games from New
York is the talk Of the circuit, yet to-
day he was driven out of the box 10y
Boston, tailender. That's a sample of
the way things break for you in base
ball. If it were not for this element of
chance and uncertainty, and the result
of each game could be absolutely foretold
as soon as the batting order of the two
contenders were announced, then there
/ wouldn't be even a ground keepers as
sistant to see the games.
Likes Washington Fans.
The fans here have some of the play
ers in the air at times. but 1 think the
| Washington fans are very fair and re-
markedly loyal and appreciative, and
am going to go the limit Of my re-
sources and the teams TO give them a
run for their money