The Washington herald., 1908-04-14
ALL TEAMS PRIMED
Open Another Championship
Season To-day.
NATIONALS ARRIVE IN BOSTON
Charley smith viii Probably lie
Opposed 10 "Cy'' Young in the
Pitchers Box in Initial Game This
AfternOOn-Prespec OF the Eight
Teams In the American League.

Special to The Washington Herald.
Boston, April 1S.-The Washington team
arrived here tonight and will open the
baseball season with the Red Sox to-
morrow. Both Cantlllon and Mcclure
are anxious to win the opening game.
Young viii be on the mound for the
Boston outfit. and 1t is supposed that
Smith, who, heretofore, has been effective
for the Nationals will be opposed to him.
Boston VIII have a practically new team
for the opening game Thoney, McHale,
and Gessler, the outfielders, will appear
al the local grounds for the first time
The same is true Of Laporte, at second
base, so far as playing on a Boston team
goes. Lord. at third. played a few games
at the end Of last season. Young, Criger. !
Unglaub. and Wagner will be the only
veterans in the Boston line-up tomorrow.
With SO many youngsters in the team
Washington's chances Of pulling of a
victory are considered godd.
Cantillon appears to be pretty we'll
satisfied with his bunch this spring.
While he does not claim that he has a
pennant winner he says the team viii
finish higher in the standing this season
than It did last.
Washington.
The Washington team is a problem
Practically all Of the forecasts from the
pens of the great men of the game have
already awarded this team the last place
in the race without the formality of
going through the season TO decide It.
There is a considerable class in a num-
Der OF the departments. Hughes. Patten,
Falkenberg. and Smith are Old-timers,
and are fairly good pitchers. Walter
Johnson, if he bears out last years in
dications will prove the best in the
bunch and CantilIon also has a good
bush league southpaw in Burns. Ganley,
Clymer, and Pickering are the oUthelders, /
while Jerry Freeman at first, Dave AL
tizer at third. Delehanty at second. and
Mcbride at short, make up the infield.
Manager CantiIlon asserts his belief that
the team is much stronger than it was
last season, and that he expects to leave |
the last round of the league ladder.
Boston.
The Boston RED Sox' have a large
number OF new men on their roster, and
the team. except in a few positions. will
be practically new one. 'Hobe" Ferris |
has gone to st. Louis. His place at second |
will be filed either by Laporte, who came
10 Boston from New York, or by Neon |
nell. the fast young player whom Man !
ager Mcclure secured from Providence. |
Freddie Parent long a Boston favorite, /
is a member of the Chicago White SoX, /
and Wagner, who played shortstop regu-
larry for Boston during the greater part |
of last season, starts the present year
without opposition.
Philadelphia.
Although minus the services of Rube
Wadden. Connie Mack is sitting tight
and saying little about the chances of the I
Athletics. He is not in a pessimistic
frame of mind, however. His infeld will
show still another change, Monte Cross
having departed to become manager Of /
the Kansas City team. Nichols, who |
takes his place, is said 10 be very fast /
and a fair sticker. Jimmy Collins. at
third. has been making things hum in the /
South When Sex Seybold gets back /
into the game the Athletics outtield viii |!
be the same as that Of last year. Schreck |
and Powers are both good catchers. and |
Plank Bender. COombs. and Dygert OF
the old guard, seem TO satisfy the wise
Athletics manager
st. Louis.
Jimmy McAleer will place in the field
team Of old-time stars. The success of |
the team is problematical 1t may be |
wonder and it may prove only a con-
tender for tail-end hOnOrs. The infeld |
has Jimmy Williams at second Bobby |
Wallace at short, probably Hobe Ferris |
or Hartzell at third. Hoffman, who went
10 st. Louis from New York c. Jones. |
and Stone are in the outfeld-
Detroit.
Hughey jennings will start the season
with practically the same team that won
the American League pennant last sea-
son, The catching department has been
strengthened by the acquisition of Ira
Thomas who viii alternate with Schmidt
and Payne Natty Mcintyre will start
the season in left field, with Davy Jones
as a utility outfielder Much has been
said about Ty Cobb and the likelihood of
his having another good year with the
stick. The greatest problem, however, !
would seem TO be whether or not any Of
the Tiger pitchers can come anywhere
near duplicating Donovans wonderful
record Of last season.
New York.
The Highlanders will present a changed
outfit. Williams and Hoffman have gone
10 81 LOUIS IN exchange Tor Pitcher
Glade, Second Baseman Niles, and Out
fielder HemphiI, all of whom viii have
regular places on the New York team
Jake SJahl, who was out of major league
ball last year. viii play in outfield.
Chicago.
The only change in the White Sox line
up is that by which Isbelrs berth at sec
end is taken by Davis. who played short
last year and whose place is to be taken
10y Freddie Parent With Tannehll like
ly 20 have a good year at third and Jiggs
Donahue at first. the Sox infield is great
one In the outfield, Jones, Dougherty.
and Hahn will still continue to play.
Cleveland.
Napoleon Lajoie hopes 10 escape another
year of the bad luck which has figured
in the Cleveland's final standing in the
last three pennant races He viii have
practically the same infleld as last year.
lajoie himself at second. Terry Turner
at short, and Billy Bradley at third make
a formidable combination. StovaI will
again play first, and is said TO have shown
improvement Josh Clarke, Hinchman.
and Birmingham are slated to start the
season in the Outheld. The catclfers are
good, Bemis and Mig Clark both being
steady and reliable and for pitchers the
old stan. with Addie Joss, Rhoades. Hess.
Lebhardt, and some new ones