The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-06-22
POINTERS ID RANDOM
BY HUGH w. ROBERTS.

The Barons, after a weeks absence, are home again.
 They meet Montgomery this after noon. and Atlanta toward the conclu- sion of the week.
 If the Barons will pull themselves out of the air, they will win a neat majority of the games this week.
 Their defeats in Atlanta are at triheted to the fact that they cannot retain their equilibrium.
 They are rattled, this state of af- fairs being due to their almost in- numerable string of defeats.
 Had they not been rattled, they might have taken the Atlanta series, although the umpires, according to re- ports, favored the Crackers with seV- eral bad decisions. The home clubs are the favorites. Ac- cordng to this unwritten law, the Barons did we'll enough on the trips to Nashville and Atlanta. Had they won more often than they did, they would have taken one of the series. Manning was left in Atlanta. It IS expected that he will be in Birming- ham for few days this week, moving his goods to the neighboring state, and closing his affairs in the Magic City Manning did Birmingham good ser vice. and he is popular here. AS an outfelder, he covers deal of ground. and his good arm has cut off several scores at the plate. Tommy Raub's. career behind the bat is closed as far as his life in the Southern league is concerned. He will take Manning's place in right, where his speed and his ability to hit the ball. are expected to strengthen the team Holmes will become a regular catcher, and will alternate with Meek i Holmes is a valuable man, being fuu of ginger, possessing good Judgment, and an arm that can get the ball to bases. As Douglass Is with his family in Missouri, this fact necessitating the playing of Meek on first, Holmes Will work behind the stick this afternoon.
 Robinson will open the Montgomery series, and it is probable that Dr. Thomas will oppose him.
 Just at the present time Jimmy Ryan, the genial Pretzel manager, is getting it in the neck"
 The Montgomery fans are roasting him severely, first because his team lS fast sinking to the bottom, and sec ondly because he saw fit to release BaX- ter.
 This roasting, as we see it, is with out semblance of justice. If it was true that Baxter could not be con- trolled and that he was a disturbing element in the team, Ryan did well to get rid of him, although he could not dispose of him to advantage, and although there was no one to take his place.
 An anarchist, despite his ability to play the game, has no right in base ball. He Is not only worthless to the team, but he is handicap.
 Ryan's action stamps him as a man. ager of good nerve, and has made him popular with those people who under stand situations, how they come ap, and tn cir proper solution.
 From Montgomery comes the report that Baxter is being overwhelmed with offers
 New Orleans wants him, in spite of the fact that Frank has Sabrie, an ex- cellent player.
 Mobile wants him in spite of the fact that Fisher has Hart, a man of cer- tain ability.
 Three clubs in the American associa- tion want him, and want him badly.
 But Baxter is riding a high horse,
 
 his signature to a contract Fans in Birmingham do not believe that New Orleans, Mobile and three American association clubs have off, fered berths to Baxter. If they have, Baxter is doing the foolish thing when he demands bonus. He should be delighted to latch on to the pay rolls of either of these clubs. He is man of ability, every
 one recognizes, but a man who will not long finger with any reputable organ i ization.
 Nashville papers declare that Grem- finger Is a better first sacker, in every
 way, than Baxter ever dared or ever | hoped to be.
 We doubt this. However, the change might be a good one.
 Taking everything into consideration, 1 Gremnger is a better man than Baxter, and will do the Pretzels more good. ] Perry is one of the best third basemen in the league, much better than Gremjn- ger, and much better on the tertiary cor ner than Nhe was at second. Ryan is after a second baseman, and when he gets him his infield might not | be weaker on account of the dismissal of | the Moose"
 Ryan S trouble IS a 1acK or good pltcn- CTS, a trouble which every other man. 1 ager is feeling McCafferty has done well, although both his games were de- | feats Juul has a fine reputation, but as a Southern leaguer he is an unknown quantity, practically speaking. Thomas is probably the best man on
 Ryan's staff. and to date has performed very creditably. From several sources the report comes man.
 This prompts the question, What's the matter with Sabrie?" In almost the twnkling of an eye the ! Chicago Sox have obtained a longer lead in the American league than the Chicago Cubs hold in the National.
 This fact illustrates in how short a
 time revolution sometimes occurs.
 Two weeks ago, 1t seems, the White Sox were struggling near the bottom of the American league, and the Cubs had
 gained an enormous lead in the Na- tional.
 In consideration of this fact, it is a daring thing to make predictions. but, at the present time, the indications are that i the Chicago clubs will win both pennants This will cause the two, for the second | time, to meet in worlds championship series.
 The belief is pretty general that the req son for the Sox' triumph over the Cubs in 1906 is found in the fact that while the Cubs made a runaway of the Na- tional league race the Sox were fighting for honors in the American to the very