The Washington herald., 1908-05-25


While the ante-season dopesteTs unan-
imously assigned Washington to one
Of the two rear positions in the American
League race, Joe CantIllon believes that
the Nationals will be in the first division
when the curtain is rung down in October.
II have seen every club in the league.
with the single exception of Cleveland.
in action. and, although I believed from
the start that we stood a good chance Of
being well up. l am now satisfied that
providing we meet with no mishaps. we
will be among the first four at the end
OF the season.
This business Of taking hold Of tall
end team and reorganizing It in yea.
is not all it is cracked up to be- We
spent all Of last season IN sizing up the
proposition and wedding out the undesir-
ables. and getting new blood. until
really think that we have a chance OF
getting better place than Washington
has been accustomed to occupy in the
American League.
The great question now is. How long will
IL take Walter Johnson to round into
his 1907 form after he joins US at St
Louis in about two weeks? Had John
son been able to report at Galveston and
take his regular turn in the box. il would
have meant that we would have won
about hve more games. Place five VIC
tories TO our credit. and subtract five
from the other side Of the standing. and
you can readily see that we would already
be ahead OF some Of the clubs picked TO
beat US
Even in its present form. our pitching
staff is about as good as any in the
league, and when Il comes TO fielding. I
fail 70 see any club that has four men
who can beat our regular infielders. The
fact that such a man as Ciymer is on
the bench is a pretty high tribute to our
regular Outfleld.''
The announcement that Washington has
obtained Pitcher Wood from Kansas City
is premature.
When Cantillon turned Pitcher Clyde
Goodwin over TO Kansas City he obtained
an option on any member OF that club.
but he said last night that he has not
yet made a selection. Wood has been do
ling gKeat work in the American Associa-
tion this spring, and he may eventually
land here. but Cantillon has his eye on
an infielder and will not exercise his
option in either direction until later. He
wants all the players to get a thorough
try-out before naming his man.
Poor shape OF the pitching stan is the
answer" is the way Hushey Jennings ac-
counts for the failure Of the Detroit
Tigers to be up in the race from the
start.
When the season opened our pitchers
were not able to do themselves Justice
and the result was that we dropped back
into the ruck. Summers. whom we got
from indianapolis, has shown remarkable
cleverness in every game he has worked.
and with the older fellows showing more
every day, we have commenced 10 get
back into the stride that carried us to the
front last year.
I am supremely confident that we will
be up among the leaders before many
weeks.
The Detroit Tigers will close their
series here to-day. ard tomorrow the
Cleveland Maps will make their initial
bow at National Park.
While Lajoie is not satisfied with the
way his pitchers have been going. his
club has succeeded in getting second
place. Cleveland has the same slugging
outfit as Of yore, and with better spirit
in the club the Maps have been able 10
keep up in the race.
Last year. when Stovall broke loose and
made a swipe at his chief with a chair
in hotel corridor. the Maps were pretty
well broken up internally. but Stovau
promised to be good. and has made good
He has been batting better than ever.
is doing some tall fielding.
While many fans are bemoaning the
fact that Bill Shipke is a weak hitter, it
might be we'll TO remember that the silent
third baseman is leading such stars as
Fielder Jones, Jack Kleinow, Jiggs DonO-
hue and Freddy Parent
Even Old-timers cOncede that Shlpke is
one Of the grandest third basemen that
baseball has ever known, and he will
kin about as many hits IN a season as
an ordinary third baseman will make.
The majority Of the Detroit players be-
lieve that Dutch Sterzer, the Washing
ton boy, who trained with the Tigers in
the early spring. has the making OF
great pitcher. Sterzer injured himself
early IN the year. and was farmed to
Grand Rapids, where he Is being watched
by Jennings.
The Washington Union club plays at
Paterson to-day. and then goes to Phila-
delphia. On Friday the Bandits return
TO Washington. and will remain here un-
I'll the last OF June. TWO games Will be
played with Paterson on Decoration Day.
While even the most ardent admirers
Of the outlaw team do not contend that
they would cut a dash In major league
company. the Bandits have been furnish
ing a good sample Of ball. and the best
OF It all is that they have been winning.
Washington has a good chance OF win
ming the pennant. or at least finishing
two-three, and the club will probably be
we'll patronlzed while the Nationals are
on the road.