The Washington times., 1908-02-14
Ban johnson ADVISES
Against Purchasing
Too Many Youngsters
Major Leagues Put to Useless Expense and
Make Minor Players DisSatisfied-the Sting
inq of Griffith-CantllOn's Uncertainty
By THOMAS S. RICE.

Ban Johnson has come to the front
with a very sensible suggestion.
The idea of the American League
president is substantially that major
league clubs make a mistake by buying
every year a whole raft Of players
whom they cannot possibly need. II a
club has q stonewau inheld which is
sure to be retained the following sea-
son. what's the use i'm drafting or pur-
chasing ive or six more infelders from
the minors when there is no earthly
hone that any one of them will sup
plant a veteran? The same is true Of
the outieIders. Also, If a team has
three reliable, braIny old catchers, what
doth il profit the manager TO spend a
bundle of money experimenting with
fleet Of backst3ps who are sure 10 be
returned to the bush leagues before
they are even given trial in fast COM
pany?
Does Game Harm.
The indiscriminate drafting and buy
ing. thinks Johnson is doing the game
more harm than good. 1t is heavy
cynense on the major league clubs, ana
il Injuries scores Of youngsters. VINO get
a svyeued head when they are picked by
q major club. and become thoroughly
dissatisfied when they are calmly tossed
back TO the lower ranks after their
visions Of major glory and salary.
Johnson suggests Inal a cup u ,.3f1t1
y-1rIug stcrs only for positions IN Wiilcil
il knows il is especially weak. ana let
well enough alone In the others w H5iii
we remember the coupaI allNeLy $40 $50
number of finds who make GOOD inns
is not a bad tip
0r mis- suggestion, SO many good WITT
ars have broken in fresh from lAt VI
IeEe or bush ranks JaaL t. .l,5,7, +57,te5
nv competent judges may ne 81 if
enough phenOm. and the majors " -,
probably go right ahcad signing 49, -
promising twirler suggested 10 'ils.i i-, -,
Won never know when you are 6o-l.s -
RIM across a man who has the hdluIa'
ability 10 pitch, such as Walter JoliSoi'
Fielders Must Have Experience.
Ry+ Johnson's idea does not apply to
other positions. No matter how good an
athlete a man may be. or how good an
eve he may have for the ball, 1t Is al
most a million TO one that he VIII not
be able TO keep the pace in fast COM
many unless he has had a long, Cruel
ing course in the minors. They may
start well. but they scarcely ever last.
Jack Knight is a case in point fresA
from the Philadelphia hlgh schoOls' ne
was a wonder for the ALnleucs IN lliS
rrsr wear in professional baseball. DuJ d
new broom sweeps clean and arter the
pace began 10 tell Jack began 10 sllde
backward until he finally drlfted out
OF the American League. a man may
get by as a natural-Dorn twlIleI' Du1
,helders are made as well as born
Cliff Partnership made his minor
league reputation as a catcher and was
a backsLDp Tor Seattle when signed Dy
Westminster. in 1907. but President Noyes
expected him to play first for WaSnlhS-
ton. Some chow. Cautillon got the sdea
lankens.IlB was not only uOta hrst-sack-
a- bur neve-. would become one. hence he
was played behind the bat last season
and Cliff was hurt so often that the
club got little return for his salary.
Bl1l- kenship is now wanted To play first
for Cleveland, Int declared he VIII re-
main on lie 40 ST. Cleveland has re-
fused 10 waive on him, thereby dock
ing CanIiuOns plan for sending him TO
the minors as punishment for his OBJ
stiuacy in refusing TO sign a Washington
contract Should Blankenship join
Cleveland and play the initial corner
Washington fans viii be much inter
eSted in his career as evidence OF Wneth
er or not Cantillon was right IN h-s
Judgment.
Meinke's Prospects Poor.
There is little prospect ;nat Bob
Meinke, the semi-pro shortstop who is
carded to go South with the Washing
ton team, will make good. a dispatch
to The Times yesterday says Meinke
Is bv so means a worli-beater, and
never baUted more than 30 in semi-prO
company. At that rate he will have a
poor show 20 get the job from Mcbride,
who hated .269 in the American Assoc
citation. and is credited with being an
exceptionally clever fielder.
The way in which major league clubs
10 grab youngsters is beautifully illus
tTateG h. the case Of Neal Ball the in
fielder of the New York Americans OBJ
taiued from Montgomery, in the South
eru League. Comiskey and Griffith each
got the Ball idea at the same time In