The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-05-10
POINTERS ID RANDOM
BY HUGH W. ROBERTS.

The Southern league season is three weeks old and more, and as yet Birming ham has little of which to be proud
 The Barons are battered and bruised from many ruinous defeats. They have lest every game played on the road save one, and at home have won but three victories in eight efforts.
 Such showing is appalling. It would not sting so were it not believed that the Barons compose a creditable aggre- gation, one that can hit the ball as hard II not harder than any other team in the league, can run bases as fast, and field better than the average.
 There is something radically wrong, there can be no dispute.
 Either Manager Vaughn has no pitchers. the men are not trying to win games. or there is an undercurrent of internal dissension and rebellion.
 Yesterdays game was lost because Montgomery found Fleharty with consum mate ease Fridays game was lost be- cause the team failed to give Robertaille support even after the Barons had cinched the game.
 Each day there is a different reason for the downfall, but the downfall comes with unvarying regularity.
 Harry Vaughn is the clubs manager. He is the one who must answer the ques- ton:
 What is the matter with the Barons?"
 It takes no expert to point out one or more weaknesses.
 Perhaps the greatest disappointment has been the work of Lefty Houtz He has done very unsteady fielding in spite of the few errors that are charged to him., and has bpen vUoafliI1v weaE with tba stick
 Steve Reagan, until the Montgomery series, has done no hitting. although his fielding has been well night perfect Un- less the rightfelders present hitting clip remains permanent fixture then he, too, is great disappointment. He came to Birmingham out of the American associa- tion preceded by a reputation as fielder and hitter. It is said that he led the Three r. league with $40, and hit .263 last season in the American association.
 DoWney is not showing form at third
 In Fridays game he was miserably off color. Yesterday he accepted a chance at an assist and threw the ball to the bleachers. In addition he appeared as one whose mind is loaded with peck of trouble Too many safe hits went over third base yesterday. Some of them were difficult chances, indeed, but very bum third sacker can care for the easy ones.
 Douglass, Walters and Demont while not setting the world on fire, are playing consistent baseball, and this, with their occasional flashes of brilliance Is all that should be required. Molesworth is bril- liant in the outfield, and no one criticises Raub and Holmes.
 The first three weeks of the season find R1r0nE without pitcher.
 Robertaiile, so far. has been a great disappointment.
 Clarke, so far, has been a great dis appointment.
 McNeal is a very doubtful quantity, especially out of the warmth of home applause.
 F1eharty's performance of yesterday stamps him as an fin and outer" al- though on all previous occasions he has shown good nerve, and ability to deliver.
 Manager Vaughn fears Ragan's phy sical condition, but the roaring tornado" should be given opportunity. Ables has shown inability to put the ball over the plate.
 Turner was magnificent in his game of last week-his first and only trial-and for him there is the brightest hope. His last seasons record was far from good, but he has shown fine form and ability to win this year.
 Mack Robinson, last seasons star of the Cotton States, has not been given an opportunity to show his tricks.
 Manager Vaughn will be compelled to dispose of surplus men before the com clusion of this week.
 Who will go?
 And trades are discussed.
 And purchases are contemplated
 Some remedy must be applied for some thing is out of gear.
 Our solution is this
 The pitchers. if they can go, are not doing themselves justice.
 The team, on account of misfortune, hard luck general defeat as a result of the foregoing and rotten ball playing, is feeling the effects of Encouragement.
 There is danger of a nervous break down.
 Do something and do it quick.
 It is results that count and three weeks have gone.
 All of which reminds that this day is one not destined to be rudely shadowed by gaunt defeat, and that the man who bet on the Barons yesterday did not make mo night