The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-01-20

You may prepare for another record breaking race in the American league. Ban Johnston has the very cream of the players. I have been able to obtain line on what the eight clubs are doing. Today, it is easy to announce the line- ups. It is indicated that inasmuch as the regulars are still active, few new men will be in prominent positions. Of course, several youngsters will win re- now on the slab, but as rule, old men in the game will be the regular second basemen, shortstops, etc.
 I had recent conversation with Clark Griffith of New York. The old fox is all smiles. He had ridded his team of Laporte, Williams and Hoffman and se- cured in return an excellent pitcher in Glade, a fine infelder and hitter in Niles. a serviceable outfielder in Hemphill and a fine hitter in Jake Stahl, who will probably be switched to the outfeld. A faster aggregation would be hard to find, and I think Griffith will finish high. Where Is there better infield than Hal Chase, the incomparable. on first; Niles on second; Elberfeld at short and Moriar- ty on third? In case Elberfeld gets grouchy again, Griffith will use Neal Ball, and If Neal is any whit inferior to Elberfeld I am mistaken
 Detroit has braced up its backfeld with Thomas, secured from the New York Americans. Archer will be turned adrift. Payne and Schmidt will be the other catchers.
 Jennings will make few changes in his last seasons lineup. Rossman will be again on first; Schafer on second; Cough- lin on third, and O'Leary at short.
 His pitchers will be Bill Donovan, prob ably the best in the American league; Muffin, Killian, Siever, Willet, Summers, and several youngsters.
 Crawford, Mcintyre and Cobb will be the regular outfielders.
 Connie Mack will be found again near the top That is prediction easily made. I believe that he would have won the pennant last season had Bender not be- come i'll. Aand had Waddell not done his characteristic trick of failing down. at the critical moment.
 Mack has an excellent array of pitch CTS in Bender, Dygert, Coombs. Vickers, Waddell and Plank. Davis will again be on first, and the other bags will be in charge of Murphy and Collins. Nich- oils, old Simon Bolivar of the Southern league, will be again at short.
 Hartsel, Oidring and corpulent Seybold will be the gardeners.
 Powers and Schreck, crackerjacks, will be the receivers, of course.
 Fielder Jones will not retire. as he planned. This means that the White Sox will be in the race this year. They would have been last, had their misfor- tune been less acute. Their race, con- sidering, was phenomenal.
 Walsh, White, Altrock, Frank Smith. Patterson and others will be the pitchers. Billy Sullivan, one of the best eatchers who ever wore a mask, will do the great CT part of the receiving. If Mcfarland is not traded for Shaw of Boston he will be Sulhvan's chief aid.
 Fred Parent, former Boston star, will play short, moving George Davis to sec Ond. IanneQlll VIII De Ol lHiIu d6dii, while Donohue will continue to hold down first. Rohe will continue in an uaility role. lDougherty, Jones and Hahn are the out fielders.
 Will Lajoie score another failure? This is a burning question in Cleveland right now. Some think he will believe he will round out winner. Lajoie, like Harry Vaughn in Birmingham, is fight ing for his managerial life.
 If peace between Eajoie and Stovall is restored, Stovall will be placed again at first. If disruption continues Hinch- man, an outfelder, might be stationed on the initial corner Bradley will play third, Turner short and Lajoie second. Birmingham, Flick and Josh Clarke will probably be the outfelders. understand that Bay is to walk the plank, and that Catcher Wakefield will be turned adrft. probably to Nashville. Lister goes to | Toledo.
 Bemis and Mig Clarke will do the I bulk of the catching Lajoie has ex- cellent pitchers in Berger. Joss, Lieb- hardt, Friedman, Hess and others. Bill l Bernhard will hardly be missed. ! If Lajoie can keep his men contented, -y~ .II