The Detroit times., 1909-04-07
'JENN|NGS' WORRY
IS OVER LOSING
GOOD COLTS
BROWNS WOULD CLAIM LAFiTTE
AND JONES TO REPLACE VET.
ERANs-TRAoE FOR soUTHPAw
NAY BE MADE.
BY PAUL Il. RRuskE.

INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. April ITO
Z retain for the Detroit baseball club all
other year the privilege OF first call on
the services OF Pitchers Il. Jones and
LATTE is Just now the problem that
Is seriously puzzling the brains Of
Manager Jennings and-doubtless-
President Frank j. Nayin.
The three men represent an outlay
) OF approximately $4,000 and still have
hardly shown enough from 10 entitle
them TO the places Of any OF the sew
en- veteran twirlers. There is still
long chance for one of them 10 make
the Detroit team. More than one is
simply impossible. as regular, how
ever.
The rules of the American league
provide that no club can lenu player
10 minor-league aggregation without
first securing the consent OF every
ether member of the American league
Ii Detroit decides TO farm out the
three pitchers mentioned. IL will first
ask for waivers of claim.
In case any other club OF the league
coyets the men on whom the waivers
ART asked, IL has the privilege OF sig
rifying that intention. Detroit must
then either keep thep layer or else
hand him TO the club which has re-
fused TO waive claim, the price OF
$1,000 being prescribed as universal
figure at which players thus marketed
shail change hands. except in cases
where more than one club refuses 10
waive. The selling clue in this in
stance has the right 10 auction the
man OFF TO the highest bidder.
THE WRITER HAS CERTAIN
KNOWLEDGE OF ONE AMERICAN
LEAGUE MANAGER WHO, UNLESS
HE CHANGES HIS MIND. WILL RE.
FUSE TO WAIVE CLAIM ON AT
LEAST ONT AND POSSIBLY TWO
DETROIT PITCHERS. The manager
is James McAleer of the ST. Louis
Browns and one Of the pitchers Is Ed
Lafitte who performed so brilliantly
against the Browns in one OF the ex-
hibition games in Texas.
81 haven't developed good
pitcher this year." the boss of the
Browns told the writer, land it's
ND to me to grab few when the
other clubs ask waivers. Swift
and Justus have been absolute
failures. My regular rlghthand-
ed pitchers are all veterans and
can't last forever. From what !
hear about this Laettf, he's worth
Ill the money Detroit paid for him.
There might me some more young
tiers placed where III have an oP-
portunity top lex them up cheap.
IF there are, III surely be there
with the little refusal TO waive"
From this line of talk Ii becomes
apparent that the Detroit club Ia
threatened with chain Of happenings
which may cause the sacrifice or
$4,000 twirler for $500. That such
an event would be guarded against
by the retaining of the player on the
re1piar list OF the club. goes without
saying, as his salary would be con-
siderably less than the financial loss
which the club would suffer by his
disposal TO any club at tae waiver
Price.
The same, although 10 a smaller ex-
tett, jc naturally the case with oJnes.
I. lis not expected that the club Will
experience any serious difficulty IN
plac.n SIeer. If desired He mas rs
yet shown nothing that world war
rant any ether big-league club IN Pay
.Lg 81 500 for his release Work, too.
Can probably run the gauntle-.
To keep 10th Jones and Lafitie. how.
eves. the r,etroit club will have t.
either de cartate one or two s-tersns
or Else ineitase the size OF is pitch.
inq rtaff 20 nine men--a most urp'e.
ccdentcd number Of beavers 20 carry
o.! season ard considerable s>Grce
OF expense to the management.
A superiority of talent brings with
it'd ifr.cuIies as well as ad cottages.
Just what the Detroit club wi - liz
the matter will doubtless be governed
by the conditions prevailing on the
Clubs which refuse TO waive claim.
1T is POSSIBLE THAT. If Nc
ALEER is SET ON SECURING La
FITTE HE MIGHT BE PERSUADED
N -