The Detroit times., 1909-06-02
I[lss IS SURE TO
tell IN SERIES
0PEAlAG TODAY
nual Conditions Now Faced BY
Western and Eastern Clubs
s Of the American
League Alike.
Tigers wiz Go Through Their Trip
With Present Lineup in the Field
and Rossman on Bench.
BY PAUL n. BRuskE.

u gurate To-Day, IN which 'NO
clubs on their home diamonds, VIII De
entertaining the teams from the west.
!. viii AFFORD the first adequate opportu-
nifty to really get an accurate line on
3 the relative strength OF the two Sec
3 lions In which the west held SO COM
: ptete sway last season --
During the first inter-sectional clash,
recently concluded on the western
+ fIiamcnds, the eastern clubs surprised
even their most sanguine admirers by
/ sbreaking even in the "a games play
3, ed. starting of with such rush that
+ Il looked as il even a more disastrous
/, result would be the case. st. Louis
\ waa. in fact, the only club to do better
\ than have its games against the
8 east. Detroit broke exactly even. Chi
3 caRo and Cleveland were behind bad
= " as the result OF their clash with
Z the 1908 second division.
Nevertheless. II is argued in the
west, this series did not prove that
the balance of power had been redis-
4 tributed as the result of the shifting
( OF players and the introduction OF new
I timber.
Weather Was to Blame.
Last year st. Louis finished back
Of Detroit, Chicago and Cleveland in
the league race. The Browns had not
made a particularly commanding
: showing In their series against the
other western clubs this spring.
Against the east, however, they did
Surprisingly well. in comparison
condition calling for some expianat1n
The explanation Is the DeaNiy
bunch Of weather under which three
of the western clubs were forced to
play their games through April ana
May.
Chicago, Detroit and Cleveland are
all lake cities and the coolest In the
!. league In the spring. The players OF
these teams were crippled Win sore
spots and generally in poor CONDITION
by the time they had finished thelr
opening civil strife. The eastern clubs
came with a momentum which could
not be denied Only in st. Louis.
where a notably milder climate ex-
lists, was a western club able TO hola
its own at the start.
But the weather began TO warm up
before the eastern teams started on
their bomeward paths. The western
clubs began TO improve. The east |
ern clubs began to come back to them
and injuries and sorenesses began 10
affiict them too. The western pitch
ers particularly got back into form.
The result was the finishing dash or
the western clubs which, victorious In
all the American league cities In the
flnal clashes, managed to even up the
count, in spite of their bad start.
Conditions Even Now.
In the series that is TO come. 1t is
q not a ctIrn
mer weather will shine alike on the
teams of both sections and class will
tell The western clubs have quit ex-
{perimenting and are settling away to
the steady grind with regulars in all
positions. and the pitchers who did the
}business last year, In shape TO again
Assume command.
On the other hand, the trip OF the
eastern clubs round the western cir
T, cult gave the western pitchers an OPP
.portunity to size up the young talent
that was making its debut. IL took
some time and some expensive base
hits were registered before the in
formation accrued. The knowledge
ought to be at hand right now, how
ever.
II can be taken fo- granted that the
Tigers will play the eastern series
through without any shifts, other than
those made necessary by casualties
OF war. This means that Moriar;y
will play first and O'Leary third base.
The Tigers have no opportunity Cor I
morning practice and this would be
necessary were Jennings to make any !
nwitch while on the road.
When the team returns, Jennings |
may put into effect his long-cherished |
plan of placing Crawford on first. |
sending Moriarty back to third and
6stting Dayy Jones back into the out
Held.
IN case OF injury TO either Bush or
0chaefer. this change will undoubted-
~ be made and OLeary will go TO
che vacant spot.
O'Leary Simply Trump.
Charles work this spring has been
Il revelation TO his mates, as we'll as
che baseball public in general Down
nouth, while Schaefer was out of 4,
AeF second-based in style that was
oi.nply perfect. His third-base play
Mas been second to none In the league
An the regular season. He is far
better shortstop than at least four OF
the men. who are playing the position
On other teams in the league, drawing
che regular assignment.
Rossman seems fated to occupy the
bench for pinch-hltting purposes. in
6o6nitely. Unless he can be traded
FOR some man OF the Garland Stahl
TYNE. he will undoubtedly stick.
The Tigers open their series in Bos
ton today and Killian will probably
mitch, the game. II Stahl rejoins the
team and goes back to first base. Lake
Will undoubtedly send Wolter. his
youthful southpaw. to the slab. Other
wire. Ara1lanes IL as likely TO draw
the bfIIet as any of the others. though
Chech and Morgan are both ready.
Joe Wood. the speed wonder from the
Wild and woody, n also said to be at
last ready for duty.
2 oosfon In RsoeptIvs Mood.
The Boston populace n all fused
NJ Over tbs fhcf that the team Ia in
ne nrst division after six weeks OF
DlAy and IT. ardor has been further
1nGAned By the Hub version OF the
row here between Moriarty and Car
Whils che Tigers were ON the road
/. Yoc<orday their lead was increased
ER - e1sro,ntR. sthesysnehrsAkl