Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-25
HAS
Griffith One Manager Bothered
With Abundance of HitterS.
BATTING LIST WORRIES HIM
Cincinnati Scribe Figures That Con-
dition Is Handicap to Team
Next Year.

team finds it a diff1cult matter 10 arrange
his batting order so as to get the best
possible results. This principally be-
cause of the scarcity Of good hitters His
efforts are all bent in the direction or
getting the men who are most apt TO
make base hits behind those in the order
who get on the bases frequently, out
judging from the following from the pen
of W. A. Phelon. Manager Clarke Grif-
fifth is going to have trouble arranging
his batting order because he has so many
good hitters
That at least is the way Phelon sizes
up the situation on paper, though the
chances are that when the race is on the
hitting, but a lack of it. At any rate,
this is what Phelon has to say:
LAS the winter advances, 1t becomes
more and more apparent that Clarke
Griffith will have strenuous problem
to solve when it comes to lining up those
beloved Reds and putting them in proper
batting order. The trouble is this: That
the club now contains so many good
hitters, Of the type that should be up
among the leaders that it will be hard
to rank them rightfully without doing
unintentional injustice to somebody. The
entire force of regular players Is now
made up of such sterling whacksmiths
that the whole seven look good enough
to bat first, second, third and fourth in
the procession. There isn't man in
the bunch SO weak that he logically falls
to seventh position in the batting order.
and how, therefore, is that order to be
arranged so as to get all the good out
of the valorous performers?
Bob Bescher will presumably remain as
lead-oR man. He can get on bases fire.
quently, and he can surely steal the
proves him to be wonder at completing
the circuit But who can bat second?
The second hitter must be dainty sac
rificer. a keen, quick thinker when it is
time for the hit-and-run, and enough of
an individual slugger to start something
in case Bescher falls down at the start of
the game. Bates, Egan and Altizer all
seem to have claims on this position, and
yet Grant was counted wonder at Phil
adelphia, both as a lead-of man and as
second hitter.
Too Many Sluggers.
"The third man should be a long-driving
hitter yet able to advance two runners
should the first pair be lucky enough to
reach the sacks in safety. Here again,
Bates, Grant and Altizer loom up strong
ly. but Hoblitzell and Mitchell seem to
be better for this one point of the order.
Fourth il always reserved for the hefty
slugger, the burly boy who can go up
with men on and somebody out and de-
liver the goods in the hour of need.
Again. Hoblitzell and Mitchell look like
the right people, and both Of them seem
like the ideal swatters for the job. But
Bates is cleanup batsman and q timely
hitter, too-where is he to be inserted?
Somebody must bat fifth, sixth, seventh
the eighth notch. of course. and here is
where the Reds will have away the best
Of it. owing to the whanging propensities
Of both Clarke and Mclean. But how
seventh to be chosen? Arrange them as
you will and there will be arguments
for the elevation of every man to a
higher level. Egan, perhaps. hasn't as
high an average as the others. But he
makes his hits when they count. and he
can he be showed way down? The more
you look at that Red order and study
the Improvement given by the mere re-
moval Of the light-hitting Mcmillan, the
form value of the men and the difficulty
Of sorting them to get the best possible
good out of their exertions.
This order might appeal to many fans:
Bescher, Grant. Bates. Hoblitzell, Mitch
ell, Altizer, Egan, Mclean, Gaspar. But
at once a thousand protests would arise,
with good reasons, why Altizer and Egan
should not be higher up.
We'll. then, how about this: Bescher,
Altizer, Egan, Bates, Hoblitzell, Mitchell,
Moses, you. can't shove Mitchell and
Grant that far down.
Then how will this suit you, brother:
Bescher. Altizer. Bates. Mitchell, Hob
litzell. Grant. Egan and the battery? Oh,
well. that pushes Egan down too far.
Well, then, shake them up to suit your
self. One thing sure: The Red lineup
for 1911 isn't a problem because good
aid bad material are intermingled. It's
a problem because the men are all too
blamed good. and it is hard to classify
them properly