Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-05-07
BY J. ED aRILLo.

Jim McAleer proposes to find out which
combination of his players Will give hlin
the strongest team. 1t was for this pur-
pose that he made the several switches
in his lineup yesterday, but others are
to follow.
IAlivelt is to be benched and George
Brown given a chance in the Outneio.
This change will be made today. Schae-
fer and Mcbride will do bench duty
Schaefer because he has not been hitting
I'D to his form and Mcbride because he
has not been in good health all spring.
ElberfeId will be kept at short. Conroy
at third and Killifer at second. The
change worked nicely yesterday, for Con-
roy and killifer gathered four of the Ma
tioanis' seven hits. Killfer is not good
fielder, but he may develop if given the
chance He is, however. believed to be
good hitter when played regularly.
McAleer was compelled TO make
change. His team WAS going poorly ana
he had plenty of substitutes on the bench
II was up to him to try them out. Surely
the results cannot be more unsatisfactory
than they were before the change was
made. Even if the play ers now being
tried should not come up to expectations
a few days on the bench may bring the
others around to form. At any rate Nc
Aleer is to be commended TOR making the
effort to get better results. There is moth
ing like trying.
past performances cannot be taken into
consideration II is what the players do
today that counts. The fact that at some
period in the distant past they have won
games by reason of their proweSs does
not help matters today and must not he
considered by the manager. 1t will be
better to tear the entire team to pieces
and start 20 rebuild than to deplore ILL
luck and go along without trying to
make an effort to better conditions
Surely any change that can possibly be
made cannot have detrimental effect
On the team, but 1t might brace 1t up.
Yesterday was the first time in two
years that George Mcbride has not been
in the Nationals lineup. He has played
in every game since he joined the team in
1905, and ne would probably have con-
tinued I'm his position yesterday had not
McAleer relieved him by moving Elberfeld
over 10 short.
Mcbride should have been bencheG
DAYS ago because it is apparent to every
one that ne Is not In good health He was
threatened with typhoid just before the
season opened and never recovered from
the attack. His work showed It. While
never Il strong hitter. Mcbride more than
made up his inability TO hit by his won
6erful fielding. This spring, however his
felding has not been up to his standard
for the reason stated But Mcbride wants
20 be taken out. rest will make a big
change in the work of the Nationals
Shortstop, who when physically capable
IS undoubtedly one OF the best fielders il,
the league.
What can have gone wrong with Jack
Lelivelt? While the team played at home
Jacks work was satisfactory He was
hitting fairly well and his Fielding was
brilliant Ever since the team went on
the present trip Lelivelt's work has been
poor, particularly his fielding. and il is
because Of this that McAleer has decided
% b nch him and give George Browne a
chance. The youngster Is OH his stride
in every way and his errors have made a
lot of trouble for his team.
Perhaps II Is because Of the miserable
showing the team has made that LeIive't
has fallen of in his work. Ball PLAYERS
grow discouraged under pc sistent defeat.
and there 10 no doubt that several % Nc.
Aleer's men would have Played a hundred
per cent better ball had there been a few
more victories in the grab bag for the
Nationals.
And there seems to be something radi-
cally wrong with Walter Johnson. He
starts his game In a nest sensational
manner, out appears TO weaken near the
end What lis more, IL is ALWAYS the
weak batters on the opposing team who
do the damage to Johnsons delivery.
In the game 6:e lost here to New York
Pitcher Quinn drove in a run on two DIFF.
ferent ceeas'f rs with base hit Yester-