Norwich bulletin. [volume] (Norwich, Conn.) 1895-2011, 1910-02-14
PLAYERS ON MARKET.
Adoption of Limit Rule Compeis Big
Clubs to Let Men Go.

Many baseball players have been
thrown on the market because of the
adoption of the new limit rule by the
big leagues. When the organizations
decided that each of the clubs should
carry only % men between May 10
and August 20. and 80 the rest of the
year upward of ESQ diamond heroes
began to be sent to the minors
The magnates do not let go their
hold on many players. They fear pub
lie opinion and once a player is put
on the reserve list the string attached
to him is never cut until he either
proves unworthy or has served his
usefulness to the limit.
Besides. there is a great field for
surplus players, young and old. They
can be so placed that the returns are
lions of the present day baseball bust
ness in players are wonderful A man
IS released to a minor league club, but
with a string attached to him. If he
repurchased. If he fails, then the ma
jor league magnate has the choice of
the best players of the purchasing
clubs. The same applies to the old
player released. In return for the IA
vor, the big league club sending him
into the minors may take its pick of
the best of his new associates. OF
course, the minor league clubs are
benefited by the arrangement, but in
the end the big ones get the best of
The latter, too, are advantaged through
better pay and increased fame.
Just at present waivers are being
asked by the big league clubs for the
purpose of turning a majority of the
$50 surplus players. caused by the new
rule back to the minors. Every one
of them has been placed, but the con-
sent of the other major league clubs
is necessary. Any one of them can
claim a player on the waiver list, and
If the releasing club does not care to
retain him, he will be taken up by
the refusing club, for price. How
ever, there are very few cases where
clubs refuse to waive, for each has its
little list, and the chances of reprisal
are great.
The new limit rule is giving the
managers an opportunity for house,
cleaning, so to speak, many old play
ers who have served their usefulness
in fast company being placed" to the
best advantage. In return, the man
ayers will get younger and more prom
ising players next fall. 1t will be seen
that the ma gnates do not let go of
their players until their usefulness is
entirely gone.
There is another angle to the re-
duced reserve list, and that is the
probable passing of the scout He is
the man who in the past few seasons
loaded up the big league clubs with
raw material, picking up players here
and there. with little regard to value.
1t. wasn't his fault, because the mag
mates wanted anything and every
thing For instance, the Brooklyn
club gathered about forty in this way,
and others were almost as eager.
1t would seem now that the useful
ness of the scout is gone, or else he
will have to be a phenomenon in his
chosen field to hold his job. When
purchasing time comes around next
August each club will have 20 regu-
lar players or whereabouts, and with
he limit for the off season placed at
30 that will leave only 10 new men to
De secured. Figuring on the minor
eaguers to whom strings are attached
0r who are promised in return for
hose sfarmed out the indications are
that the scout will have nothing to
10. Or if he is still on the JOB, he
will have to be a mighty good one to
pick out the best in order that there
De no dead ones among the ten he