Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1910-12-18
MAILER HAS GOOD
TEAM ASST STANDS
Failure to Make Trades Does
Not Spoil Chance to Bet
ter Position.
BUILDING UP WINNER
NOT AN EASY TASK
Present Conditions Make 1t
Impossible to Get Good Play
ers Through Trades.
BY ]. ED GRILLO.

Though the fact that Jim McAleer
failed TO make any trades at the league
meeting last week has created the i'm
= preston that there will be little. if any,
Material change in the lineup of the Ma
ionals that does not mean that there Is
lot a good chance for the team to make
&, decidedly improved showing in the next
ace
Granting that the addition of a pitcher
md outfelder would have made the pros
,ccts look much brighter. it is by no
means assured that the team will not
resent a stronger front than 1t did last
season. The fact should not be over
ooked that, barring the first six weeks
IF the season, the Nationals played ster-
ing ball last season. But a miserable
TART proved too much of a handicap to
overcome, or there is no doubt that the
tam would have wound up at the head
ii the second division.
Surely there is not much chance of the
cam being any weaker next season than
was last, and there is a good chance
If 1t being stronger. For instance. sec
md base will be in better hands, and first
base cannot be in worse. No matter
what happens to the outfield 1t will
'till be as strong as it was last season,
or there Is. to say the least. as good
material to place there S was here last
reason. The catching staff is stronger
With .Ainsmith and Henry to help out
Street than it was last season. with Rapp
md Hardy to help out "Gabby." And
shen 1t comes down to the pitching ma
erial. it is. TO say the least as good as
was last year, and it may prove
Whole lot better.
The chances are that McAleer will
again play Milan in center and perhaps
LelivelI will go to right, where he be-
longs. AS good a hitter as Lelivelt can
not 10 EaySt nf
Milan are far from an ordinary pair. OF
course, there does not appear TO De any
one of class for left field. and yet who
knows that one of the several recruits
won't prove worthy of this place?
McAleer's failure to make any trades,
in fact, the entire absence of any swaps
during the gathering of the two major
leagues, shows how absolutely futile 1t
is to figure on building up team by
securing ball players from other big
league teams. 1t happens now and then.
but 1t is rather seldom at that; There Is
but one chance TO get material and that
Is to develop 1t. 1t is rather tedious
work and requires patience and the out
lay of money, but after all it is the prop
er plan. 1t is much more satisfactory to
have team made up of players who are
just rounding into their best form than
TO get those who have served some other
club for years, and are just nearing the
stage where they Will begin to go back.
deal for a player OF Streets ability it is
high time to give up trying to strengthen
in this way. McAleer need not feel dis
ccuraged because OF his failure to make
a swap. He had a fair ball team when
he finished the season, one which would
have been considerably higher in the race
led u often a good start The chances
are that the team will be stronger when
II opens the next season, for enough new
material has been added 20 lead to the
belief that McAleer will be able to plug
Up the several holes through which
games leaked last season.
Every enc of the managers and players
who Wee about the lobhies Of the hotels
where the leagues met last week was
loud in his praise OF CUNNINGHAM, the
youngster the WASHINGTON club pur-
chased from New Bedford last fall.
Particularly did Cunningham impress
Billy Murray. former manager Of the
PhiIlies. and now scout for the Pittsburg
club Murray saw Cunningham play at
New Bedford after the local club had
purchased him. and also saw him in
fall Murray thinks Cunningham has the
making OF great ball player.
There Is something about the fellow
that impresses you" said he. He han
OF plays and appears to be a thinker.
He hit well. too. though l did not like his
style particularly. He seemed to have a
double swing. but McAleer will correct
hitter. I don't think / saw a more
promising youngster in all my travels
through the minor leagues last summer
than Cunningham"
The breach between Ban johnson and
Charley Murphy is rather unfortunate
for the National League. for every step
that that organization wants to take is
blocked by Murphy and his friends If
they suspect 1t would please Johnson to
make the move.
A man Of Johnson's long experience
should be more indulgent with a fellow
like Murphy. There IS no reason why
the head Of the American League should
he the only one who takes Murphy seri
ously. That Murphy would be a detri-
Iuent to base bali there Is no doubt. IL
the public took the same view of him
that does Johnson. But the public. to
vulgar expression. got wise" to
Murphy before he had been in the game
month. and nothing that he says or does
= ever given more than passing con-
s;deration.
II must rot be forgotten that until
few years ago Murphy was a humble
reporter on a newspaper. Dame Fortune
DID not smile on him. she simply laugh
81 herself into commissions, and in a
very few years Murphy is quoted as being
worth more than half a million dollars
That is enough to upset the equilibrium
of most any young man, so Murphy is
really not to blame.
That the new owners of the ST. Louis
club belong TO the uninitiated is indicated
BY their announcement that they PROPOSE
10 spend $4,000 for a new team. That
OF course, sounds good. but really means
nothins.. Where could that amount OF
u>oney be spent to advantage? Unlike
any other enterprise that q man might
break into. money really means little
when ii comes down to building up a ball
team There is no market where the
money can be invested for desirable ma
terial. The new owners Of the Browns
may be willing enough 10 part with the
100000. but even II they do they will not
have the assurance of having a winner.
There is an old saying that money
makes the marc co. but that does not
apply to base ball. Next year the St.
Louis club may spend the amount stipu-
lated and Vet fail TO get a single ball
player t..at will help tine team. IL will.
however, be revelation 10 have the ST.