The Detroit times. [volume] (Detroit, Mich.) 1903-1920, 1910-04-13
ODDS ARE EASILY
4 TO | AGAINST
THE TIGERS
Yet There Doesn't Appear To Be
Anv Club in the American
League With Right To
Claim Superiority.
Bruske Sizes Up the Eight CLUBS
On Their Form Up To Date and
Likes Tigers Best.
BY PAUL HALE sRusKe.


season at an end. the teams all plcAt''
end the opening game only matter
CT few hours away, the liveiiest topic
OF conversation all over the circuit
OF the American league and partlcu'
iarly in he metropolis OF Michigan
today may be stated as follows
WHAT ARE THE TIGERS
CHANCES TO REPEAT
Can the game team headed by the
incompatible Hughie Jennings come
for the fourth time in succession TO
the finish OF the seasons race ipJths
premier position. thereby fracturlng ali
records of league baseball for the pass
hdlf-century?
WELL. THE ODDS ARE TO l
AGAINST THAT CONCLUSION.
A careful, systematic view OF the SIT
cation will easily prove that this com
putation is a conservative one.
Two About AS Good.
In the first place, IL is easy to figure
that there are two teams that are
lpractically as good as the Tigers
sshowed last season. Boston and the
LAthletics headed the Tigers at various
4 stimes ami were right there at the
finish. II is easy to demonstrate how,
with a slightly different break in the
fortunes OF war either one might have
twon. The Athletics did take the ser
lies from Jennings men, as was
both these teams should be signify
Improved this year. for last season
they included a number OF performers
VIRTUALLY untried.
Were Boston and the Athletics the
only other clubs in the league, the ODDS
against Detroit must be conceded as
z to I.
But the other American league clubs,
while admittedly below the class or
the first three, cannot be counted out
OF the race by sny means. One 81
them may develop a high speed, as
has happened at various times in his
tory. and beat out the former leaders.
Increase the odds against the Jen-
rlnQs crew TO TO I.
Then there is that three-year record
OF pcnnant successes back of the Jen-
ningsites. The longer a team wins
the less likely * is to continue, &c
cording TO the very definite laws OF
chance, no exterior Influences being in
1ected into the strictly mathematical
calculation. Making a great allow
ence however. for any slight superior
fly in the Tiger personnel and remem
herring that this law has-so soYsrE.ee
the pennant races of the past as t
make a four-year consecutive WI
seem fatty impossible, II would be i'm
POSSIBLE to dismiss this phase withou
adding at least one more chance x
the pack which has pursued the De
troit club across the finish line in The
three prior seasons.
Make the Final Odds q to 1.
Yet there Is some comfort in the
situation from the local point of view
Aside from the law of chance and the
cumulative effect of the opposition oil
seven foes against one, the Tigers
look as imposing as OF yore. Were
they To be pitted right now against
any one club OF the league, 1t would BE-
easy 10 argue that the odds should
favor them.
IN OTHER WORDS, THERE
SEEMS TO BE NO CLUB WHICR
HAS A RIGHT TO BELIEVE ITSELF
BETTER THAN DETROIT RIGHT
NOW.
Others Not SO Well Balanced.
The gameness and speed of the Bos
ION Redsox IS Offset by an unque5
toned weakness in the box, and there
have been no pitching maryels in the
1910 crop. il is said. Both Boston anC
the Athletics are weak behind the ba
where Detroit has Stanage, who wheI
in shape, Is very probably the hes
catcher in the league. from an all
round point OF view. The other clubs
tf.fs fts q ftsre
three a symmetrical race, and II 4
hard TO see where the dark horse Il
coming from, if. indeed IL puts in al
appearance at all
Were the Washington crew situate,
at any other city in the league.
would certainly be considered as thl
logical applicant for fourth place.
star battery staff. q veteran inheld.
fast outfield standing in all probabil
ity. second 70 Detroit's. and versatile
manager make the chronic losers loo
so strong ON paper that their claim
for a first division berth cannot b,
ignored
The Second Division.
The logical leader OF the seasu,
division should be Chicago on accouu
of the star pitching stan that has beef
81 llouk 4 feature OF the America.
league races An experienced man
ager like DUFFY should be OF materia
assistance. too. Unless the colt In
field proves a complete and bitter dis
appointment, the Sox should be fifth
Cleveland looks shade better thar
st. Louis and New York The Brown
have enough edge on the Yankees t,
make IL probable that the mis-man
aged and medicre team Of IN,
metropolis will again prove a bite
disappointment for Frank Farrell an,
tn, many friends Of that liberal.
abused. sportsman who foots the bills
3 DETROIT. BOSTON. PHU.ADEI
PHIA. WASHINGTON CHICAGO
CLEVELAND. ST. LOUIS. NEW
YORK
There's a reason for every one be
ing placed just where IL is. II Their
doesn't prove 70 be a far better reaso
who IL finishes somewhere else
Get Busy Early.
I Green Pilot and Walter Hal. Rh
HAD a cctfpiA of FLASHES I'm the gran