The San Francisco call., 1910-03-28
HARD FIGHT FOR
DETROIT TIGERS
Unstable Inf7eId May Have to Be
Strengthened Before the
Season Opens

On paper, and judging from the way
its lineup now compares with that OF
any given competitor. the Detroit
Tigers really ought to sweep up the
turf with the other American league
teams this season. The great batting
team which Jennings rules ought TO
make a four time affair and shatter the
records, inasmuch as it has all the
other outfits buffaloed one, way or an
other. Boston's Red Sox may hit as
hard as the Tigers. but will not COM
bine the hits to equal purpose, nor can
the Boston pitchers be depended on
The White Sox will outpitch and out
field the Tigers, but can not bat against
them, and thus it goes all down the
line-Detroit has something on all the
bunch. Given an even break OF luck,
therefore, and what shall stop the
Tigers from raking in a fourth cham
pionship. and, as usual, receiving their
regular betting from the National
league flag winners a few days laterE
Nevertheless and notwithstanding, as
the English announcer had ii, there is
a chance that the Tigers may come
lovely cropper. The breakup. IL 1T comes
at all, win probably be among the in
fielders, and there is quite a chance
that the Detroit infield may prove a
hollow shell. Delehanty on second
proved rather shaky last year, and is
likely to go back bit more this
spring. Tom Jones. on first, is non
aggressive player and is not apt to be
any better this summer The third base
work of Moriarty was classy enough
last year. and the lightning shortstop
play of Owen Bush carried the infield
along. but it looks as if Jennings had
better be fortifying the inner works of
the team this spring. or squalls may
wreck his whole machine.
The Detroit pitchers are a fairly
good set, who won because of the
great batting behind them. They
are not the sort of pitchers who can
gallantly carry a team on their hurting
skill, the way the Whitesox sIabmen
have often had to do. but are men who
would founder around like treetoads
on a griddle if the batting support
should ever weaken. MuIlin is a burIy
cuss, who can pitch grimly against
any odds, but Mullin would get his
bumps just the same if the Tiger
slugging ever relaxed for week or
two.
The Tigers have won without great
eatchers, instead of being piloted to
victory by the baekstops, as was the
Killing or a Gibson back of the plate
for Jennings would have clinched the
pennant by so huge a margin that the
race would have been a joke. The I'll
ger catchers are only ordinary, and
should they retrograde little farther
the team would be in heavy seas, in
deed.
To weigh in the scales against these
chances of disaster the Tigers have
some possibilities of great improve
ment. They have new outfelder on
tap a fellow named Drake. who is
touted as so strong that he may not
only grab the utility job of Davy Jones.
but even displace Mcintyre as regu-
lar in the garden. This Drake swatted
.345 last season and is heralded as a
most unholy slugger against any sort
of pitching. Then, again, young
catcher named Casey is on trial, who
is alleged TO be the real goods as a
backstop, one of the quick thinking
and quick vaorking kind. Two or
three young pitchers have been
showing splendid form, aad the ad-
dition of even one first class pitcher
to the Tiger team would make a big
percentage of difference in its horo-
scope
Taken as a general proposition. it
looks like another Tiger flag-but then
there's always a chance. and the
American league has furnished many
wonderful surprises.