The Detroit times., 1910-04-13
ODDS ARE EASILY
4 To l AGAINST
THE TIGERS +
Yet There Doesn't Appear To Be
Any Club in the American
League With a Right To
Claim Superiority.
Bruske Sizes Up the Eight Clubs
On Their Form Up To Date and
Likes Tigers Best,
BY PAUL HALE eRUsKE.

With the long weeks OF the training
season al an end the teams all piche''
and the opening game only a matter
cf few hours away, the liyeliest topic
OF eonve sation ali over the circuit
OF the American league and parucu-
,arly i'm the 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
Tor the Fourth time in succession 70
the finish OF the season race IN TINS
premier position. thereby tracturing al
records of league baseball TOR the pas.
hGifcentury?
WE'LL. THE ODDS A3E To L
AGAINST THAT CONCLUSION,
A careful. systematic view OF the SIT
uaticn viii easily prove that this COM
yutation is a conservative one.
Two About AS Good.
In the drst place. IL is easy TO figure
that there are Two teams that are
practically as good as the Tigers
showed last season. Boston and the
athletics headed the Tigers at various
times ana were right there AT the
finish. Il is easy 20 demonstrate how
with a slightly different break IN the
fortunes Of war either one might have
won. The Athletics did take the ser
les from jennings men. as II was.
Both these teams should be slightly
improved this year, for last season
they included a number Of performers
virtually untried
We're Boston and the Athletics the
only other clubs IN the league, the odas
AGAINST Detroit must be conceded as
2 20 I.
But the other American league clups,
while admittedly below the class or
the first three, cannol be counted our
OF the race by eny means. one 81
them may develop high speed, "a
has happened at various times IN his
tory, and beat OUT the former leaders
Increase the odds against the Jen.
ninqs crew to 10 !.
Then there is that three-year record
of pcnnant successes back OF the Jen-
ningsites. The longer team wins.
the less likely * is to continue, a.
cording to the very definite laws OF
chance, no exterior Influences being In
1ected into the strictly mathematical
calculation. Making a great allow.
ance however. for any slight superior
ity YssT-rbe T1gsrSs,ssssntlet aud rsIa eaTI9-
Tering that this law has so goyernef
the pennant races Of the past as 10
make four-year consecutive win
seem fatty Impossible. il would be i'm
possible 10 dismiss this phase without
adding at least ohe more chance -
,sal
troit club across the finish line in the
three prior seasons. Make the final
odds 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 OF
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. il would BE-
easy 10 argue that the odds should
favor them.
IN OTHER WORDS. THERE
SEEMS TO BE NO CLUB WHICH
HAS A RIGHT TO BELIEVE ITSELF
BETTER THAN DETROIT RIGHT
NOW
Others Not So Well Balanced.
The gameness and speed OF the Bos
ton Redsox is Offset by an unques
toned weakness in the box, and there
have been no pitching marvels in the
1910 crop. it is said. Both Boston and
the Athletics are weak behind the bat
where Detroit has Stanage, who. when
in shape. is very probably the best
catcher in the league from an all
round point OF view. The other clubs
are, apparently only in 10 give the first
three a symmetrical race and ii Is
hard TO see whore the dark horse IS
coming from II, indeed II puts in an
appearance at all
Were the Washington crew situated
at any other city in the league, Il
would certainly be considered as the
logical applicant for fourth place. A
star battery staff. veteran inheld, a
fast outfield standing in all probable
ity, second 10 Detroit's, and a versatile
manager make the chronic losers look
so strong on paper that their claims
for first division berth cannot be
ignored.
The Second Division.
The logical leader OF the season
al sision should be Chicago on account
of the star pitching staff that has been
SO long q feature OF the American
league races An experienced man
ager like Duffy should be of material
assistance. too. Unless the colt in
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