Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-04-27
BY J. ED GRILLO.

That there is something materially
wrong with a team which consistently
gets the bases full. frequently with none
out, and then fails to score stands to
reason. In nearly every game the Ma
tionals have played this spring tn 8 con-
dition has existed. In the natural course
OF events it ought to happen once In a
while that base hit, a long fly, an
error or some sort of a wobble would oc-
cur which would allow a few of the To-
calls to dent the home plate. but 1t hasn't.
Granting that the team is a weak one
with the stick. yet it seems that once
in a while the unexpected might happen
to benefit it. When going at their best
the Nationals are not a smuggling aggre-
pear to be a man batting up to his true
mark. This would perhaps not be so APP
parent II the pitchers were able to hold
the opposing teams down, but there is
nothing more discouraging for a pitcher
than to work for a team which cannot
get runs. He realizes when he starts in
that he must shut out his team in order
to win. and dare not make a miscue for
fear Of having a. run scored. These, OF
course. are not the most encouraging
conditions to work under.
The fact that the team has lost three
straight games since leaving home would
not be discouraging il it was hitting the
ball at all, but the base hit column of its
score shows only occasional credit marks,
and in the four games played since leaving
here but eight runs have been scored.
This may not be the teams true form,
but 1t seems to bear out the fear ex-
pressed early in the spring that the Of
fensive strength of that Outfield was not
up to the standard.
There is not team in the league which
Even the weak ST. Louis Browns seem
able to reach the home plate more often
than do the Nationals, while the wonder
full scoring proclivities Of the Detroit IT,
gers plainly make the locals look out
classed. And vet it seems that McAleer's
men are capable enough to get on the
bases. There has not been a single one
of their games in which there have not
been enough men on the bases that II q
third Of them had scored the game would
have been won or lost by a very close
margin. But productive base hits have
been scarce. Such a thing as a timely
hitter on the local team has not shown
himself as yet this spring, and that is
where the trouble lies.
OF course. there is a lot of luck in base
ball, and 1t is also a fact that our old
citizens can't recall when a local team
has ever been blessed with the smiles
lIoIh tile r1ckle lame, out a team s poor
showing cannot be entirely attributed to
the bad breaks. 1t is to be supposed that
luck in period of years would break
even or near it at any ra1e.
To give an idea just how weak the
Nationals are when it comes to scoring
runs, one has but to refer to the figures.
In nine games the Nationals have play
cd. they have scored twenty-six runs
against sixty-one scored by Detroit in
eleven games. This lamentable weakness
places a great burden on the pitcher. who
must hold the opposing teams down TO
the minimum in order to win a game.
Nothing further has been accomplished
by the experimenting Jim McAleer has
done with his outf1elders than TO prove
that he has but single competent man
for these positions. Milan. The others
all lack class. 1t does not make any
material difference which combination he
may use in the outfield made UP Of the
material at hand. that department is sure
to be weak. Give McAleer a couple OF
good outfielders to place beside Milan
and he would have team which would
make an interesting race. Other teams
have their batting strength in the out
field. 1t is the Detroit outfield which car
ries the Tigers along. The same is true