Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1911-05-12
WHY DETROIT HAS EASY
LEAD IN AMERICAN LEAGUE
Jennings Now in Condition to
Experiment

Detroit, Mich, May 1.-THE signati-
canoe Of the Tiger lead right now does
not rest in the actual number Of games
won and lost. Later in the season
teams have had such a lead-and they
have not won pennants. A five or
six game lead is mighty nice, but 1t
by no means spells pennant
The big advantage of a lead such as
the Tigers have now is the fact that it
gives Manager Jennings a unique ad-
vantage over all his rivals-an adyan-
tage no other manager has ever hal,
as far as known in baseball.
It really means that with the lead
he now has Jennings can go on with
what is practically a second spring
training trip. He can experiment
where other managers dare not take
any chances.
Others Use Veterans.
Connie Mack is coming west using
three veteran pitchers over and oyer
again. in his efforts to win enough
games to give his individual players
the courage and confidence necessary
to make them into a winning combina-
ton.
This is bad for ball club, to find
it necessary at this early date to over
work veterans. Men like Plank and
Bender have seen too many years in
service to round into shape rapidly
at this stage of the season. 1t takes
months to get into real shape.
And yet the manager cannot afford
to use youngsters, because games
must be won. There is the attendance
to think OF for one thing, and there
is the psychological effect on his play
ers in defeat for another thing. He
might have a great twirler hidden
away in his list of colt twirlers. He
sends him in once, twice, possibly
three times The team is in the
dumps and doesn't support him. He
finds it almost impossible to get a
line on him His following is clamor-
ing for victory and his players are
downcast.
Players Want Confidence.
He finds that he must work his regu-
lIars-men he is absolutely sure of.
Probably when a game is cinched or
defeat is certain, he'll send in one OF
the youngsters to get a line on his
new recruits. The ones who make
good first are the ones that are kept
Maybe the best one is sent back to the
minors because he hasn't shown any
form. With his new infelders and out.
fielders it is much the same way. Many
a baseball star has gone along fol
weeks before suddenly flashing out
and showing his real class.
With Jennings it is different. While
his seven rivals are worrying about
not being able to give each one of the
recruits the proper amount of study
Jennings simply smiles and sits bach
calmly to judge each youngster on his
individual merit.
Can Take Chances.
While victory is always sweet to hin
the loss of one, two or even more
games is nothing vital with the leal
he has. He can afford to take tn
chances.
He can send youngsters into pitcl
day after day until they have all shown
him not once but many times wha
they can do in the box. And, under
safe cover of that lead, he can expert
lnent, too. He can work all sorts O.
Hans out on his team, with never ;
fear of having some other team over.
hqdl him.
This does not mean much now, bu
in the mtd-season to come it does. Fo:
then, while other managers are worry.
ing because their veterans are show
ing signs of firing after their haze
spring service, his should be in the
hest of condition because in gettin.
into shape in the early stages, the!
wera not overworked And while other
managers have not dared to try out
new men or new plans of attack ana
defense, he has been developing his
team along these lines.
Not the Lead But the Effect.
It's not the lead they have now thai
counts, it's how that lead will affect
the play of the Tigers in July and All.
gust and September, that worries the