Evening star., 1911-08-27
McALEER HAS SAME NUCLEUS
THAT HAS EXISTED FOR YEARS
Johnson, Milan, Mcbride and Street Quartet
Around Which Winner Must Be Built.
Prospects Brighter Than Heretofore.

chased and the club hopes to draft 1t
should be possible to plug up the several
weak holes in the outfit, AID IL this is
brought about the Nationals are sure to
be much more formidable next year than
they were this.
Mcbride and Schaefer need not be i'm
proved upon SO far as the infieid is con-
cerned, nor will 1t be easy to find a man
for Cunningham's place IL he continues
to hit as he has of late Third base re-
mains to be filled. for while Elberfeld has
done splendid work there, he has reached
that stage of his career where he will not
Improve, and is very apt to start on the
down grade.
For this position McAleer will have
morgan, who Is now filing the position,
and incidentally appears te be going pref
ty good, and Foster. who is at present
playing short for Rochester. There will
also be several other infield recruits who
will report in the spring of whose ability,
however. little is known. These are Sheer
and Scott of the Youngstown team.
Milan has no rival for the outfield, and
1t is in this department that much I'M
provement is needed. Walker in left is
the consensus Of opinion that there is no
way to Keep Moeller off the team, while,
judged by his showing in the minors,
Long. too, must be considered. So that
McAIeer Will have Milan, Walker, Moeller
and Long to draw his outfield FROM for it
is not likely that either Gessler or Leli-
Welt will be retained after the present
season, though both are good hitters.
1t is proven in almost every instance
that there is no way to get correct
line on players hitting ability until he
has gone through the greater part of a
season. Many youngsters breaking in
with whom the pitchers are not familiar
get splendid start, only to show up
iamentably weak when the twirlers have
wanting to reflect on the performance of
Clarence Walker, the figures will show
that he is not hitting now as he did
when he started with the team. and hence
It would be well to withhold enthusiastic
outbursts anent the splendid showing of
Ray Morgan until he has had q chance
to demonstrate that he Is not q flash in
the pan. Anything good that Is said Of
his debut is not to be denied. for he is
showing remarkable ability with the
stick, but the fact that he has shown up
well in the few games he has played does
not mean that he will continue to hit as
he has started
Naturally. every one interested in the
local team hopes that the present good
work on the part of Morgan will be con-
tinued. 1t would mean much to the
locals il he is as good ball player as
his work to date would indicate. but the
disappointment will not be so keen If
judgment on Morgan is withheld until
he has had a fair trial,
OF the nine games played on the pres
ent western trip the Nationals have won
five games. Three remain to be played
in Cleveland and then the team goes to
New York and Philadelphia for six games
before returning to its own grounds. 1t
Is hardly to be expected that an even
break will be secured on this trip. though
The chances are that the team will do
better than it has on its two former jour-
neys.
Had Walker started yesterdays game
| the chances are 1t would have been an
easy victory for the locals. But McAleer
| put his faith in Groom, who usually
CONTINUED on Third Page)