Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-12-17

may have been the fault Of the catcher
more than his own.
| Being of peculiar disposition Groom
would not think Of reversing ms catcher
| once he gave him sign whether he be-
| lieved in the kind Of a ball asked Tor or
not. But the fact that he was WORKING
contrary to his own judgment might
have the effect Of his losing confidence
and thus his work would suffer.
| There is nothing like humoring some
| players, and If Groom feels that he is
better qualified to pick the ball for the
| batter he should be given that privilege.
To Grif11th's mind there is nothing so
| important in pitchers makeup as
| ability to pitch deceptive slow ball AS
| a deliverer Of this deceptive and tanta-
| LIKING delivery no one ever was more
| expert than the manager Of the Nation
| ais during the days that he was num-
bered among the star pitchers of the
| major leagues. But there is a great
difference in slow balls.
You have probably noticed" said
| Griff, that some pitchers slow ball Is
/ the easiest kind OF picking for the bat
| ters. That principally is due to the fact
that the ball arches after it leaves the
pitchers hand and Is en- route toward
the plate. This gives the batter chance
to gauge the ball before it gets near him,
and of course 1t is the easiest thing in
the world to hit. But the kind of slow
ball that battles the batter is the one
which goes on straight line toward the
plate, and cannot be detected from d
straight fast one until 1t Is too late
for the batter. That is the kind of q
slow one l had and was responsible for
my success as a pitcher.
Now it is not easy for the average
pitcher to get this ball down to a nicely
but l shall put all our pitchers to work
on it, and I'll wager that those who
learn the art will pitch successfully next
season."
The Nationals may not win single one
of the exhibition games they are sched-
uled to play this spring, but even II they
don't these games Will serve TO give
Griffith II good line on his pitching staff
IT is his intention not to work any one
Of the old pitchers in any Of these games,
but the youngsters, who will be asked TO
report long before any Of the others. SO
as 10 get in condition early, Will be work
ed in regular rotation in these games
Griffith figures that this Is the only sys-
tenn by which he can get line OH his
young pitchers.
"1t makes no difference to me if We
lose every exhibition game. for they don
count against us, and by SO doing can
get correct line on my pitchers" said
he. Il have an idea of what the old fell
lows can do and shall not take any
games which don't count The youngsters
will do the work. and / would rather have
them lose exhibition games than cham
pionship contests. When the exhibition
season is over I will know just how many
pitchers l have WHO can win during the
regular season.
About every one connected with base
ball laughed up their sleeves when Garry
Hermann announced the appointment of
Hank O'Day as manager of his Cincinnati
team. Perhaps time will prove that there
| was occasion for this giggling, but 1t is
| taking long chances to make sport of the
move at this time.
FNervbO0V agrees that the first ror,IiSif a
of manager is a strong ball team. and
| if those in a position to know are to be
believed then Cincinnati figures with the
best IN the country. Having a good team.
our friend Hank has but one thing to
do. and that is to display a thimblefull
| of gray matter. Men no brighter than
Hank have made a success of managing
1t does not require Socrates nor any
occult power to sit on the bench and di-
| rect a lot Of good ball players.
Most Of the great teams do their own
| thinking and would make a success of it
without manager. O'Day may surprise
by the success Of his team, for. as said
before. he has one which. with few
good breaks. may set things af1re in the
National League next season.
Ball clubs are absolutely forced to do
their own developing Of players these
days II they hope ever to be able to hold
their heads up with the contenders in the
race. The price Of ball players has gone
up to such exorbitant figures that If q
club goes out and buys 1t must take a
long chance with a lot of money and
probably get nothing in return.
Even ordinary minor leaguers, who give
but slight indication Of ever making
good in fast company. are held a prices
that few years ago would have bought
the brightest stars in the game. Condi-
tions OF today are such that a major
league club must have minor league af-
| dliations for the purpose of developing
/ mere boys into major league material
The club which does not enter into this
proposition is forced to carry a heavy
handicap.
Speed is one thing that Griffith insists
upon. He does not believe that a team
which cannot boast Of lot of fast men
cab hope to be prominent in the race. It
need not necessarily be made up Of a lot
of Cobbs, but every man on 1t should be
able to keep the opposing players hustling
once he starts for a base. In this respect
Griffith beliIes he has already made con-
siderable improvement in the local aggre-
cation. for he figures that with Moeller
and Milan in the outfield he will have the
benefit OF two of Che fastest runners in
the league, which will make q wonderful
difference in the teams general appear
ance.
One would not suppose that in view Of
the fact that George Moriarty did not
SoiiiC uP " CApOStdlIouS Will Tic DS'
troit team last season that there would
be much competition to secure him by
other clubs in the league. And yet
Moriarty is much sought after player.
Harry Davis of Cleveland, for instance,
figures that If he can get Moriarty that
he will have a team which cannot be
figured out Of the race, and Moriarty
is not a great hitter either. But he
is a winning ball player, has plainly
of nerve. is a good base runner, and
a dangerous man in any kind of pinch.
Cleveland Is not sure that Turner will
be able to hold his own at third. and 1t
would feel secure II Moriarty was about
to take his place.
Griffith. too, would welcome the Tigers
song writer, but he is handicapped In
negotiating for him for the reason that
he has nothing in the way Of players
to offer in return, and players are what
every club wants.
Griffith's system Of training his players
is not going to be near as strenuous as
was that Of Cantillon or McAleer. He
does not believe that it helps matters any
to overwork the players in the spring. He
will not send any Of them to Hot Springs
and has eliminated the long southern
trip. He believes that ball players can
get in good shape in about three weeks
and will depend more on the players be-
ing benefited by playing exhibition games
than from any other source.