Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-07-09
PITCHERS, TWO OUTFIELDERS
AND ONE INFIELDER NEEDED
Nationals Need Three Departments Strength
ened Before They Can Be Contenders
in Pennant Race.
BY J. ED GRILLo.

The failure of the Nationals to make
respectable showing in the present pen
nant race often brings up the question
of Just what material is needed to make
the team a winner. There Is not the
slightest doubt that IL some respects the
team is az we'll fortified as 1t would need
be to be a contender in the race, while II
is lamentably weak in other respects
That the weakness offsets the strong
features of the team is shown by its
standing in the race. and before better
results can be hoped for efforts will have
to be made in the right direction.
The infieid. for instance. as now made
up lacks batting strength. Schaefer, FL
berfeld and Mcbride answer the purpose,
but they would loom up decidedly strong
er if the fourth man on the infeld was a
hitter Schaefer is hitting over the 300
mark and Elberfeld is very close to it.
Mcbride is hitting nearly 300 a decid-
eddy high mark for an inf1elder of his
ability and one who would more than fill
the bill If the player placed at second
was hitter of more than ordinary abil-
ity. That Is where the team has been
weak for several years. When Cunning
ham gave every indication last fall of
being both a hitter and fielder II seemed
indeed as if McAleer had filled the weak
est spot on the team. but Cunningham
has fallen down, and while he may still
develop, his performance to date does not
look as If he would answer the purpose.
A man of merit should be secured for
that position.
The Nationals catching staff. while it
has not been Of high standard this sea
son, has been seriously handicapped by
accidents to date, and manager who
at no eQtllDDed
with catchers in Street. Henry and Ain
smith would probably make no mistake
So far as the pitching staff is concerned
ii is far from being what II should be to
assure successful team. After all is
said and done it must be realized that
johnson. notwithstanding the fact that
this has been most disastrous spring for
him, is still the only twirler OF class
among the several who are drawing
salary from the local club. The others
show an occasional flash. just enough to
warrant their retention but never do con-
sistent work McAleer must figure on
building a pitching staff around Walter
Johnson There is not one of the others
vantage. The Importance of strong
pitching staff has long since been realized.
Without pitchers no team can win. be 1t
ever so strong in all other departments.
More efforts should be made in this direc-
ton than in any other. for though there
be weak spots on team. II Its pitchers
ARE of high class it always stands a chance
to be a contender In the race.
So far as the local outfield Is concerned
it is still in about the same shape as is
the pitching staff. Milan being the only
one of the several who are being played
there who really has major league class.
Doc Gessler has played good ball this
year His hitting has been one of the
features of the locals play. but Doc
would be a poor proposition to figure on
as a permanent fielder for the reason that
he has reached thai stage where he Is
much more apt to go back than to i'm
prove. 1t would, therefore. seem that when
the local club makes up its list Of what it
needs it will name two outfielders, at
least one infielder and an entirely new
corps of pitchers.
AS for utility men the locals have ever
been weak. Unlike most teams who rely
on young blood to fill the holes caused
by accident or incapacity, the Nationals
have held on TO several old players for
this purpose There has been no chance
for these to improve. while If young play
ers had been carried for the same pur-
pose they would eventually have develop
ed sufficiently to be able to fill a position
regularly. This has been Connie Mack's
system, and to 1t he owes much of the
success he has achieved In recent years.