Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-11-29
BY j. ED GRILLo.

ranged his business affairs in Craig
Mont. wher. he owns large ranch, ant
from this out will give his entire and
undivided attention to the affairs Of thu
Washington club.
The new manager is nothing more thar
hopeful. He is hardly in a position tt
make any predictions for his team, with
which he is not familiar, having beer
out OF the league for two years Ht
seems TO believe however, that the pros
meets here are better than they have
been in years. and by plugging up Few
holes and instilling the proper spirit into
his players he hopes to make bettel
showing in the race than have the Ma
tionals in recent years. Griffith is en-
thusiastic about his position with the
Washington club. Being a part owner
he feels that he is now better fortineo
in base ball than ever before in his
career. He will virtually be managing
his own club, which is the realization
of an ambition he has long entertained.
There is not much I can say about
our prospects," said he. But IL haro
work and hustle will do any good we will
have improved conditions here. / an,
satisfied that we have the nucleus for a
winner right here now, and II it can be
our good fortune to pick up a player or
two who will fill the weak spots I will
be well satisfied. It is, of course, not
to be hoped to change this team from
near tailender to a factor in the race in
a single year, but whole lot can De
done in that time, and We will not leave
a stone unturned to accomplish some
thing.
81 of course, nnow all the old players
on the team, but some of the youngsters
are new to me. and / will have to look
them over in the spring to get a line on
them Our future depends entirely on
how fortunate we can be in picking up
good young ball players We cannot hope
to better conditions with a lot of old
fellows. 1t has been my experience that
the only hope there is to change a loser
to a winner is to build it up with young
sters, and that is exactly what l propose
to do here 1t takes time, but IL a club
can keep at trying to improve there is
no reason why in. say, two or three years
it should not have a real good ball
team
1t. is not at all unlikely that the Ma
uonals will do their spring training at
home. There is not chance for Griffith
10 take his team to Hot Springs, Ark.
He does not believe in this course of pre-
lminary work, though he Is APT to sond
his pitchers there for a twO-week stay
10 get them in proper shape to start IN
training. Present indications are that he
team will not go south at all. Grifhth
has several propositions from south. m
towns under consideration, but he is AoL
apt to accept any of them. Chattanooga
is anxious TO have the team come there,
but Griffith is of the opin.on tnat WASH
ington is every bit as good a place to
train.
wi by, many of the ball teams start
ztheir exhfbition games at home in the
east as early as the latter part OF Marcii,
anu surely We have as good Climate here
SIS they nave, SO l don see any teas n
for southern trip said ne. Il expect
To send some or the pitchers 10 ilot
Springs Tor a boiling out, sut believe
That the team can get ii just a. god
eOH4ilrvn here as anywhere III The SOUTH
= Neither Elberfeio nor Conroy will be
ear leu by GTlfnIh, out IN neither IN
stance VIII THESE players be gwen then
4ncoud. .onai release. Griffith thinks
nal hese veterans will be OF great value
10 Sene minor league clubs and that
soEle sort OF an arrangement should be
made whereby the washington CLUB
would get. an option on some or the
Youngsters these clubs are developing IN
exchange tor these veterans.
Gr.lnta does not want TO stand in the
s.giIt OF elther OF the players, anu would
allow them To pick the CLUB to which they
want 10 go, but he does not tn nix IL a
good business proposition TO turn these
p.ayeIs loose without getting anything
In return. ConIoy and EiDerfeiu cost the
Washington ciuo $1,000. ana there is no
reason why this outlay should De an en-
tire loss. There is a Whole lot OF god
common business sense about Griihtn,
when II sure to bear fruit
Though the Washington club has asked
for waivers on Groom and Lelivelt in
order to carry out its agreement with the
, Rochester club, neither OF these players
will be allowed to get out OF the league
by Griffith. Il have never seen Leiivelt
play, but / saw Groom pitch. and 1 would
men until have looked them over. When
a player can hit like Lei.velt he belongs
in fast company even though he be q
poor fielder. I figure that Lelive.t can
average warrants his getting a trial. ana
as u..4e and that he has been played
in left, where he did not belong, chang
of fields may make big difference in
him. AS for Groom, / am sure that he
stands chance to make a competent
pitcher.
Il shall not let any OF the players go
until have looked them over, barring
Conroy and Elberfeld, who, of course,
are ready TO go into the minors. / need
every man 1 have. and not until / have
convinced myself as to the ability of the
squad Will l use the knife. You see, /
do not know much about the players on
our list and will have to see them"
is there any chance of any OF your
players figuring in trades this winter
was asked.
No chance. am through with trades
We haven't anything We want to trade
and have nothing to offer. am willing
TO take chance with what material
have and can secure for development
There are few instances where a club is
benefited by trades, and We are In ab
soluteiy no position to do any swapping "
Griffith heard some very fiattering re-
ports regarding some of the young play
ers on the local list and he Is anxious
to see them in action. He has formed
the impression that Cashion is going 10
make a great pitcher. Players who have
seen the big fellow work have spoken to
Grin about his great ability, and he
figures that he can develop Cashion into a
real star based on the good reports h,
has heard or him. Griffith has seer
Moeller play and simply shares the opin.
ion of other good judges OF ball pla Yer,
that he Is sure TO make good here
As for CUNNINGHAM Grjfifh baors o.