Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1911-06-27
BY J. ED GRILLo.

Unless the Unexpected happens today,
there is a good chance for the Nationals
to establish the seasons record for losing
consecutive games. 4 dual defeat at the
hands of the Hghlanders today Will
bring the total of losses TO ten games,
undoubtedly record for the present
campaign, If not for g longer period. In
cidentally a double victory would prob
ably establish a record for the New York
team in that it would have gained six
straight victories from one club in four
days.
Conceding. of course. that tire local
team is too weak to cut any figure in the
race. it might be doing considerably bet
ter If it had a break Ct better luck. For
instance 1t Is noticeable fact that
whenever one of McAleer's pitchers per-
forms fairly we'll. as did Groom vester-
day. the team behind him falls to hit.
and OH days that the team hits well and
scores enough runs TO win an ordinary
game its pitchers are being pounded by
their opponents. Somehow or other
things are never sandwiched in right,
and good hitting and effective pitching
seem never to come on the same day.
With winning teams just the opposite is
usually the case. and II is this break
that does much to help make them sue
cessful
But the present trip, regardless of the
outcome of the double-header today. is
one of the most disastrous in the history
of the Washington team. There have been
other instances when the Nationals have
| lost lot of games in a row. but eight
straight comes pretty near to being the
record During the Cantillor regime IN
1908 the team lost seven straight. four
! ". ltIf
! three of these games were TO o, and five
OF the seven were lost by a single tally.
Five Of these games could have been won
| by long fly to the outfeld, but even this
mode Of scoring was denied the team. IN
| those days the team had splendid pitch
| ing staff, but lacked hitters, which is still
true of the present team on,y that It's
pitching staff is now one of the weakest in
the league.
Owners of ma jor league hall clubs recog
nized the fact that the safest way to get
playing material is. TO develop 1t many
years ago, and established system OF
farming cut young players who lacked
experience Because of this practice near
/, every minor league club in the country
has on its list one or more players VINO
belong 70 some major league club and Is
claimed by that club in the fail of the
year. Wasl II ston has no players farmed.
It has perhaps a string on Coroin. now
with Atlanta, but 1t has disposed of all its
other youngsters outright. Nor has Z
mistake been made IN doing this. for none
of the YOUNGSTERS taken south last spring
gave any indication OF ever developing
into major league material But many
clubs have been helped by picking up
young players who gave promise and
until they developed. Pittsburg, for in
stance had Bill Mckechnie on it's list for
four five years, yet did not bring MIN
into the Pirate fold until last spring.
Major league scouts in touring the coun-
try not infrequently find that some
player who impresses them is the prop
erty of a major league club: Connie
Mack has youngsters staked out In
every section of the country. He keeps
tab on their performances and when he
thinks they are ripe he brings them into
his team and looks them over. 1t Is a
safe guess that Mack has players for
every position farmed out to the minors
where he can lay his hands on them
whenever he wants them. This system
gives a club great advantage over one
which has not resorted to this farming
practice.
struct his ball team he Will haze to bear
in mind that there is not single posi-
ton on the team filled in such man
ner that it could not be improved upon
OF course, it is impossible to build UP a
team in a single year, but in making his
selections of players McAleer cannot dis
criminate. The effort to rebuild should
be general Players for every position
should be secured in the hope OF get
ting at least few who will answer the
purpose 1T cannot be taken for granted
that any position on the team Is wen
enough filled to warrant the retention of
the present incumbent. In some in
stances 1t will be difficult to improve
upon the players now on the local team,
but nevertheless the effort to do so
should be made
There is no doubht that the teams
greatest weakness is in its pitching
stan, which in former years was its
strongest department. McAieer VIII
have to bring in a corps OF twirlers in
the hope of finding two or three who can
hold their own. His present staff is shot
to pieces and. in fact. 1t seems to be a