Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-06
BY j. ED GRILLO..

But three games remain on the Ma
tiona1s' home exhibition schedule To-
day the Griffithites clash with the Cornell
College team. and Monday and Tuesday
Bill Dahlens Brooklyn team comes here
for a series of two games.
Wednesday is an off day, during which
the players are to rest up for the open
ing of the season in Philadelphia Thurs
day. where three games will be played.
Three games will also be played in New
York. and then the team VIII return
here to open the season April is with
the worlds champion Athletics.
Akers is to pitch part of the game to-
day, while Musser, too. may make his
first appearance on the local grounds
That Joe EngeI will eventually make
a successful pitcher has already been
demonstrated. Though he was Wild
against Boston yesterday, he was not
hit when he managed to get the ball
over, and his wildness was the result
of not having worked enough in games.
Engel is but nineteen. and by the time
he is matured he will be quite big man.
Griffith does not figure on using Engel
much this season. He believes that De-
cause of his youth he should be handled
carefully. but he looks for him TO show
a whole lot of Improvement by the time
the season is over.
Boehling too. may be promising,
though it is very evident that both lie
and Engel require whole lot OF eX-
perience. 1t is quite a step from col
lege or amateur base ball to major
league company, and too much is not
TO be expected al the outset
That Boston team is going to have
hard time finishing anywhere but last
in the coming National League race.
Though the team is formidable in hit
ting. il is the slOwest major league
team that has been shown here IN years.
There is not single fast man IN the
lineup. and unless there is con-
siderable change for the better in its
pitching it's batting strength will be
ing team. and even if John Killing should
prove himself a capable manager he
cannot be expected TO make much of
showing with the Braves as they are
now made up.
George Mcbride is out of the game
with spiked foot. and it will be sew
eraI days probably before he will be
able to play. Ray Morgan took his place
yesterday. and he did not have 4 very
good day OF it.
Fortunately for Eddie Foster. he has
been in base hall long enough to have
shown that he is not classy player
early i'm the spring. his showing with
The Nationals might create the impression
that he was out of his class.
But Foster will. in time. prove his
ability to hold his own on the local
team. He takes a lot of time to get
gong. and Griffith, realizing this fact is
wise in keeping him in the game Lots of
work will gradually bring Foster around
and within the next few weeks Griffith
expects to see him show his real form.
Monday the regulars open a series of
two games here with the Brooklyn Ma
tional League club. The Yanigans go ia
Richmond Monday to play the Virginia
state League team of that city. Walter
Johnson is to pitch part of that game,
and it will be his final workout before
The season opens. Griffith figures that by
sending Johnson four five innings at
Richmond and then giving him two DAYS
rest he will be fit to do his best against
the Athletics Thursday. 1t is the inten-
ton TO allow Walter to pitch the opening
game in New York the following Mon
day. and also have him open the season
here Thursday of that week against the
Athletics. IL Johnson is in form he is
very apt to win a majority of these
games
With MOeller. Milan and Schaefer in
the outheld, the teams fielding has been
considerably improved. Moeller has al
ready shown that he can play left better
than any left fielder the Nationals have
had in recent years, and lie. like Milan
and Schaefer. as excellent thrower.
Opposing base runners cannot take many
chances on the bases when either of this
trio is handling the ball. for they throw
strong and accurately
1t sometimes requires time to prove the
ACCESSIBILITY of a trade. When Joe Can
tillon swapped Jim Delehanty for Schaef-
er quite howl went up from local pa
irons of the game, and yet today if it
was suggested that the swap should be
made over again there would be loud
protests. Schaefer has undoubtedly proven
himself a much more valuable man for
this team than Delehanty ever was and
that Is not a reflection on Delehanty, for
he is a good ball player. but was not in
right here. Schaefer is today a better
ball player than he ever was. He has
retained his speed and is much better
h tier than he was at any time while with
the Detroit team.
Tyler the Boston left-hander. went the
entire nine innings and pitched effective
". Tyler vas the mainstay of the Bos-
ton pitching staff This year. and he
must be in good shape TO pitch nine
innings. something that none of Griffith s
pitchers have been allowed 10 do. Just
low Griffs pitchers will take to a nine
inning game when the season opens re-
mains 20 be seen. for. AS said before. five
innings is the most any one of them has
been asked TO so.
Shanks is assured of holding down a
position utility outfelder on the Ma
tionals even though he does not get a
regular position. but Griffith has not yet
decided which of the other two. Walker
and Long, he will keep to fill the other