The Washington times., 1912-04-08
CONNIE MACK SAYS
HIS TEAM SHOULD
Be MUCH STRONGER
To Be Better Than Other
Clubs If Hard Luck Does
a.. Not Interfere.

NEW YORK, April S-Connie Mack,
manager of the worlds champion Ath-
letlcs, was in talkative mood before
the game in Jersey City yesterday. As
a rule, Mack doesn't unbosom himself
on baseball matters, but this time he
waXed eloquent.
II can't see why the Athletics
shouldn't improve this year." he said.
They are good for several years yet,
] think. Just at present, though, we
have Frank Baker and Bris Lord laid
up. Baker has wrenched a rib, I un-
derstand, and there's a reason. You
see, wherever we've played this spring
the fans have expected Baker to make
q home run each time he has gone to
the plate. Frank is an obliging chap,
and in trying to hit each ball over the
fences, he's put himself on the shelf.
Lord has bruised wrist Toots Shultz.
the Philadelphia Nationals pitcher, hit
him on the wrist with the same kind
OF ball that broke Sherwood Magee's s
arm. But Baker and Lord will be with
US shortly.
II am sure that we have picked up
two first class, pitchers. One Is Byron
Houck. who shut out the Phillies the
other day, and the other is Carl Brown.
Houck comes from Spokane and Brown
from Waterbury. They are right hand
ers. strongly built, and know a, lot
about box work. Egan. our neIecatch-
er. will make good. We have an eX-
cellent outielder in Maggert, from Cal
ifornia. Our regular pitchers are IN
fine trim down South. hear, and We'll
have them with us in day or TWO.
Is Not a Prophet.
"If we do not run up against Old
Hard Luck, in the shape of numerous
accidents, | think we will have shade
on the other teams. You know. l am
not a baseball prophet Hence 1 must
decline to lay claim to the, pennant. 1t
Is also we'll to remember that the other
managers in the American League are
trying to strengthen all the time, and
some of them are bound to succeed
The DetToits. under Jennings, always
are dangerous. / understand that the
Chicago White SoX have picked up
crack first baseman in Fournier, to-
gether with a couple OF other GOOD men
With such pitcher as Walsh in line
the White Sox cannot be held cheaply.
If Stahl manages the Boston Red Sox
the right way. they'll bear watching.
They have a wonderful outfield. some
first-class pitchers, and Carrigan is a
fine catcher. Harry Davis ought TO
succeed with the Clevelands. He knows
baseball and has strong team TO work
with.
"The Highlanders will be danger
Gus II their pitchers make good.
WoIverton Is a competent manager and
great hustler. ! think he has In
Street "a better catcher than Sweeney,
who is a $2,SO0 ball player. Street can
l have high opinion OF Clark Griffith,
and ] think In time he will put the
Washingtons in shape.
-. , Giants Cannot Lose.
I'm the National League I don't see
how the Giants can be beaten out of the
flag. They didn't come up to my eX-
pectations in the worlds series, but
they may have done better in the pen
nant race. McGTaw has two remark
able pitchers in Mathewson and Mar
Guard, a first class catcher in Meyers.
and two top-notch infielders in Larry
Doyle and HerZog. Fletcher Is a smart
| youngster. but ] think some of the other
! men are weak at the bat.
THE Cubs don't appeal to me much,
and | think the Pittsburghs will be
about as strong as they were last year.
| The Philadelphias are. almost .unbeat-
| able with Alexander in the box, but
they lack something when II comes
down to a question of class. The other
| National League teams will not cause
much trouble, unless there's an uneX-
pected Improvement in form"