New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-11-10
GOOD STUFF IN YANKEES
Material Galore for Manager to
Weld Into Real Team.
PITCHING STAFF STRONG
Outfield Good as Any, but In
Field the Weak Spot for
Many Seasons.

find the task Of rounding out first class
team as difficult as 1t appears on the sur
face. Although the Yankees finished In
eighth place last season, the position was
not deserved by a team equipped with
pitching staff such as Frank Farrell has
on his preserves.
Practically the only problem that Will
confront the new manager in developing
real pennant contender is the selection
Of an infeld. Chase failed TO do this
and Wolverton made no progress. The
other departments of the team are capa-
bly, If not brilliantly cared for. The out
field with Cree and Wolter can hold up
its end with the best of It's rivals, while
with Sweeney to do the bulk Of the catch
Ing and twirlers who can puzzle the hard
est hitters in the league, the task or
Wolverton's successor is not so eXcep-
tionally difficult. In fact the material AT
hand makes the berth much easier than
some of the others that are open.
When the season began last spring. Con
ME Mack, firm In the belief that the
formidable Athletics would repeat picked
the Yankees TO give him hard fight
for FIRST honors on account of their strong
pitching staff. which rivalled his own as
| one of the best balanced in the league.
Nearly every critic agreed with the astute
Connie. But for one reason or another
| the mound artists failed to come through
with their usual line of goods at the
proper time, and the result was disastrous.
But there Is no getting around the fact
| that the players have a varied assortment
OF high class curves. Some OF them hao
bad years, but they are sure to come
around all right with proper handling.
Russell Ford, for instance, who is rated
as one of the best twirlers In either or
ganization and Big Ed Walsh's CHIEF
rival for spitball honors, is host in
himself and practically unbeatable when
thirty games a year and twenty OF them
are sure victories with any Kind OF sup
port
Ray Caldwell is as good a right handler
as any manager would care to have on
his stan The youngster broke into the
league in 1911 and was expected to flash
I'm brilliant fashion last season. but poor
health handicapped, and he pitched few
good games. These were enough 90 show,
however. that he had the goods. Warhop
is veteran. cool and dependable. with
penchant for hanging II on the Detroit
Tigers, which is something greatly TO be
desired in case Hughie Jennings gets his
charges going again. Jack can puzzle
the best Of them and Is a valuable man
In the corps.
Mcconnell. who burned things up In
the international League a year ago, was
a long time getting started. but when he
came around lie proved his worth. lie.
too. will undoubtedly take his place along
with Ford as one Of the stars OF the
league in another year. Mcconnell uses
the spltbail TO advantage at times and,
coupled with his pitching ability, has
knack OF rappins out safe hits which
makes him valuable man around the
field.
Some Of the youngsters may make good.
but they are more or less OF an unknown
quantity. Heating, the star obtained from
the New England League. received quite
an extended trial toward the end OF the
season, and did not come up TO expecta-
tons SIN. he was handicapped by the
support he received not only In the HELD,
but also with the stick. Heating was
treated pretty roughly In one game with
the Red Sox, but he showed enough In
other contests TO warrant further eXaml-
nation. Schultz and Thompson, two other
candidates. will be tried out again next
spring. And then there is Green. an
other youth coming from Holyoke. Mass.
IN
Yankees ought 10 have first class pitch
ing staff. which Is half the battle in a
gruelling campaign.
Behind the bat they will have Ed
Sweeney. one OF the best catchers in the
league. with Williams. promising young
ster, as first assistant, and Sterrett
prospective aspirant for honors. The
Princeton man. on the whole gave very
credltable exhibition in his first year In
fast company. While a bit slow-footed In
the outfield and on the bases Sterrett hit
I'm manner that marked him as a big
league player He had a knack OF dely-
ering his punches when they wee needed
the most. The advent OF Lelivelt forced
his retirement but he will probably be
USED as a catcher next year.
IF Birdie Cree and Harry Wolter are
able TO come back in their oldtime form
after the injuries they sustained in the
last campaign the Yankees will be assured
Of an outfield which can only be beaten
by the Red Sox trio. Cree is the better
hitter OF the two. but both men are known
as dangerous batters. AS a cleanup man
Ty Cobb and Hans Wagner have little on
the New York left fielder. He Is long,
hard hitter who likes TO have the bases
filed when he comes up, and seldom fails
TO deliver I'm the pinches As an outfielder
he ranks among the first five In the
league. Lelivelt, while trife slow, hit
we'll during his sojourn with the Yankees
and will I'LL the niche I'm centre field to a
nicely. Then there is Bert Daniels. who
has ups and downs in his work. He is
always fast on the bases. while his field
Ing is above the average. Ills batting.
however. is subject TO violent fluctuations,
while his brain does not always work with
the speed OF his legs.