Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-09
BY ]. ED GRILLO.

- GO 0xt4AAOs
The weak hitting of the Nationals con-
tinues. Yesterday they gave an exhi-
! bition of club swinging against two
Brooklyn pitchers. Rucker and Allen, both
left-handers. and were shut out. But
five hits were made off the visitors
and these were widely scattered. 1t is so
now that pitchers do not deserve credit
for making a good showing against the
local batsmen, who appear to be In one
of the worst batting slumps Washing
ton team has ever experienced. Fortu-
nately the games they are playing now
do not count. but the teams poor show
ing in this respect is having discourage
ing effect on it's followers.
Somehow or other the players are not
taking their slump seriously. In fact.
some of them believe that 1t is good
omen and that weak hitting now means
good hitting when the regular season
opens 1t stands to reason that the
team can hit better than it has up to
date: if it could not. hardly single man
on 1t could hold his own in minor
league. Though it has been against anna
teur college and professional pitchers in
the games that have been played here
It's SIOWl1S Will TIC oe&e 'A>~S ~~-
Door against them all.
Nor is this slump confined TO the ne"
men on the team. Milan and Schaefer'
who were the best hitters on the ciuo
last season. are hitting like amateurs and
in this respect do not differ much from
their teammates 1t is not reasonable
to suppose that this sort OF hitting can
continue much longer. There is bound
md
the team gets into it's batting stride, 1t
will look much more formidable in every
respect.
II am not worried because of the poor
stick work we are doing" says Grimth.
II know that my team can hit a hundred
per cent better than it has, ana wnen IL
gets to going one OF these DAYS II VIII
hold it's own with the bat. 1t is really
fortunate that We are doing an our poor
for I am confident that when the real
games start we will be In our stride
Things are just breaking poorly Tor us
and q team which does not hit always
looks like a joke. I am not discouraged
and it is only a question of day or so
when our hitters will break loose
From present indications it would seem
that the Nationals are not going to be
oyerrun with gingery players this season.
There is a lack of enthusiastic hustiing
prevalent already, probably because there
are 50 many players OF quiet dlsposiuoh
on the team. Knight and Foster nave
little to say, and Moeller and Milan do
not attract much attention to themselves
by reason Of displaying pepper, not that
they don't hustle in playing the game.
There does not appear to be q single
man on the team barring Schae1er, VINO
can make enough noise on the coaching
lines to be heard in the stands. 1t may
be that this is not essential, but 1t does
much to keep up the spirit OF team 10
have some one on the lines who can talk
above a whisper.
Carl Cashion is gradually developing a
good curve ball. He had 1t working Det-
ter yesterday than on any previous oc-
victims to it. Cashion is working hard
every morning trying to perfect this de-
livery. Every one Of the pitchers on the
team who has the reputation OF possess
ing good hook is giving some time 10
instructing Cashion with the curve.
George Mcbride expects to be able to
play in the opening game at Philadelphia
Thursday. The wound on his shin result
ing from being spiked by Josh Devore OF
the Giants is healing slowly. but he ex-
poets It to be sufficiently mended to al
low him to play in the first game Of the
season. McBrides value to the team Is
never fully realized until he IL out OF the
game. Perhaps no one misses Mcbride
more than the catchers. When he IS at
short throws to second base when steals
are attempted are made to look good
even when they are not close to the
mark. because he is one of the best men
in the country to handle them and touch
runners.
Brooklyn seems to have cookbook
ing ball team The outfit which Bill
Dahlen has gathered about him this
spring Is undoubtedly great i'm
provement over the one he finished the
season with. There Is fair amount
able to do some effective hitting. So
far as pitchers are concerned. the
Dodgers appear to be well fortlned
Dahlen believes that he will climb
several notcheS in the race this year.
All the members Of the local team
wore two or three undershirts and
sweaters yesterday to keep out the
cold and this to an extent at least at
fected their playing.
Groom and Becker will pitch against
called at $3.50 It will be the teams
last appearance here until one week
from Thursday, when they will open
the season here with the Athletics
Jack Knight gives promise of being
in fairly good shape for the opening
game Of the season. The former Yam
kee mas improved WnOle lOt since ne
has been playing regularly and the
chances are that he will make a valu-
able man for the team at second base.
He is covering a lot Of ground and is
beginning to hit the ball hard. He
and Flynn. in fact. are the only ones
on the team who are doing anything
like consistent hitting.
Walter Johnson showed better form
at Richmond yesterday than he has at
any time this spring. Walter let him
self out against the Virginia Leaguers
and showed plainly that he will be In
good form against the Athletics
Thursday. BOehling. too, gave a very
clever exhibition. and Griffith is hope
full of having him develop sufficiently
to warrant his being carried through
the season. as he is decidedly anxious
to have at least one effective left
handler to call on at various times.
BY peculiar coincidence the Regu-
lars lost to Brooklyn yesterday by ex-
actly the same score that the Yanni-
gans won from Richmond. The fol-
lowing Is the score Of the Brooklyn
Washington game:
WASHINGTON. Alb. R. II. o. A. e.
Milan. cf...........4 o o 2
Schaefer, rf-.........3 % 0
Moeiler. n--.-....... O o
Wynn, ID D 10 o
Knight. 2b.. q 2
Morgan. ss.-......-3