Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-17
BY J. ED GRILLo.

By j. ELL Gtk41O.
II the Washington club can fare as
well next fall as 1t did last In the secur-
ing Of new material Grifflth ought to
have most formidable ball team in the
next campaign. That a most thorough
search for promising players is being made
this year is shown by the fact that Scout
Kahoe and one or two others whose names
are not divulged are already touring
through all the minor leagues getting
line ON the material there. While none
of the big minor leagues will be over
looked, the scouts will give most of their
attention to the smaller leagues. since 1t
Is argued that there is better chance
to get players OF promise from these for
the reason that the class "A clubs as
rule are largely made up Of discards from
the majors.
Griffith wants players of ability and
little experience, so that II they make
years. Being better fortified now than
any Washington team has ever been, 1t
would require but the addition Of high
class yOungSter or two to make the Ma
tionais look dangerous In q race. aIif -
fith Is searching the country for that
kind Of players and he Is particularly
anxious to add q pitcher or two.
JU0S because q 1S<4IA UdVQ0ub " D0 AtSI
In the race does not necessarily mean
that 1t will prove easy picking for teams
which are occupying higher berths.
Almost any team, even though 1t be not
ciassed with the strong Is apt to put up
favor1ng 1t, stands good chance to win,
while the strong team with the breaks
going against 1t has not chance.
On past performance the Nationals seem
to have the call in tho series with the
Browns. but the visitors cannot be beaten
unless the locals put UP . high class ar
ticlo Of ball. There Is not SO great
difference between tho leaders and the
tailenders that the former can loaf and
gain victories.
Walter johnson win be opposed today
by one Of the Brown boys. Elmer Is a
which one Of the two will work has not
been decided by Manager Wallace, who
will wait until after both have warmed
ND to make his selection. Barring one
| day. It has been q week since johnson
has been on the slab. and he usually
shows at his best after a long rest
Connolly and Hart will be the umpires
here for the remainder OF the Nationals
stay at home. Perrtne and Dineen have
| left for other parts and there Will be no
regrets.
In the event Of q left-hander pitching
against the Nationals today it is not
likely that Cashion will be played In right
field, though Griffith may give him an
other chance to show what he can do
against southpaw pitching. The fact that
i he failed to make good impression
against Gregg the other day, does not
prove that he is helpless against left
nary game of ball. fooling right and left
handlers alike. Cash1on has the utmost
confidence In himself. and claims not to
be bothered by left-handed pitchers. and
i Griffith may give him another chance
But with q left-hander working against
Johnson, shanks and Clarence Walker
may take the places Of Moeller and
Cashion, two left-handed hitters.
Barring the switch Of Laporte to right
field and the acquisition OF Pratt, who Is
playing second, Manager Wallace pre-
sents virtually the same team now with
which he finished the last campaign
4 There have been some new faces added
to the pitching staff, but the general
makeup Of the team IL hardly changed
excepting. Of course. the playing Of Sto-
vail, we'll known In tho league at first
base. The one thing OF which st. Louis
i critics and fans seemed certain this win
ter was that the Browns would beat out
the Nationals. Just now the prospects
for this happening are not bright. The
claim has been made by the Mound city
| folk that this Is q one-man team. having
win its games. There may be occasion
Il for a change Of this opinion when the
present series is over.
That speed is not all that Is needed to
| steal bases Is proven In the case OF Shot
ten. the speedy fielder Of the Browns. 1t
/ is Questionable whether there is q faster
man In the league than Shotten, and yet
though he played In 1879 games last sea-
son he only pdlfered eleven bases. Base
running requires good judgment In get
| ting q start and ability to make q finish
| with q good slide, for under ordinary
condition. tho ball usually beats the run
ner to the bag. but he avoids being
touched by evading the man handling the
ball.
Among the veterans who are still in
/ the majors and holding their own is Big
jack Powell Of the Browns. Powell was
with Cleveland IN 1SD4 and has never
been out OF fast company since then. He
II still q dangerous pitcher when he Is
fright after eighteen years OF constant
pitching. being second only In this re-
spect to Cy Young.
Tho principal reason for the weakness
which ieft-handed hitters display against
Lsouthpaws 10 that with few exceptions
they get little opportunity to face this
sort Of pitching. Whenever it 10 possible