Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-09
GIANTS ARE BETTER PLAYERS
THAN THEY WERE In 1911
There Is Not Slow Man on the Team,
and Last Years Experience
Has Been Beneficial.

times sake. But you can't expect team
Of kids to beat a seasoned team. At
least such has been my experience. That's
the reason why l figure that the Giants
did not beat the Athletics in 1911. but
hook out for next year. / never saw one
Of those teams which give the other fell
lows a hard fght but comes back like a
ton of pig iron the season following"
Now, the Giants may not drop into any
base ball championships this year like a
ton Of pig iron. but Holbert has the right
idea. 1t is those teams which keep CIV
ing the other fellows fight, and which
may be young in years and cooperation
the long run to other base ball teams
than any which are IN league with cham
pionship races.
There seems to be little doubt that the
Giants are faster and probably better
players this year than they were last.
That may win them another champion
ship. apd it may leave them derelict. but
the odds for the championship are better
than for the dereltct.
The pitchers may not be up to the same
speed, as the other members of the team
have been through a course of training
that few of them will forget. They are
young and it is good for them.
There is not slow player on the team,
and there are two or three young play
ers. perhaps more than that, who are so
fast that some Of the regulars have their
tIOuDlcS 10 Keep pace WIFI tnCpl.
Shafer, about whom there has been some
talk this year, is as near world-beating
ball player as any man whom, McGraw
has had. Nor is that exaggeration. AS
good as he was two years ago, when he
played with the Giants. he is SO much
better this year that he does not look
like the same boy who was McGraw's
utility player. The manager paid him
a compliment fiat the other night when
he told him that he had the opportunity
To ho ho ho1 MS in no
world If he went after it. McGraw meaQt
1t. too, because he does not make pres
ents of statements like that unless there
is something behind them.
Unfortunately for Shafer, there does
not seem to be chance that he will
start this season with the Giants as a
regular, but woe betidc the player who
is injured and gives him chance to get
in! The other fellow Is likely never to
be put out again.
When one stops to think that McGraw
has Shafer and Devlin for utility men
and string of colts who are as fast as
any inf1elders who have been In New
York in years, a better idea may be
Grated while the team has been in the
south. Also better idea may be had
as to the chances OF the team this year
to win championship a second time.
1t is the old combination of speed and
skill which Is working for the Giants.
and it looks very much eSn,ftt will work
out to better advantage man it did In
1911, and last year 1t was good enough
to win a championship.
Take the men individually, for instance
Meyers and Wilson are faster than they
were in 1911. Hartley is catching for the
colts and has been doing well. When the
statement Is made that Wilson and Mey-
ers are faster than they were last year it
Is made advisedly and but one look Is
needed to see how much faster they are
than they were.
Even Snodgrass seemed to catch the in
spiration Of the moment. for when he was
asked to act as catcher in the south he
was better than when he began with the