Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-12-18
IS WELL SATISFIED
WITH HIS PITCHERS
Manager Griffith Will Make No
Further Effort to Get
Seasoned TWirIer.
EXPECTS STAFF TOBE
STRONGER THAN IN 1912
MCGraW, Clarke and Chance
Have Won All Pennants in
Old League in IL Years.
BY j. ED GRILLO.

Manager Griffith has given up all hope
OF adding seasoned pitcher to his twirl-
fng staff. For time he thought there
Mullin of Detroit, hut since that club
has made it plain that Mullin can only
be secured in exchange for other players
Griffith has passed up the proposition.
for he has no playing material that he
would part with for the big pitcher Had
he been able to secure him for cash
consideration he would have taken a
chance. but his failure to make such a
deal is not a disappointment TO him.
There were two occasions last season
when Griffith tried to build up his pitch
ing staff by buying two seasoned pitchers,
but both efforts failed. First he took
big Jim Vaughn from New York for
the waiver price, but Vaughn failed
TO come through. When Vaughn failed
he purchased Barney Petty from the St
Louis club at a fancy figure. but Petty
soon proved that he was through SO far
as the majors were concerned. So all
efforts to bolster up his pitching staff
during the season failed. Under condi-
tons last season Griffith hoped by max
ing such an addition to land at the top
of the heap. and with this in view spent
some money, which he lost, but 1t was
letter to do that than to trade some of
the players who may eventually make
GOOD here.
II look for a marked Improvement in
our pitching next season.. said he We
have the greatest of them all in Johnson,
a splendid man in Groom, and with this
pair going they did last year, l feel
that at least two of our youngsters
Cashion and EngeEwill show vast i'm
TABLE and who knows that We won't find
a good pitcher or two among the bunch
of youngsters We are to try out. i con-
slider myself rather fortunate to have so
good staff and / shall make no further
effort to add to it by securing any sea-
soned pitchers.
John McGraw. Frank Chance and Fred
Clarke have mOnOpolized the pennants of
the National League during the last
twelve years. Each of them has won
four flags. Clarke has had charge of the
Pirates for thirteen years, McGraw has
been in New York ten and Chance led the
Cubs for eight seasons. In addition to
these accomplishments the three man
ayers have kept all rivals out of second
and third places during this period
Chance has never finished lower than
third and but twice was as low as that
nOtch. McGraw has finished second four
times. third once and fourth once Clarke
the great record of four firsts. five sec
ords, three thirds and one fourth. Not
one of the leaders knows what it is to
finish III the second division. With
Chance gone from the National League,
Clarke figures as McGraw's only rival
Clarkes team looks to be the Giants
only Ontenders in the coming race
The record of this trio is a most re-
markable one. and is undoubtedly re-
SpQnSlb! for the many changes in the
MANAGEMENT of the other five clubs which
are striving TO reach the first division.
PLAY ers salaries have been constantly in
creasing, and are now so high that the
average salary Est of every major league
club is somewhere around the figure of
$i.'.U;D for every season, there are those
VINO harp on the injustice of the rules
which prevents a player from going with
Whatever club he pleases once he affiXes
h signature to a contract. One of the
most recent suggestions made by those
Who seem alarmed over the hardships of
the players is that a player be signed
TO "a two or three year contract and then
become a free agent and sign where he
can get the best price for his work.
How long would base ball last under
such conditions? a club which has a
strong team would have a salary list so
high that profits would be out of the
question within very few years if 1t
desired to hold on to its nucleus or it
would have to rebuild its fences all over
aCain
= The bali player has absolutely no kick
c0riHg. He is handsomely paid. pro-
tEcted and we'll treated, and those who
are concerned about his welfare evident