Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-28

most OF the major league teams WnlcH
have been in training for the past month,
but there Is still plenty Of room for i'm
provement though the fact should not
be overlooked that the regular season
does not open until two weeks from to-
day. and by that time there should be a
very apparent difference in the general
playing Of the team. 1t is much better
to have a team gradually work itself
into form than to rush it in the spring
and then have it go to pieces before the
season is half over.
The Athletics last spring showed 10th
ing until they gradually got into good
form and then finished in the best pos
sible shape.
Jack knights baggage arrived here
late yesterday afternoon. and the former
Yankee player is expected today in time
to take part in the game. Griffith is anx-
ious to get line on Knights condition.
If he is ready to go the route he will be
shifted from one position to another on
the infield until it has been determined
tage of the team.
Dan Moeller is one Of those players who
attracts little attention to themselves.
There is nothing flashy about he work of
the Nationals left fielder, and yet he does
about everything that could be expected.
Fly balls which would furnish sensa-
tional play for some fielders are easy
plays for him for the reason that his
speed allows him to cover a lot Of ground
and he is standing still under the average
long fly where other fielders would be
making circus catch on the run.
Moeller is not yet hitting as he will.
though he is showing good form at the
plate and getting his share of walks.
That Joe Engel has the making of
good pitcher there is not the slightest
doubt. His work against Georgetown
YESTERDAY gave some idea Of his
ability. though the youngster is not yet
in his best form. There is hardly any
doubr as to Engel remaining with the
team. Griffith believes he will develop
into star, and he does not propose to
farm him out. preferring to keep him
under his own wing while he is develop
ing.
Buck Becker is not apt to be shipped
to some minor league team without a
er yesterday convinced Manager Griffith
that he stands splendid chance to make
good, and as the Nationals are decidedly
shy on southpaws Griffith is going to
or Boehling slip through his fingers.
Becker Of course. was only against a
college team yesterday, but the able man.
ner In which he disposed Of the bats
men shows him to be in much better
form than he was at any time last sea-
son.
The game this afternoon with the Phil
lies will put the Nationals to their first
real test. Manager Doom has a team
which stands a good chance to win the
National League pennant this year. be-
ing considered one OF the strongest in
that Organization. On form IT, Phillies
are a much stronger team than Washing
ton is given credit for having, and the
outcome of the two games the visitors
play here will be watched with interest,
because 1t is believed these games will
give a fairly good line on the strength of
Griffith's team.
Local patrons had their first glimpse Of
Jack Flynn yesterday. and the former
Pittsburgher made a very favorable i'm
Nationals who hit the ball hard and
timely. and he played a perfect game
around first base It is not going to be
an easy matter for Knight to displace
Flynn at first, where he has shown to
good advantage this spring. Grifith is
anxious to have both Knight and Flynn on
his infield because they would add ma
terially to the teams batting strength.
IL is only a question Of determining
where knight will At In best He is given
credit for being able to play any posi-
ton on the infield. and by experimenting
Griffith hopes to locate the position for
which he is best fitted and play him
there.
Georgetown has a good ball team.
which. however. Is handicapped at the
present time because it has not had suf-
fcient practice. 1t is very evident that
the series to be played later between Vir-
ginia and the Hilltop nine is going to
prove most interesting. Virginia has one
of the best college teams organized In re-
cent years, and with Rixey on the slab
will give most any sort Of team an
argument.
To date the hitting of the Nationals
has not been satisfactory. The batting
eyes of most of the players are still dim.
and yet there appears to be q slight i'm
provement in their stickwork from day
to day Griffith is giving the batting a
lot OF attention and he uses three OF his
pitchers every morning to work against
his hatters: In this way he hopes to i'm
prove the hitting materially by the time
the season opens.
Grinith has set himself in communica-
ton with John McGraw OF the New York
Giants In an effort to arrange to have
Walter Johnson and Christy Mathewson
work against each other in one Of the
games the Giants are to play here next
week. A battle between these two famous
pitchers should prove most interesting.
as they are supposed to DO the greatest
opponents OF the pitching art before the
public today.
same form against the Phillies today
that they have in the games they have
appeared in this spring Manager DOOM g
players will face some high-class pitch
ing. Doom Is expected to pitch Alexan-
der. the sensational performer of last
his iAtching stars and Y these twiZleEs