Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-05-08
BY j. ED GRILLO.

There will have to be marked improve
ment in the stick work Of the players who
are holding down positions on the right
side OF the locals infield If the Nationals
are to retain high position in the race.
The inability of Knight and Flynn to hit
up to oheir standard is the only real
weakness which the Nationals have
shown this spring. Neither has hit any
where near expectations, based on past
performances, nor has there been much
If any improvement in their hitting since
the season has progressed.
Just why players have batting slumps
which last for weeks Is hard to under
stand. Knight and Flynn were both rated
at 300 hitters. Flynn made this mark
with Pittsburgh, while Knight establish
ed himself as batter while he was a
member of the New York team, yet
neither seems able to get in his stride this
spring
Fortunately the team has been winning
without any material assistance from
this pair so far as batting Is concerned,
but 1t stands to reason that eventually the
other players will be unable to carry the
team along. Batting slumps come and go
over night. and II may be that both the
players referred to will display more abil-
ity in this respect from this out.
1t is not to be wondered at that Mana
ger Griffith hesitates about making the
deal for First Baseman Gandil. since the
price asked is most exorbitant
Notwithstanding the fact that Gandil
has by his good work in a minor league
gained the reputation of being a star. it
remains for him to keep up the same
pace in this company before he could
prove himself worth the price that is de-
manded for him. There have been many
instances where players who played Won
derful ball in the minors failed In the
majors and there is no assurance that
Gandil will prove an exception to the
rule. If Gandil can play here as he does
in Montreal the investment would be
good one. but should he fail the deal
would prove a serious mistake. Major
league clubs which pay big figures for
minor league material always take long
chances. Pittsburgh has hardly realized
on Its investment in the case Of O'Toole,
and yet 1t is the club which takes these
chances that stands the best chance to
get a winning team
1t is, of course, easily figured what the
acquisition of a player such as Gandil
appears to be would mean to the Ma
tionas. Griffith has the nucleus for a
great ball team, and with a man or two
dropped into the team at this time he
would undoubtedly have a pennant con-
tender. Give the Nationals couple of
strong hitters to fill in with and that
team would compare favorably with any
in the league, and it would have some
thing on several of its rivals, for the rea-
SON that it has a good pitching STAFF and
the best catching department in the
league.
One good ball player makes lot of diff
ference in ball team. Take Cobb away
from the Tigers. Collins from the Ath-
letics, and so on down the line and those
teams would be materially weakened.
team like the Nationals. which on form
cannot be figured as comparing with sew
eral of its rivals. the addition of a
great ball player such as Gandil is re-
ported to be would change the entire as
pect of the team: Competition for the
service of this player is rife. no less than
four OF five clubs being in the market for
him, which undoubtedly has much to do
with the enormous price that is asked
for him.
There is nothing particularly surprising
at the brilliant showing the New York