Evening star., 1912-01-09
GRIFFITH WILL HAVE BATCH
OF YOUNG PITCHERS IN SPRING
At Least Seven Recruits to Be in First Squad
to Go to Charlottesville = Ges-
sler's Future Doubtful.

things about his youngsters, but ne is not
allowing these reports to prejudice him
and he proposes to have a look for him.
self and then size up his players
"The fact that ball player comes in
and makes good the first season does not
mean that he is of major league caliber,
remarked Griffith this morning. In my
opinion it takes two years at least to
prove a players value. For instance a
fellow may drop into fast company and
hit Ike a fiend the first few months and
then when the pitchers find his weakness
he will go all to pieces. But II he mas the
ability he will come again. for he will
grow wise to the pitchers. This. too, Is
true of pitchers.
You occasionally see some pitcher come
into the big leagues and pitch gilt-edge
ball for a while. Suddenly he will be
easy for the batters and it is suspected
that he has lost his form. when the fact
of the matter is that the batters have
solved his delivery. Now if such a pitcher
has the stuff he will change his style and
come back, but it takes a couple of years
to get correct line on ball player.
1t is true however, that with few ex-
ceptions the really great ball players
make good from the outset of their ca
reers Usually a lot of natural ability
goes with success in base ball, and
above all there must be willingness to
hustle
Griffith would rather have a player who
cannot hit better Sthan $50 if he has
speed than some slow fellow who breaks
the fences down but can't run. Speed
is great hobby with the Nationals
manager. He believes that team which
shows speed always gives the best ex-
In lining up his team next spring, speed
is going to have much to do with the
selection of players.
Joe Boehling, a Richmond amateur,
may be given trial by Griffith. Boehl-
ing has been recommended as having
chance to make good. and Grin will
probably take him south with the rest
of the pitching squad early in March.
Arthur Irwin, scout and general
utility man for the New York club.
dropped into the city yesterday en-
route from Atlanta to New York.
Irwin went to Atlanta to complete ar
rangements for the Highlanders' stay
there during the training period. and
his drop off here, if he is to be be-
lieved was for the sole purpose of
breaking up a long. tiresome trip. He
called on Manager Griffith and this
started the rumor that Irwin was here
to make a deal for some of the Ma
tionals However. there was no trade
talk broached by either him or Griffith.
Irwin insisted that he had not heard
any talk of making trades. He seems
to think that Manager WOlverton Will
stand pat with the material he has on
hand and he believes that the team
will make much better showing in
the next race than 1t did in the last
He blames the teams failure last sea-
son on a series of accidents which rob-
bed it of the services of some Of its
most valuable men at the most critical
part Of the season.
Eddie Ainsmith is the first one of the
regulars to send In his signed contract.
The document reached Manager Griffith
yesterday evening, and was unaccom-
panied by any comment, which Is
taken as an indication that Ainsmith
IS well satisfied with the terms offered.