Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-03-27
BY j. ED GRILLO,

| II Jack Knight arrives i'm time he will
| take part in the game against George
town, though Griffith has not decided
where he will play the former Yankee.
| knight has informed his manager that
| he was ready to play ball at a moments
notice, having done let Of training with
! the Columbia University team, and. as
Griffith is particularly anxious to deter
mine where knight can play to the best
interests of the team, he wants to use
him in all the exhibition games that are
to be played here before the season opens.
He intends to shift Knight about to va
rious positions until he makes up his
mind where he will do the best work
He has good line on his other tnfield-
ers now, and by the time the season
opens will be able to arrange an infield
that will be strong both extensively and
defensively.
Joe Engel, the former St Mary's Col
lege pitcher, is slated to work at least
part of the route this afternoon and
may be relieved by Buck Becker. whose
future is to be decided during the eX-
hibition period. If Becker shows up we'll
he will be retained, otherwise he is very
apt to be sent to Rochester.
Griffith is expected to make an an
nouncement as to which Of the young
sters he will retain. within the next few
days. He undoubtedly made up his
mind as tC this some time ago, but is
holding on to some Of the players in
order not to be caught short in the exhi-
bition series which he will split his squad
into two teams on one or two occasions.
1t seems as gold as settled that Akers
is to be retained. He has shown himself
to he pitcher who does not need cxpe-
ricnce and will likely be Of -nucn help to
the staff. Just what Griffith will do about
his 1nflelderS remains to be seen. The eX-
hibition series will undoubtedly determine
that. Knight will be shifted about from
one position to another until Griffith has
satisfied himself as to which combination
is the best for the team. 1t would not he
at all surprising if Griffith should decide
to play Foster at third and shift knight
to first base. He has already declared
that he would carry either Flynn or
Spencer as a utility first baseman if he
made such a change SO tha.- he could use
Knight in one OF the other infield po-
sitions in the event Of eme. Gcncv. It is
almost certain, too, that he will want
Ray Morgan to fall back on, SO that it
looks very much as If Morgan and Flynn
will be the utility infiel6ers if knight is
shifted to first base.
Just what the outcome of the contest
for outf1eld jobs will be has not been de-
termined. 1t is, of course, settled that
Moeller. Milan and Schaefer will start the
season in the garden posts. but Griffith in
tends to carry couple of extra outfield-
ers, and he has not made up his mind as
to which OF the youngsters he will retain.
Clarence Walker. however, is almost GER
tain to be one fthem, while the other
job remains to be fought for between Long
and Shanks. The latter is a very impress
sive youngster. but While he has all the
earmarkS Of a hitter, he has failed to
come through with his share of birgles in
the exhibition games. He is apt to show
more in this respect, however, from now
on.
Eppa Rixey, Virginia's pitching star,
against the Nationals that he has ability.
With good support Rixey would have
given the big leaguers a lot to think
about yesterday, for it was the errors
made behind him which caused his de-
feat. There is no question about Rixey
having great future. He comes nearer
to being ready for big league company
than any college pitcher in the country,
but it is not likely that he will become a
professional this year. From all thai
can be learned Rixey has decided to re-
main a school for at least one more year
and he has not tied himself up with any
club: Griffith feels that he still stands as
good chance as any one to get the tall
southpaw. though he realizes that it will
not be for some time.
Though the position is virtually new to
him. Eddie Foster seems to have con-
NlnceQ dr:Illtn tnat he can play third
base. In fact Griffith believes that third
is the place Foster should have been
played during the past few years. He
has a splendid arm. and covers lot of
ground, and in his actions around the bag
appears perfectly at home. Foster, how
ever, is not player who rounds into
his best form early in the season. 1t
takes considerable hot weather to get him
at his best. and for that reason he may
not be started in at third when the sea-
son opens. There is no doubt that if
Griffith can see his way clear he will
play Knight at first, where he considers
him a. star, and keep Foster at third
using Flynn to fill knights shoes when
ever he is forced to employ him In one Of
the other infield positions.
So far as condition is concerned the
Nationals have made much progress
during their stay at Charlottesville. The
team Is ropidly rounding to championship
form, which 1t should reach within the
next two weeks. There are no lame arms
on the team. and about all the players
need is plenty Of batting practice to
make it possible for them to open the
season at their best.
The teams hitting is yet far below the
standard. 1t was, Of course, not to be
expected that the regulars would pound
the offerings of Johnson and Cashion to
any great extent, because both OF them
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