The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1912-05-21
HIT OUR PITCHERS
III aw Fingers to Blame for
Heavy Losses.
Some Change Needed on Mound
Artist Staff.
REST OF THE TEAM IS GOOD
Chapman Said to Be RespOn-
sibIe for Showing.
KaWS Lose Last Game to HOl-
lands DrummerS.
REST OF THE TEAM is GOOD

While the team was yet in the early
training period the writer stated ina l.
according to the advance dope, tne
team ought to do, provided the pltcn-
ing staff was of the proper caliber. The
writer is still inclined to the same opln-
ion with the added decision that there
should be something done with tne
pitching staff. Early in the /eason When
the regular batters were not going
good the pitchers, with whatever al :
vantage the southern trip gave them,
looked like they might make 1t. 1t IS
now evident that some sort OF chanSe
is needed. The pitchers are the expla-
nation of the large list of losses since
the team left hom, Just what 1t u.s.
no pretense of saying is made. Perhaps
it's because Chapman isn't working
them right, perhaps TIL are having
slump, perhaps they are not good
enough. Anyway, they are not deliver
ing satisfaction in immense chunks st
this time.
This isn't a knock. It's a statement
of facts that are plain to those who
have watched the team on its last at
home play. The players are making err
rors behind the pitchers. And why not?
When you consider the number of hits
driven at them at the rate of a mile
minute you are surprised. And when
a player sees that despite his best eff
forts the games are being lost and all
he gets from the home crowd is a knock
when he misses a hard one, you can't
help but sympathize with the players.
One of them laid down in the first two
games here. Under the new arrange
ment of the players he has shown sigus
of working again. Let's hape ne
keeps it up. If he doesn't his name will
be printed.
This writer doesn't know what the
management is figuring on in the way
fla
Something is being conjured up. 1t is
believed an effort to right whatever is
wrong with it will be made and made
soon. 1t is no fault of the manage
ment or of Mr.. Gear. With deficit
hanging over their heads the men who |
have made baseball possible in Topeka
have got together a good team. The |
outheld ought to go in any town on |
the circuit. The infield is passing fair. |
The catching staff is not up to some |
of them but is better than some back |
stopping departments we have had. |
But the pitchers just now are showing |
in miserable fashion. That is the ex- |
PLANTATION.
The first break in the calculations OF
the management came when Chapman
was turned back from Chicago. Gear
had two catchers to whom he wac
teaching his idea of their job. Chapman
returned and muddled things. There
seems to be no way out of it but tc
develop him for Murphy. Gear finds
1t hard to tell the backstopper any
thing. Chapman is doing a fair job
of catching as viewed from the grand
stand. But the local experts claim
that he shows poor judgment in hand
ling the pitchers and that this is re-
sponsible for their poor showing. This
writer is not going to pretend to say
whether it is true or not. But if it is
why not send Chapman to Manhattan
and bring in Smith? Mr.. Gear knows
vastly more about running a ball clur
than the writer. We do not pretend
to be in a position to make sugges-
lions to him, but these are some of
the questions being asked by the better
class of men who attend the games
and pull for the local team winning or
losing.
No matter what sort of team the
Kaws turn out to be, it is the idea
supported. 1t is a distinction for any
city of its class to be permitted to see
Glass A ball. The Western league is
an organization for bigger towns than
this. Topeka's being in the Western
league is sign that she is a mighty
good little city. So support the team.
And the fans seem to be disposed to do
it Do not quit because the team IL
losing. The management is trying to
give the town a winner and the only
way to encourage the men whose mon
ey is tied up in the pastime is to at
tend. This gives them money with
which to strengthen the team. And if
takes money.
Outside the pitching and perhaps the
department, the team looks
fairly good. King is the class in the
center field, and R:ckert is PLAYING
consistent game in left. Lee is light
ming fast in the right garden and as
soon as he gets accustomed to the sun
field, will keep up his end of it. He
Is working morning, noon and night in