New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-01-14
PICKS GIANTS TO WIN
New Secretary Of Club Thinks
MCGraW'S Men Will Repeat.
PRAISES Willy MANAGER
Intention of Mordecai Brown to
" Retire Seems To Be
- Sincere.

Neved himself of this sneaking suspicion
as he sat in his office at the headquarters
Of the club yesterday. He also declared,
after meditatng upon the ntful fall Of the
snowhakes outside. that it was great base
hall weather. for the Esquimaus, and that,
Judging from the latest reports, the race
sSfor the championship gumdrop Of the Polar
League was hot enough to loosen several
iicehergs. In other words. it is January
now. and the pennant campaign of 1912 will
he finished in October, as is pretty gen.
orally known.
Barring accidents, however, and all the
thousand and one little incidents that miti-
gate against the success of a team, Mr..
O'Brien considers the chances of the
Giants to win another pennant brighter
than they were year ago at this time.
THE men are all youngsters" he said,
excepting, of course, Mathewson, Wiltse,
and Ames, perhaps. But the machine
which McGraw has organized ought to
make its presence felt in the race for sew
eral years to come II the pitching staff
holds up. The team did not hit its stride
until the middle of last season, when the
. shift was made that nut Fletcher at short
and Herzog at third. The nine that entered
the worlds series really played together
. only a few months With the seasoning
they received last year they ought to do
even better during the next campaign, with
an even break in the luck
Il do not think that Mathewsons days
are over. by any means, and lie will he
back at the old stand to do his share Of
the work when the roll is called. Mar
Guard with a brilliant record behind him
10 instil a little confidence. ought to shine
again, while Crandall can be depended
upon as usual. Otie did splendid work in
Cuba. and had the Athletics guessing in
the few innings that he faced them during
the worlds series"
d That inield made up of Merkle. Doyle,
p FLETCHER and Herzog looks pretty swee;
10 the new secretary. Fletcher and Doyle
ended the season with a batting record Of
better than 800. while Herzog can easily
reach this mark. with Merkle not far be-
hind. The quartet sizes UP as about the
fastest fielding combination in the old
league. and ought 10 start OF the next
campaign with rush.
There does not seem to be a great deal
in the way of trade in the air around
the headquarters Of the club. short
time ago 1t was reported that McGraw was
&. angling for an outielder TO take Murray's
place. but little has been heard of this re-
Gently While Red" could show consid-
ferabie improvement as hitter. his base
running and throwing, as we'll as his
fielding, make him q valuable man and
one we'll worth holding on 10. Since John
NJ Ward came out so strongly on the
question of trading Donlin back 10 New
York. the prospect of a deal between the
Boston and New York clubs mas taken on
pale gray tinge.
O'Brien was outspoken in his commenda-
ton of McGraw. and declared that much
was due to the little Napoleon for the
/. good showing made by the Giants.
1T takes a manager with personality TO
p. get the work out of the men, and perhaps
TO make them play even better than they
know how. That is the reason Of the sue
acsss of McGfaw. Connie Mack. Frank
1CRance and Hughie Jennings. To keep the
team up TO the mark, even when there is
a tendency TO slump, is the secret Of win
ming pennants."
The new secretary intmated that he him
self with team composed of few Frank
Bakers sprinkled judiciously around the
infeld. a favoring OF Ty Cobbs in the out
field and we'll seasoned with Mathewsons
and Benders in the box. could make name
for himself as a manager. He declared
that with such a combination he would not
r. guarantee TO win worlds championship
for even league gonfalon. Nevertheless. he
q surrnised that the team that defeated such
n nine would know that they were playing
ball
ANYBODY can win with a lot OF star
PLAYERS" he said but it takes a genius
10 take a collection of mediocre play
ers and mould them into a winning nine
Such a man is Frank Chance. You can
never tell what the Cubs are going to do
with Chance leading them. look for them
10 be in the race just as much next season
as they were last IT seems, too, as though
the PhiIies were going TO have something
8 10 say about the disposition OF the next
Remnant Doom has a lot of fast material
10 work with. beyond a doubt"
There is a strong undercurrent OF feeling
around the headquarters that the Giants
and Athletics will have TO mingle In an
other worlds series to decide the best two
out Of three Both clubs have now won
the flag in the two series already played.
This feeling finds expression in Eddie Bran
nick. who distinguished himself by taking
the recruits of the Giants through Texas
last spring and showing the minors how to
play the game Otie Crandall was the man
ager Of this team and did most OF the fence
breaking which won the games. Neverthe-
less, a large percentage of victories was
hung UP on the trip. Eddie was the busi-
ness manager and covered himself with
glory He now feels that things have come
to a pretty pass between the Giants and
Athletics, and that It will take another
woYld's series 20 clear the atmosphere. In
E6die's opinion this year is the year.
There seems to be little doubt about the
retirement of Mordecai Brown. It is pos
sible, Of course, that the three-fngered
marvel will find the call OF the diamond
too strong TO be resisted when the season
rolls around. and viii again take his place
on the mound for the Chicago Cubs. But
IT is not probable. Last year Brown was
far from being the pitcher that he was in
1910. While he ended the season with q
good percentage OF victories. his work was
largely confined to the relief variety for, a
greater part Of the season, and IN this way
ne vas credited with many games in which
ne pitched only few innings. Brown be-
gan slipping in 1910, and was practically
useless In the worlds series with the Ath-
Ietfcs. Connie Mack's minions pounded
Browns offerings all over the lots, and
this. With the coincldent fall OF Overall, re-
suited in the overwhelming defeat OF the
Cubs Last season Brown was far from
himself The Giants. whom he formerly
defeated with monotonous regularity. found
hts curves 10 their taste, and II remained
for Richie 20 step into Browns shoes as
A. -. M