New-York tribune., 1912-02-11
FORTUNE FOR RECRUITS
Biq League Managers Spend
Half a Million in New Players.
PIRATES HEAVIEST BUYERS
Giants and Athletics Make smah
Outlay for Green Men to
Bolster Champion Teams.

Half million dollars worth Of baseball
talent will be inspected by the managers OF
the major league clubs within the next lew
weeks This enormous sum Of money has
bean invested in bevy Of bush league
beauties who will be put to the supreme
test in the Southern training quarters. At
ter the wheat has been separated from the
chaff il is extremely doubtful If any club
finds more than one or two players quail
fed FOR fast company, no matter how weak
the big league team may be or how anX-
ious is the manager 10 strengthen his nine.
The American League bought outright
sl47,3 worth of players from the minors
last year, while the National League pur-
chased sl35.2s0 worth. In drafting $3.50
was expended by the younger organization.
while its rival spent $45 400, making the
total cash expenditure of both leagues
SS6s, ,713 80. II the purchased players have
sufficient ability TO stay in the majors
S72416 81 must be spent by the American
League 10 retain them and S56,2N by the
National, making the total outlay A9o@S)
for the two organizations.
An examination of the statistics reveals
the fact that money is no object with the
owners in their efforts TO strengthen their
teams Pittsburgh outstripped the teams
Of both leagues in paying for new talent,
its total outlay being largely augmented.
however. by the $225OO paid over for Marty
.O,Toole Cash payments Of s46,SH. with
drafting expenditures of S4,7OO and add
.tional payments Of 5000 II certain players
are retained bring the cost of young play
ers 10 the Pirates up to $4,000.
The Brooklyn Superbas we're second only
70 Pittsburgh In the National League in the
pursuit of new stars Ebbets paid sle9So
for purchased players with a little bill Of
S16eO0 TO settle if they all are retained while
$4,000 was expended IN drafting men. The
total Of $4,000 shows how sincere the
Brooklyn owner is in attempting 70 build
I'D a good team. The Cincinnati Reds were
the next heaviest buyers in the National
League, paying around $4,000 for young
sters, while the Cubs trailed along with
$4,000.
The Giants paid only s10,75O for the pur-
chased players, with a prospect OF laying
out Se2 go If they are retained. The sum
paid In the drafting process amounted 10
$3.50. the Giants getting off the cheapest
of any club, except the Phillies, who paid
out 500 less in the draft. The Giants to-
tai outlay represents a6out $1,000 The
Boston Braves spent only $1,000 for new
men, which was the lowest outlay OF any
club.
The Chicago White Sox headed the Amer
lean League and were second TO Pittsburgh
IN the prices paid for youngsters. Ihe
navnnents included s25,7S3 33 for purchased
players. s23, 3,s66 81 additional payments to
retain men, and $500 in the draft. making
the total around $1,000 The Boston REQ
sox were second. spending around $500
while the Cleveland Maps were third, with
$4,000. The Yankees were fourth, al SZS'""'
and St Louis fifth, at s26,0Oo
The Detroit Tigers were the biggest
"pikers" in the league. spending only
paltry s15.000 while Connie Mack ran
Hughie Jennings close race for last place
with an expenditure of $1,000.
The Brooklyn Superbas got the most for
their money. having had fOrty-one new
players on their payroll at different times,
not including the regular men. Many of
these. young fellows were looked over and
disposed Of as unavailable last season. The
Chicago White Sox signed thtrty-four new
n en- end the Cleveland Maps thirty-one.
The Boston Red SoX and the Pittsburgh
twenty-six, the ST. Louis Cardinals TWEEN
ty-four, the Browns twenty-five and the
Pkillies twenty-one. Connie Mack did only
q small business, carefully selecting eleven
players for a trial. while the Giants took
fifteen and Detroit seventeen. The Cubs
signed seventeen and the Yankees nineteen
BY no means all of these players will be
taken South as some of them were tried
before the season closed last year The
wholesale signing of men cannot be car
tled on hereafter. Under the rules OF the
rev national agreement, only thirty-fvo
players. including regulars, win be allowed
10 each club Managers like McGraw,
Mack and Jennings are not in the habit
OF taking q lot Of new material into con-
sideratlon, ordering their scouts 10 select
only the best material With a few play
ers to look over all are assured OF recoiv-
ing fair trial