The Washington times., 1913-01-27
By SENATOR

Harry keenan,, the young pitcher
from the Helena club, of the Union As
sociation, has signed with the Climbers,
his contract arriving today from his
home in Sacramento, Cal, where he is
wintering. keenan, will not report un-
I'll the squad goes to Charlottesville for
its spring training.
Griff picked up keenan, while on his
famous hunting" trip TO Montana. The
youngster showed some class with the
Helena club last summer, but was not
a star by any means. Indeed, Griffith
VIII probably send him to some minor
league club for further development,
holding a string to him in case he sue
ceeds.
The fiedgling hit for .333 in twenty
one games and felded for .s91, leading
the league. He is charged with not
taking baseball seriously, however, and
this will kill his chances with Griffith,
who thinks, eats and dreams baseball
from morning till night
Calls EN- over.rated.
Hughey Jennings is preparing a real
warm reception for himself when he
shows up here next week for his
theatrical stunt by announcing that the
Grif men are much overrated and that
the real struggle for the pennant of 1913
rests between the Mackmen and the
Red Sox. Down here In this neck o.
the woods folks seem TO think much
better of the lads Clark Griffith has
drawn about himself. Hughey just can't
see them, that's all.
The washington club is good
al m hAxs harn l., e..
counting that fact, but they lack the
class apparent in the Boston and Phila-
delphia teams. I believe the pennant
rests between the present champions
and the Athletics.
Being winner one year should aid
the Red SoK in the ensuing season.
They viii have more confidence, and
this. in itself, will give them a slight
edge on the other clubs.
"Mack's Athletics played in poor form
last season They didn't realize. until
too late, thatN pennant was slipping
through their fingers. Their big pitchers
Bender and Coombs were in poor form
most of the time, while Morgan DROP
ped out OF the league. Plank was the
only one to show form. I believe that
next year Coombs and Bender will be
better and with few youngsters in the
outfield, and the same great infieId. the
Mackmen vii! be distinctly troublesome.
washington may finish in third place
Judging from the material on the
team it should end there-but the Ma
tionals will have 10 be driven to get
even that place. There are a number
OF other clubs in the league that vii!
show more strength next season than
in 1872 and Griffth's men are in for a
fight.
Jennings thinks that Bi-mingha and
stovall NAV disrupt the winter plans
Of several managers who finished higher
than they did last year. and really be-
lieves that his Tigers will finish in
fourth place. If not higher
Just how Hughey dOpas this strength
for the Tigers is difri,.Ji. OF apprchen-
sion. Even with the hold-out brigade
back on the job. the same i1hrr.1;
still broken machine. very strong In
few places and equally weak IN 9TH
ers. Until he has another welI-balanced
outfit working for him. 10 more pen
nants will go 10 the jungle.
Evers' New Plan.
Johnny Evers, Murphy's phenomenal
81 manager Of the Chance-less Cubs,
plans to teach his men to lay down
bunts, alleging that third bssemen Of
today do not know how to field them
Johnny is in for some cnllghtInezr as
soon as his team begins this. WeII-nigh
every third baseman in the land can 90
in and down for 'em" when necessary
They have TO be able to do so in order
to hold their berths.
If there is better lad fielding bunts
In the American League than Kid Fos-
ter. we should like TO gaze upon his
endeavors He can dart In like a cat
bird, snap up the bobble. and whip 1t
TO first all in the same motion. He isn't
alone In this art. either. for Larry
Gardner, Tuck Turner. and Jimmy
Austin have the same ability.
Buck" Herzog, the Giants crack
will make Evers' men look
like big league goats when they try
that on him. Herzog is brilliant in this
department and will soon let Eyers
know IT, Then there is Hans Lobert,
another bundle of wire at the third cor
ner, when II comes to diving in for
bunts. Oh, Johnny and Charlie will
learn many things this coming summer