The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-10-05
THE REAL
PROBLEM IN BIG
WORLDS SERIES

The problem Of the worlds series has
reduced itself to this: Can two good
right-handers and one good Ieft-hander.
with the assistance Of one who ought to
be good any time and who is likely to be
either marvel or a dub. beat one great
lett-hander and one great Highlander,
backed up by three men who have
proved themselves good by steady work
during the season. but are unknown
equations, so far as the series goes?
As the basis of study Of the pitching.
we must take the batting strengths OF
the opposing teams. The Athletics can
outhit the Giants, against any and all
Kinds or pitching, in a season, approx
mately ~ per cent. Therefore the Giant
pitchers must pitch - per cent better ball
that the Athletic pitchers TO have an
equal chance to win the series Conced-
ing that, We must study the pitchers II
each team, first. as to their work this
season; second. as to their condition At
present and, third. as to their proba bic
effectiveness against the kind Of batters
they must face in the series. IL is rather
an easy proposition TO figure what the
pitchers have done this year.
have done this with considerable
care. and on top of this have given a
close study to the batting Of the two
teams in their previous meeting for the
worlds championship.
From my data have reached these
conclusions
That the Athletic pitchers will not DC
as effective against the Giants as they
were two years ago
That the Athletics will hit Mathew
son and Marquard harder and more sue
cessfuIly than they did two years ago
That the series probably will be won
by one Of the Youngsters
That Demaree i the most likely Of
them all to prove the sensation of the
series.
That neither Plank. Bender. Mathew
son. nor Vanguard i at all likely u
he as good as he was two years ago
That the selection OF pitchers will be
the deciding factor in the series
II is in this last respect that Mack is
likely to Outwit MCGraw. or vice versa
and | expect the long and silent AIhleti,-
manager I" spring the first great sur
prise by opening the series with one Of
his Youngsters. Of course every one *
poets that McGraw will start with
MathewsOn. and that Mack will send
Bender to the slab: but doubt whether
Mack will do it,
But let US see what the pitchers have
been doing and are capable of doing
Take MathewsOn first lie has been hit
at a pretty lively rate all season. and has
not pitched as well as in former years
Even when winning he has been NIT
harder and Oftener than when he was
at his best.
Marquard has pitched in flashes this
season. He is not as good a pitcher a.
he was last year or the year before. and
Is easier 10 hit. Nor is he a good worlds
series pitcher, although he has done wsu
in two series
1t seems to me that the Giants hopes
are conferred this year on Demaree. a
pitcher Of whom the Athletics know
nothing from experience. and who has
proved himself a game and effective
pitcher against all kinds If hitters this
season. Demaree is a smart pitcher and
a willing student.
Against this aggregation there is Ben
der. the Indian who has been. with
Plank. the mainstay Of the Athletics for
so many successful years. Bender is the
best one-game pitcher in the world. and
has been for years.
Bender has the Indian memory. II YOU
saved the scores on pitched balls two
years you can tell exactly how he pitched
to the Giants who were on the team
then-and watch him do the same thinC
to them this fall. Bender himself vas
surprised at the weakness Of some Of the
IlllltES III lndt series.
Next To- Bender comes Plank. THIS
fellow has been the most consistent left
handler who ever pitched baseball He
is the only left handler who has gone
along year after year always a winner
and any left-handed pitcher who wins
from GO to 500 per cent of his games
for eight OF nine years is a pitching
man.
There is one consolation for those who
tremblr over the alleged weakness Of
the Athletics pitching stan and that Is
that Cornelius MCCiiIliCuddy and Harry
Davis Idont forget Davis, as he is quite
an element in this AFFAIR." are two Of tire
keenest judges of the condition and form
of pitchers in the country, and they sell
dom send out pitcher who does not
show before he goes that he is possessed
of all his stun.
To sum up-the chances are that
Mathewson viii start for New York and
that the order will be Mathewson, Mar
guard, Demaree, MathewsOn, and then
in case of things going wrong-Demarec
and finally in the crisis-MathewsO
For the Athletics. were I predicting in
stead of merely studying. it will he
Plank. Houck-Plank, Bender, HOuck-
or II the series is in danger-Bende or
Plank again instead Of HOUCk