Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-14

Ed Bang of the Cleveland Press pays
the Nationals pitching staff the follow
ing compliment:
Griffith intends to get the jump on the
other teams wholly by the strength of
his pitching staff. In Walter Johnson
Joe Boehling Jim Shaw, Joe Engel
Dick Williams, Bob Groom and either
Doc Ayres or Slim Love Griffith has the
best pitching staff in the league"
Griffith shares the opinion given above
He really expects to have "a pitching
staff next season which will be stronger
than that of any of his rivals. He has a
great advantage in that his staff is led
and he is on record saying that Jim
Shaw, the youngster secured from York,
gives much promise. Griffith is loud in
his praise of Shaws ability. He con-
siders him the best looking youngster
he has ever seen break into the major
league during his many years experience.
Shaw, of course, needs seasoning, yet he
has so much ability that he may prove
a winner right from the outset
The trading of Bob Bescher to the
New York Giants by Cincinnati is, ac-
cording to Griffith. ten-strike for the
McGraw team. He considers Bescher
one of the best outfielders in the country,
and figures that when he is with a win
ming team like the Giants he will show
to better advantage than ever before.
When Griffith heard of the deal going
through he refused to believe it. Il can {
understand that swap said he. why
Bescher is a wonderful player, and /
don't believe that Herzog can fill Tinker s
shoes at shortfield.
The wisdom of the deals made by the
National League clubs during the meet
the next season is well under way. 1t
seems to be the consensus of opinion that
the Pittsburgh club got much the better
of the deal with st. Louis. This prin-
cipally because the Pirates secured Ko-
netchy, q much-sought-after player. New
York was willing to give most anything
1t could spare for him, but Pittsburgh
made the most flattering offer and OBJ
tanned him. Konetchy. together with
Harmon, a pitcher of note and Mowrey.
a seasoned infielder, make pretty handy
trio to have added to a team.
1t is questionable whether Charley
Herzog of the Giants, who has been
traded to Cincinnati and is most likely to
become the manager of that team, should
be congratulated. HerZog is accepting
quite a task. He is to make a success
of a position at which some OF the best
men in base ball have failed. Hermann
first manager was Joe Kelley. He was
succeeded by his former boss. Ned Han
lon who also failed to bring the team
high enough in the race to warrant his
retention. John Camel followed, ana
then came Griffith, Hank ODay and Joe
Tinker. who followed in rapid order.
None of them had winner, and the
chances are that now, with Bescher and
Tinker off of the team, there is less ma
terial for d winning aggregation than
there has been for years
Herzog may have the making of a
capable manager, but 1T is feared that he
lacks the material with which to make
a showing.
Bert Daniels, who was with the Yam
KEGS last spring, made the record last
season by being hit fifteen times by
pitched balls. Some one, in telling of this
incident, remarked that it was fortunate
Daniels had not selected Walter john
son as one of the pitchers to be hit by.
Well, Daniels had this rather exciting
experience. 1t happened on opening day
here last April. Daniels was hit by a
pitched ball by Johnson, and subsequent
ly scored the only run made off of john
son in fifty-seven consecutive innings.