The Daily Missoulian. [volume] (Missoula, Mont.) 1904-1961, 1913-03-09

derstand, but with a right team he
may develop into a wonder. This fell
low from Cincinnati, Phelan, is a
pretty good ball player, and one who
is certain to be better.
Evers has little opportunity to make
up ar outfield. Schultz win play right,
Mike Mitchell left, although Mike
doesn't like a sun field, and Otis ely
mer will be in center. Evers thinks
Sheckard has slowed III, and besides
Sheck belongs to the old guard, who
are bound to be Mexicoed. Ward Mil
der will never be a good enough player
to be IN a pennant team, but he can
fill in well. Ills bum arm let's him out
in spite of his speed n his ability to
hit.
This brings us down to the pitching
staff n to the place where the Cubs
look worst. If Overall could be
brought back-but there isn't any use
dealing with ifs. There is Richie.
willing and a fair pitcher, with plenty
of nerve, but not a great one. Toney
never win be any better. He ought to
have been, but he developed in a week
as far as he has in the last two years.
Reulbach is advertising himself for
a good year. Reulbach is as tempera-
mental as mining stock. Under Chance
he either went at top speed or didn't
go at all, and he was at cross purposes
with the manager for two years. He
processes anxiety to work for Evers,
and he may again become a star, al
though it seemed to me his fast ball
has lost it's shoot, which was the thing
that made him great. Lavender is a
very fair pitcher n likely to be bet
ter if he behaves.
The detection of Cheney is COM
mencing to look serious. Cheney was
one man to rely upon in the entire
team, and it seemed rather short
sighted policy to refuse him anything
within reason and then go out to spend
big money to try to buy pitchers.
Lefty Leifield is far past his best and
Charlie Smith a joke.
There is not one of the young pitch
ers who, on minor league showing,
promises anything toward helping out
the team. Powell, according to Tampa
reports, looks fair. Pierce, on the tes-
tinony of one of the best scouts in tho
country, isn't above class A. Som
mers, Gilbert and Painter do not
promise even to hold through the
training season.
There is one other who may prove q
surprise. He is a big youngster named
Sutcliffe, just over Is years of age,
who halls from Wheaton, Ill, and
pitches left handed. This boy is bred
right for playing ball. His uncle
caught for Anson's old White Stock
ings alongside of Kelly. The boy is a
natural gated pitcher, but probably is
not yet ripe for major league work,
and will be sent somewhere for further
seasoning.
There are some others. Hockinger
a catcher fr is wed sio,cn % and
promising, but not much needed mes
the team plans to drop Needham.
Berghammer is a handy little infieldct
unlikely to win a steady job, and
Craig, an infield candidate. OF all the
recruits / think most of knisely, who
was tossed into the trade by Cincin,
matt as good measure. knisely looked
a sweet nltIcT last IAN dltsl Elit le'df
picked him up from the Ohio league
and the players touted him as a conner
However, Cincinnati did not appear tc
care much for him, although he hit
1928 twenty-onc gamcs in the big cir
cut.
The chief reason that Boston does
not figure to repeat It's pennant WIn
ming feat of last season is that it die
not figure to win last year. The re
markablc luck that kept the team GO
ing steadily all last season at or nea1
it's best gait and without a hairtlcaI
or an accident scarcely can be re
pcated. Even two weeks layoff of one
of the regulars last season probably
would have given the Athletics an
other %pennant.
/ But Boston won and deserved thf
pennant because the Red SoN bea'
Philadelphia in the club series u
to last season the Athletics beat tht
Red Sox about as often as they Wahteo
to--and for three years won pfac-
tically all of the first dozen games
between them. 1t looked as II the
Mack pitchers had something on tht
Red tSox.'
Last year Mack's pitchers weak
ened on him slightly and Boston's nm
~proved-and Boston turned the taples
and beat the champions steadily lh'
difference between the teams las
season was that Boston's pitchers
were near their best When theS me
Philadelphia, on the contrary Behoe'
and Coombs seldom were near lhel
best, and ever Plank could not non
them. 1t is not natural that bostoi
. should win IS out of u games iron
the Athletics-but they did
One cannot figure that the Atm
letics' pitchers will be as tar OIL 'hei
natural gait as they were last year
and further it cannot be figured ina
Boston is strong enough to win tn
series from the Mackmen, except b,