Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-12
EXPECTS TO HAVE
GREAT PITCHING
Griffith Figures He Will Turn
Out Best TWirIing Corps
in the League.
GALLIA SHOWS VERY.
MUCH IMPROVED FORM
Veteran HeaverS Are in Good
Shape and Youngsters Are
Coming Fast.
BY ]. ED aRI1Lo.

Special Dispatch to The Star
CHARLOTTESVILLE Va, March 10
IT. Griffith's pitchers continue to show the
same Improvement during the remainder
of the training season that they have in
the first week Of their stay here the
Nationals will go to the post on opening
day well fortified in the pitching depart
| ment
| Griffith believes that his pitching staff
Will stand favorable comparison with any
| In the country this season. Though none
| OF the pitchers Is right yet, all of them
are showing such good form that great
| things are looked for from them by the
time the season opens. There is not a
kinky arm in the outfit, and while only a
few of them have dared to curve the ball,
I all of them are showing good speed and
control.
The veterans are particularly good right
now johnson. Groom, Cashion and
Hughes could pitch ball game in a
pinch any time they were called upon, and
there are several of the youngsters show
ing good form.
If the weather during the remainder
Of the week is such that play on the
field can be continued 1t is safe pre-
diction that majority of the twirlers
will be In form within the next ten days.
y II expect to have the best corps of
0ltchers In the league when the season
opens" remarked Griffith this morning.
.Fneyer saw a lot of pitchers round into
form more rapidly than have mine this
spring. They will improve with every
day. and by the time the season opens, I
think they viii have something on any
Of their rivals. II the pitchers do what
l expect. and I don't think there Is any
doubt about 1t. we will get flying start
In the race, and once We get the lead we
yxrf1 ho Hnp tn not Nh for foo 10
one that Is sure to improve as 1t goes
along"
After Gallia had had several trials last
fall it seemed that the club had made a
poor bargain when 1t contracted to pay
$500 for the young pitcher. He did not
appear to have much more than the ordi-
nary recruit and the club seemed to have
been stung. Gallia this spring, however.
was last fall He gave his frst exhibi-
ton In the game yesterday, when he
pitched the final two innings against the
regulars. He did pot allow a hit or a
man to reach first base. and he looked
Gaf1ia has gained a lot Of strength since
the season opened. He has much more
speed and he used curve yesterday
which completely bafied the batters.
demanded for Gallis has been paid. but
the club agreed to come across with the
remainder. something like 4,5OQ at
certain date in May. provided Gallia was
retained. For time 1t looked as IL the
player would be returned, but since his
latest showing 1t Is much more likely
that the money will be paid and abso-s
lutte title to Gallia established.
That the control of both Cashion and
Engel has materially improved is shown
In their work. Both pitched in the game
yesterday, and, while neither got away
with a clear record, Cashion walking one
and Engel two. yet the change for the
better, so far as their command was con-
cerned, was decidedly apparent. They
have reached that stage now where they
can put the ball over whenever conditions
are such that 1t is to their advantage to
greatly improve In this respect before the
training period Is over. Cashion looks
particularly good this spring. He is al
ready in shape to pitch a full game of
slowly. SO as>to have him on edge when
the season opens. AS for Engel. he has
the distinction Of having SO good a Judge
as Griffith pick him as one Of the coming
pitching stars Of the league. The young
ster, who, by the way, will be twenty
years of age today. is showing lot OF
stuff in his workouts, and now that his
control is improving he will be much more
reliable than he was last season.
Considering the fact that yesterdays
game was only the second one a major
fly of the players have been in this
spring, it showed them to be in very good
form. 1t was most interesting game to
look at, and. being played on a rather
soggy field. was decidedly brilliant under
the conditions. There Is lot Of interest
in these games among the players and it
was as hard fought as would be regular
championship struggle. There was some
really clever fielding done by both teams,
and while the hitting was light 1t was the
good work OF the pitchers which made 1t
SO.
during the closing innings. Acosta, who
is one of the hardest men in the business