The Washington herald., 1913-10-03
BY HUGH =. FULLERTON.

| BY HUGH y. FULLERTON.
Since the renewal of the worlds
championship contests between the
pennant winning teams of the Amer
ican and National Leagues 1 have
"doped" every series in advance. study
| ing teams, players, and conditions. !
i have missed only once: being utterly
wrong on the outcome VI the series be-
tween the Philadelphia Athletics and
the Chicago Cubs.
| In that / was misled chiefly by the
confidential statements of the Chicago
pitchers as TO their condition. / had
| figured them to be beaten after a hard
/ struggle but on the assurances Of
Brown and overall I changed. They
| were sincere. but oyerstimated their
own condition.
| The series now at hand between the
Giants and the Athletics is the hardest
ever have been called upon to figure
out: promising the fiercest and most
| exciting games ever played in such
series: with free hitting and free
scoring with a consequent increase in
the proba bility of what we call luck"
deciding Il. 1t is easy enough to de-
eide on the individual merits of the
players; but not on their present con-
dition; which is to be counted as more
vital.
Mackmen Have Best Club.
The Athletics have the better ball club,
but the difference between the two clubs
is not sufficient to overcome the possi-
bility of a fortunate turn Of luck giving
the Giants the verdict Both are game,
fighting, and consistent clubs, and
neither is likely to quit il beaten dur
ing the early games Of the series.
New York presents a club that is at
least I2 per cent better than the one IT
pitted against Boston last fall. 1t is
stronger in pitching, in the outfield, about
the same in the infield, better fortified
in the catching department.. and stronger
in substitutes. Where last fall a single
accident on the infield meant destruction
OF its hopes, this year finds the team
strongly re-enforced.
Better Than Red Sox.
The Athletics are as much better this |
fall than Boston was last fall as the
Giants Of 1913 are better than those of
1872, but. for the first time, Mack is weak
in veteran pitchers. and must rely to
some extent upon his youngsters.
l have been studying the Athletics and
Giants since the middle of June with a
view Of picking the winner of the worlds |
championship, and / believe l know con- |
ditiOns existing in the clubs, the physical
condition of the men and their own esti- |
nents as well as any outsider may know
them. Yet the task of figuring them is
a desperate one. I picked the Athletics |
to win the American League race from |
the first, and conceded the flag to New |
York as soon as 1t became evident that |
the Pittsburgh team was not going to |
live up to the high hopes its paper |
strength created.
What the Dope shows.
am not going, at this point, to select |
tie winner, but will figure the teams. |
man for man, position for position, |
pointing out the strength and weaknesses
OF each team, and reducing men and |
chances to cold figures. l am starting |
without any opinion. leaving myself free
to abide by what the figures show, and
to prove TO you that there is not any
"shenanigan or prejudice in II, let US all |
dope it out together. I'll furnish the
figures and show you the way l figure
it, and if you do not like the dope, fig
uTe il your own way.
take 1t that We, ALL unless we live
in New York, Baltimore. or Philadel-
phia, want the better team to win,s or.
rather, want the team that plays the
better ball to win.
Comparisons are the most odious things
in the world, but there is no other way
ia which the respective values OF the
be rated. You probably have no idea !
how much study 1 have given TO these
two teams to try to decide between them.
Up to Managers.
Batting. pitching. fielding, throwing,
base running, brains, and cleverness all
are calculated separately. In order not
to seem too personal, I group the last
two results under the head of Manage
ment," giving the credit of all the brain
work to the managers, so as to escape
saying one player is a bonehead and
another is smart"
There is a lot Of misunderstanding on
this point. A man may be a smart
brainy, clever individual OF the ball
field and a regular boob on it, In this
study We do not care whether a man
is bad actor or a half-wit of the field
If during the games he uses his head.
Pitching Big Factor.
Having decided upon the individual
ability Of the player. we consider the
value of his position in the team. The
right fielder is not as important in the
as the second baseman, nor is
the second baseman as important as the
pitcher. have figured the value of each
department of the game, and in this
series have concluded that pitching is '
q per cent of the entire series.
You can see that by this system we
come very near a mans real worth to the
team; at least, to the probability of his !
worth in such a series. This season !
have not been content with that, but I
have studied the batting performances
Of each batter on the Athletic and Giant
teams against certain kinds of pitching
Conceding that Mathewson, Demaree !
and Tesreau viii carry the
bulk of New York's burden, that Mack
will start with Bender and follow up
with Plank, and use Brown or Houck or
The others only when compelled to, 1t is =
interesting to see what the Giants bat '
.gainst pitchers in their own leagre .
who pitch IN STYLES similar TO those used y