Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-06-15
MANY TWIRLERS
SUFFER FROM
PRESENT RATING
Bv w. j. Macbeth.

n FEW YORK, June LEACH year
M becomes more and more appar-
ent the injustice of the present
methods of compiling pitchers rec
ords. There is absolutely no way to
gauge a twTler's ability In the cold
figures of victories and defeats. 1t
stands to reason a poor pitcher with
a champion club is likely to win more
games than perhaps would a cham
pion pitcher with a tail-end team.
Cy Falkenberg. the elongated pitch
er from Cleveland. furnished a fitting
illustration during the recent visit to
the Polo Grounds of the dark horse"
Of the West. In the first game of the
series Falkenberg was lifted I'm the
seventh inning to allow Larry LaiOie
70 go to bat with the bases filed,
one out and Cleveland one run to the
bad. Now Larry didn't produce a
pinch blow for the human string
bean" But Johnson, who followed.
upset Sweeney with an unexpected
bunt, precipitating an error to cap a
bone saded" throw 20 first which
resulted in two runs for Cleveland.
Steen finished the game for Cleve-
J land
Then arose the question as 10 which
( Cleveland pitcher was entitled 10 be
| credited with the victory. Ordinar-
| lily II would have made little differ
ence either way But here was an
exception. FaIkenberg indicated all
season, had previously reeled off nine
straight triumphs. Everyone was in
terested TO know whether he had ad-
ded the tenth to the list or whether
his sprint had been momentarily
halted by a decisionless afternoon.
In such Instances the official scorer
as a rule, used his judgment in de-
termining who H. most entitled to
victory. But in this ease the official
scorer was plainly up a tree. He
appealed To the New York chapter Of
baseball writers. Sentiment here ap-
peared pretty evenly divided between
the pair.
THE official scorer left the park
undecided He probably put the
big question up to President Johnson.
himself Anyhow the public is not
likely to know vino gets the game un-
I'll the official averages are published
unless President Johnson is forced to
make a ruling in the event Of Fall
kenberg seriously threatening either
the American or National League
records for consecutive victories.
l digested the case with Umpire
Evans after the game
1T is a mighty peculiar situation,
said he. Technically no doubt Fal-
kenberg was out OF the game the
moment La1Oie went to bat for him.
Now "a man who is out Of the game
cannot very well figure as "A hero in
victory. But take the other side Of
the case. Steen did not win more
than FaIkenherg. When FalkenbeTg
went out his team was one run be
D. D.. Hwu Ear
team was one run Co the good. SteeH
only had 10 hold this advantage for
three innings FalkenberE nitched six
innings and brilliant bail. too. I can
tell you Now I do not know how
the matter viii bee decided But IL IL
were left to me ] should give IL 70
Falkenberg He really had more 70
do in assuring the victory th9n had
Steen and the fact that ne did double
the work should favor him
NOW there you are. Evans Is as
- wise as they come. he used good
sound common sense in his argu-
ments But still az the same time
arises the question OF teehuicality.
And technicality cost the Giants a
pennant in 1908. il will be remember
ed John Heydier Of the National
League. decided just such question
in favor of MarqUard last year when
the Giant star was making his rec
ord run.
Heydler. by the way last wear
evolved a very good scheme for the
compilation Of pitching statistics II
is likely that this season be viii use
this method entirely, doing away with
the unsatisfactory system now in use
of ranking the pitchers according to
their winning percentage
FRANK Chances struggle 20 rebuild
the New York Americans is fully
appreciated by New York fandOm-
. The Peerless Leader j. going about
HIS task in a manner that Will show
results I'm the near future. lie has
gone right 20 the root OF a long
standing evil and is pluCking the
trouble makers regardless of seuti-
ment
In Kidding himself Of Hal Chase the
. =. /. accomplished a move that both
Stglliugs and Woiyerton begged Far
rell 90 make Chase always was a
rroublemakeT and as such genuinely
i despised 10y his team mates Had
this canker 10 the welfare of harmony
been removed when StBlHngs first
suggested % the Highlanders might
now have been a champion instead
! Of a tail-snd aggregation.