Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-12-21
BALL CLUB TO INSURE
JOHNSON FOR 500, 600

Continued from First Page.)
strength is on that inf1eld. Its outfeld.
too. has something on that of the locals.
While. OF course. there is no comparison
in the hitting strength of the Mackmen
and the Nationals. like Mack, Griffith has
his best hitters on the infield. Gandil,
Morgan and Foster when going right are
a clever trio with the stick. but there is
no retting away from the fact that more
batting strength is needed in the Outfield.
1t is not at all unlikely that every one Of
his flelders will hit better next season
than he did last. Milan only went at
his usual clip during the closing weeks of
the season. which helped his average out
of the mire. He Is sure to do much bet
ter. Shanks and Moeller were not at all
consistent in this respect compared with
the season before, and they. too. are pref
ty sure to come back.
Let Milan. Shanks and Moeller display
more strength with their bats and Griffith
will be much better fortified than was
looked for.
AS was predicted in these columns some
days ago. the Observation-Disclosures anent
the Tinker deal have been smoothed over
and the whole transaction is a thing OF
the past The settlement seems to have
been cleverly arranged and both sides can
claim victory if they see At But the
fact remains that Brooklyn has apparent
ly been greatly strengthened. while the
Cincinnati team has undoubtedly been
weakened Nothing that Brooklyn will
turn over to the Reds will fill the vacan-
cies created by the going OF Tinker and
Bescher. Inasmuch as 1t has been agreed
to give Tinker the $4,000 originally
agreed upon, the player is not apt to balk
on the deal. He will not only get big
bonus but 1t is not likely that Ebbets will
hot- tha n
that the chances are that Tinker is about
to enter upon the most profitable season
of his long career.
In having Walter johnson insured at a
high figure the local club Is pursuing
Johnson would bring 100000 cash II
placed on the market there is not the
slightest doubt, and he Is worth even
more than that to the local club if he
remains in form a few years longer.
To carry SO valuable man around the
country without having protection against
accidents would be a rather precarious
proposition. BAN clubs have to be con-
Quoted along strict business lines these
days. and there is every evidence that
the local club is doing this of late years
Though Walter johnson led all the
pitchers last season there are those who
believe that he will do even better work
tinists. He figures that Johnson is be-
coming more expert in the matter OF
pitching every year. besides retaining his |
wonderful natural ability.
There are few pitchers using better |
Judgment in their work than Johnson |
said Griff. There was a time when he |
relied almost entirely on his speed, but |
watch him in game now, and he knows |
exactly how to work a batter This |
not only allows him to take much Of the |
strain off of his arm. but shows that he |
gives his work thought. I expect to see /
him have an even better season next |
year than last. This is hard to imagine. /
but there never was a more wonderful /
much more effective in the next cam
paign than ever before"
Eddie Foster is enjoying such SPLEEN
did condition this winter that the chances |
are he will be better fit to do himself |
justice on the ball field next summer |
than ever before. Foster is doing Just |
enough light gymnasium work during the |
preseason to keep himself on edge. He
realizes that his condition last season, |
from his attack of typhoid, |
proved a severe setback, and he is taking |
Every precaution to have himself fit for
the next campaign.
When Foster is in form there is not a |
more valuable third baseman in the |
league. barring. Of course. Frank Baker |
and his mighty wallops. But, not figur- |
ing Baker, none of the other third base
men is in Fosters class.
With Foster back in form. Grihiths |
ntield ought to rate very high next sea-
son. Morgan, for instance, continues to
how marked Improvement. while Gandii |
the teams best hitter, was handicapped |
oy injuries last season, and may have a |
better break the coming season. AS for |
the guardian Of short field. Mcbride he |
can always be relied upon. He has few |
days that he is not on the job. and
while he is not a good hitter, he man |
ages to get most of his wallops at times |
when they do the most harm to the OPP
posing team.
Manager Griffith will make another
visit to Charlottesville shortly and COM
plete arrangements for the housing Of
his young players during the training
period. Grin expects to make just about |
a three-week stay at the Virginia train |
ing camp this year. and the remainder |
Of the time before the season opens will
be put in on the home grounds. The |
chances are that the Nationals will open |
the season away from home, probably |
at Boston.
The admirers OF the Athletics have not |
given up all hope that John Coombs |
pitching days are not over. The iron
man. OF the worlds champions has entire |
ly recovered from his protracted Illness
and after spending the winter in the |
woods of Maine expects to be able to go |
course of training in Florida !
next spring. Good judges believe that
Coombs will be none the worse for his
illness, though it is expecting a whole |
lot for a pitcher who has seen all the
service that has Coombs to come back
after a long siege in a hospital.
1t won't be so very long. now, before
the teams will be starting south for their
training. In the middle of February
many Of the big teams will send their
batteries to the training camps, and
during the first week In March all the
big league teams will be in action pre-
pairing for the coming campaigns.