The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1913-12-04
NOTHING DOING
SAYS GRIFFITH
National League Managers
Refuse to Part with Out
felders, He Declares.
THE SACRIFICE HIT
Is Lost Art in Washington Under
Present Regime-Dooin Dis
cusses Play.
by WILLIAM PEET.

Every proposition I have made TO GER
tain National League club owners for
ball players has been turned down cold.
There are three outfielders 1 have tried
to get said Manager Griffith yesterday.
but cannot land them"
Mike Mitchell, of Pittsburgh, is one
2 Of the oUtfielders L would like to corral.
but Manager Fred Clarke does not care
TO part with him so he writes me-" the
Old Fox continued.
Il have decided to attend the National
League meeting I'm New York next week.
! am going up on a gamblers chance.
Perhaps when l talk with the managers
themselves, there may be something
doing, but | have little hope of getting
any bali players out Of that league"
As has been previously stated in these
columns, Manager Griffith believes that
with one more heavy-hitting Outfielder in
his lineup, he has a first-class chance to
land the flag next season. and if he can
grab of National League veteran with
say year of good baseball left in him.
such A man would be worth a fancy
price, also taking a gamblers chance.
The Old Fox has several youngsters
under his wing who are sure to be good
ball players in two or three years from
now. AcoSta is one of them, even Calvo
or Spencer may come through, but dur
Ing the interim veteran. who can hit, is
badly needed, and with this end in view
Griff is going to have several talks with
his former National League pals in New
York next week.
An interesting tanning bee in the Quak-
er City recently with Charlie Doom. pilot
of the Phillies, as the central figure, had
as its subject, the sacrifice hit.
Those who have followed the destinies
Of the Nationals since Griffith has been
at the helm, have seen less sacrificing
in games played here than at any time
since the American League started bust
ness.
Il do not believe in the sacrifice hit,
except. perhaps. when johnson is pitch
ing, and we need one run to win, late in
the game, and a good hitter coming up.
Then 1 order a sacrifice. OF course. we
pull off the play once in a while just to
mix up our attack, but personally l am
strong for the hit-and-run, with the
sacrifice barred except on special occa-
sions.' The foregoing statement was ut
tered by the Old Fox back in the spring
Of 1872 before the Nationals We're even
considered as a first division possibility.
During the discussion Of the sacrifice
hit in Philadelphia. Doom, the scrappy
leader OF the Phillies. remarked: THE
sacrifice hit play, in my opinion. should
not be worked very often. Here is the
way / figure it out:
We get a man on first base with no
one out. The next nan sacrifices and
puts the runner on second. Then the
next man has to hit it safe. If he
doesn't you have wasted two of your
men. and it is up to the last chance of
the inning. In each case after the sac
rifice is made and the man is advanced
the percentage is against the batsman
by one chance in three. Even with two
outs left you have only two chances out
OF three to drive in the run.
On the other hand, with a runner on
first and no one out. on the run-and-hit.
a fast man can very often get from first
to third on an infeId out at first base.
man to third base instead of to second,
and you still have only one out.
Should the runner get only as far as
second base you are just as well of as
II the batsman sacrificed. On the other
hand, the batsman may hit safe and you
have the other fellow IN a hole with no
one out. OF course, there is the danger
of a double play being made on a line
drive. but that's one of the risks of the
game.
"Of course, there are times when the
sacrifice hit should be used. But 1
think that it is bad policy to adopt the
rule Of sacrificing every time the first
man up in an inning gets to first base.