The Washington herald., 1913-08-24
Drafting Season for
Majors Has Arrived
Limiting Clubs Rosters Hai
Hurt Their Chances of Sc
curing Players by Draft.
SHOW MANY LOOPHoLES
Fancy Prices Have Been Paid This Yen
for Minor League Stars-chap-
pell and Maisel Most Costly.
By w. j. MACBETH.

New York, Aug. 2S.-The major lesSu,
drafting season has once more arrived
The next week or ten days may prove this
most important Of the season for a num-
Der of big circuit clubs now Struggling
Tor recognition. Conditions within tbs
past several years have greatly changed
No longer is it possible for indiscriminats
drafting, The new working agreement
under which organized baseball operates
holds all major league teams 10 a ritid
roster limit Of thirty-five men beside lin
iting the liabilities to draft from leagues
Of inferior rank.
Only two winters ago Charles II.
Ebbets, OF the Brooklyn team, secured
through draft something like forty play
ers. OF course, he had no idea of carry
ing even one-quarter of these through
even the spring training trip. He was so
profuse in his claims simply as a busi-
ness proposition. He wished to retain a
few OF the very best players secured as
near. of course, as could be judged with
out thorough trial and TO utilize the rest
as farm" material or in contemplated
deals. Besides, when there was no limit
to draft numbers, the more athletes he
bagged the more were kept from rival
clubs that might benefit thereby.
Limited Number Hurts.
Inc roster limit as at present con-
stituted has struck a telling body blow
to the former curse OF the draft Major
leagues cannot tumble so heavily in green
material If they would and must neces-
sarily exercise far greater caution in Sc
lections. But in limiting the field Of
draft doubtless a far greater premium
has been placed in blind luck. We will
try to see how this is so.
The draft is more or less a blind
stall in the dark, anyhow. It is Simply
case Of outlucking a rival in the
draw. nine times in ten. Every major
league club has the right to claim so
many players from league Of inferior
ranking 1t is therefore possible for
every major league club to put in a
draft for some certain player. When
more than one team claims a certain
man. his. fate is decided by lot. 1t is
therefore possible for some certain
club to secure all the prizes of the
draft. while. on the other hand, an
owner may draw nothing from his lot
terry, even II he has placed the most
claims for talent. }
Fancy Prices Paid.
Simply because of the Ioopholes Of
draft have such fancy prices been paid
this season for minor league stars.
Charlie Comiskey gave $4,000 value
for outhelder Harry ChsppeIle, of Mil,
waukee- Frank Farrell paid equally
dear for Infielder Naisel. Of Baltfnors1
Either might have landed his prize for
se.50O-the draft price-had he waited
till August 20. But each magnate real-l
lied delay might be dangerous. II
was reasonable to suppose that ath-
letes OF such caliber had attracted the
attention OF many scouts and that
all the clubs OF the two big
leagues would be willing to hazard An
outlay of s2,5OO apiece for such stars
TO protect their interests and absoluteI
ly assure the delivery Of the Cherished
material, the Chicago and New York
promoters had TO pay some seven times
more than recognized market yaIue-
as estimated by the standards OF IN
terleague business
Farrell and Comiskey are cited as er.
amps because OF the unusual expendi-
lures for individual minor league stars
In both cases these single transactions
represent very small faction OF the out
lay Of the promoters in question IN their
guest for new blood. Frank Farrell. for
instance. paid 5000 recently for Pitcher
McHale. Of Jersey City. Besides, he has
some eight or ten other promis-
ing minor leaguers at sums ranging from
1900 up There is not an owner of a big
league club who failed to close at least
three or four purchases. and the reason
for all this outlay OF money was fear that
the desired talent might escape elsewhere
through the channels OF draft.
Expect Many Calls.
The fact that most clubs have done un-
usually stif marketing prior to the big.
mad scramble will not take the edge OF
this years draft in the least. There is no
doubt at all that many managers are
hopeful OF saving substantial outlay by
beating some one else to it. The scouts
have gone through the sticks with
hne-tooth comb. and any performer OF
ability who has escaped sale is not likely
to be overlooked in the call to come up
higher.
1t is not always the players who COM
mand the most fancy purchase prices who
turn out most valuable to team. Nap
Rucker, the great Brooklyn southpaw,
was drafted by Ebbets. He cost 800.
He would bring twenty-five times that
amount on the market today. Ty Cobb
and Joe Jackson, the American League
sluggers, came UP through the channels Of
draft. Russell Ford. for several years
the backbone of the Yankee pitching
stan, resulted from the exercise OF an
option on the Atlanta club for the services
of a ''farmed out drafted player. Some
Of McGraws most valuable talent are
players who were drafted-Chief Meyers
among them. Rube MaTquard. on the
other hand, purchased for $1l,000, was Of
no use to his team for two long years.
Second division teams OF the two leagues
might be expected 10 be most interested
in the draft But this Is not the case.
- - Nk1 rFNr H.
viii fight Just as hard to draw the prize
packages as the tailendeTs and generally,
TOO, with more success, for in the words
Of the swain: Then that has, gets"
The drafting season Is . harbinger of
The year to come It serves only TO create
speculation, for the accTuing material
ioes not report before the close OF the
season to which it is AFFILIATED. if indeed
before the following spring. But Indirect
y it affects the current issue in that il
irives home the purchases earlier than
night oe otherwise. Teams that pay
ancy prices for minor leaguers may bs
excused in their desire 20 get back some
II the coin. Especially in second division
clubs Is the public interest so great as to
Justify the Immediate outlay OF salaries
or advertising purposes If nothing more.
Beside the manager can, in addition. set
! line as to whether the reputed wonders
IRE likely to turn out plurns or lemons.
champion teams Of course, cannot az
ord to experiment even after the per-
lant Is won. But fortunately there can
,e only one flag winner In each circuit
Burne. the young Montreal catcher. is
'elieved to be ripe for the majors. Any
zig league club desiring backstop should
lot pass up the youngster. He can catch
brow. and sting the ball And he Is fast.