Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-05-02
JOHNSON ONLY
RELIABLE MAN
None of Griff'S Other Pitchers
Is Showing the Right
Kind of Form.
PLAY OF YESTERDAY
POOREST OF SEASON
Nationals Exhibition Against
Rex Sox Much Below
Standard.
BY J. ED GRILLo.

IL w AFTER Johnson IS the only MEMBER OF
Griffith's pitching staff who can be relied
upon. None of the others has shown
anything this spring to warrant the be-
lief that he is going to be of material
help to the team in its efforts to land a
pennant. Barring the games which John
son has pitched. the slab work has not
been up to the standard by any means
and unless it improves considerably with
in a short time the Nationals chances
must not be overestimated. 1t is. OF
course. not fair to judge other pitchers
by Johnson. He stands out so far above
all twirlers that it is not fair to make a
comparison, but the fact remains that
none of the others has worked in any
thing like the form that was expected OF
him.
There may be consolation found in the
belief that the poor showing of the other
twirlers is but temporary failing. The
many changes in the weather. the long
lay-offs which have prevented them from
working regularly together, with the
several cool spells, may have had their
effect, and they may round into form in
time, but the fact remains that to date
their work has not been satisfactory.
1t Is of course true that the team has
much better percentage right now than
1T could point to a year ago, and yet it
finished second after a poor start. Griffith
believes that In due time his team will
show general Improvement in every de-
partment. He wants a spell of hot
weather, he says, before his players will
be working up to their standard, and this
may be true. But there is no getting
away from the fact that the pitching will
have to improve IL there Is to be any hope
for the team. johnson alone cannot
shoulder the entire burden. and especial
ly since Griffith has no intention of
hampering his future by overworking
him at this time.
Yesterdays game here was the worst
exhibition the Nationals have given
this season. 1t was not the errors OF
commission which made the team look
merous that 1t was hard to recognize 1t
as the same team which had performed
so brilliantly at Philadelphia the day be-
fore. Buck OBrien had no license to win
that game. though the Nationals scored
only two runs off him. He gave a mis-
cradle exhibition. and had Grif1th's men
displayed ordinary judgment they would
have driven him out OF the game before
half of it was over. O'Brien was in the
hole on every batter. 1t is not exagger-
ating when 1t is said that at least twenty
Of the batters who faced him had three
balls at one time or other, and yet he
managed to get out of the pinches with
a whole hide simply because the batters
not have reached with a plank. Further
more, the playing OF the team lacked
the spirit which marked its games earlier
In the season, and all In all 1t gave a
very poor account Of itself 1t is needless
to say that this fact did not escape the
notice of one Griffith. and at a meeting
of the players held this morning the riot
act was read with variations. Griffith
made 1t plain that he does not propose
to stand for careless baseball, and he
ga xuor n hat n
not be q repetition of such games as
the one of yesterday. OF course. no team
can be expected to win every day. 1t Is
sure to meet with defeats, but he wants
1t to show real form all the time. whether
the result Is favorable or not.
Though Frank I.aporte. on past per-
formances, would have to be considered
has fallen down woefully with the bat
ever since he has been stationed at third
base. In the last six games Laporte
has hit safely but once, and as ne IL
the third man in the lineup he is usu-
ally up with men on the bases. and his
great hardship on the teams offensive
strength. Yesterday, for instance, he
had four chances TO bring home runs.
yet failed on every occasion-in fact. he
Laporte, Of course, can hit. He always
jabs. but he is not hitting now, and that
is making it a hard matter for the team
to get the runs it needs The efforts OF
Moeller and Milan to get on the bases
are virtually wasted when they are sue
cessful. because Laporte is not getting
his share Of the hits
Moeller. for instance. has reached first
base tWenty-seven times this season and
has scored but six runs. rather low
percentage Of run getting. which would
not exist if the men behind him were
doing their share.
1t required two hours and twenty
TWO minutes to play eight and a half
innings yesterday. 1t was one of the
sloWest games on record and the umpires
are as much to blame as the pitchers
who wasted lot of time. Ban Johnson
umpires do not appear to be working
with this end in view. There are en-
tirely too many details during a game
which starts with the daily conferences
between the umpires and the field cap
tains Just prior to the game regarding
ground rules. These could be decided
upon in ten minutes before the game. il
they are at all necessary. and such action
would prevent the annoying delay prior
to the calling Of the games
Four pitchers were used by Griffith YES
terday. and none of them made a very
good impression, barring Engel perha ps
who seemed to have lot Of stuff and
.
iy because he was wild and had himself
in the hole most of the time. Boehling.
who followed. does not look as IL he
could pitch. and by the time he was
taken out the game was lost 1t is OF
course. hardly to be expected that any OF
these young pitchers can make good a;
this time. They have not been in any
games for weeks. and are hardly ready
to give a good account of themselves
Drohan pitched the last inning and it did
| not give a chance to get Il line on him
Only four men faced him. and one OF
these. Hooper. hit him for a sore echins
three-bagger to right center. He was
prevented from scoring however
Speaker showed his wonderful ability
| as fielder yesterday at the expense OF
Chick Gandil in the sixth inning
Speaker went into deep right center and
| pulled down q drive from GandipS bat
| which had a home-run sign on 1t. and
| he did similar stunt in the ninth in.
| ming when he raced to the embankment
| in deep left center and pulled down an
other one of Chicks drives. The amour,
| OF ground Speaker covered in making
! these catches was most remarkable, and
| it is doubtful If any other fielder in the
\ league would have reached the ball.
| 1t, is to be hoped that Eddie Fosters
| absence from the team will be shortlived
Though there has never been any grea
i ostentation about Foster. his absence II
keenly felt, and makes the greatest pos