Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-02-17
Nationals Will Have
80 Players in Training
BY j. ED GRILLO.

What will be the largest squad of play
ers that tie Washington club has ever
taken south is slated to report at Char
lottesvillc early i'm March.
Griffith now has thirty-eight players on
lis list and this does not include Nick
Nltrock. There are fifteen pitchers. five
catchers ten outfielders and eight in
fielders. At least thirteen OF these play
ers will have to be cast adrift after May
IL. the rules preventing any major league
club from carrying over that number
after the date mentioned.
There will he nearly fifty in the train
ing party after all hands have reported.
Griffith and Jack Ryan bring the playing
end up to forty -one, and Trainer Martin
and the newspaper correspondents from
Washington bring II up close to the fifty
mark. which ii will about reach II the
two cuban correspondents make good
their promise to witness the Nationals
preliminary work.
While il is of course never certain that
any youngsters coming up for trial VIII
make good. 1t would be rather oau
break il Griffith did not find enough
competent material among the numerous
recruits to better fortify his team for the
coming campaign. This might be done
without any OF the regulars being sup
planted, for a teams strength Is no
greater than its substitutes. Barring
heen signed. and neither of the two
mentioned is a hold-out, as they are not
making any complaints about the hSures
offered. but have not signed because they
prefer to have a talk with their manager
before So doing.
1t is a fairly safe prediction that Grit
fifth will bring the entire squad back with
him from Charlottesville, so that there
will be any number of new faces Tor the
fans to look at. On the dope the Ma
tionals seem To- be better supplied with
material for the outfield than in any
other department.
Seven of the fifteen pitchers were
seen here i'm action last season. and ii is
boped that two OF these will show suf-
f;cient improv ement to take their regular
turn on the slab together with Johnson.
Groom and Hughes. Cashion and Engei
appear to give the most promise, though
it is not at all unlikely that one or two
OF the untried twirlers will show enough
10 be retained One or two of the infield-
e.s will also he carried for emergencies
IL they should show any promise. and it Is
not at all unlikely that four catchers VIII
be held for the entire season.
So large is the squad that Griffith has
decided to work them in two shifts. This
will give him q chance to observe every
man under him and incidentally will not
overcrowd the playing fed. There will
be two sessions 4 day for each squad.
so that there will be plenty doing to keep
all hands busy.
The two-sessons-a day plan which Will.
he in vogue at Charlottesville is not to
he used by every team. Joe Tinker of
cincinnati. for instance. intends to work
his players but once a day. from 10 in
the morning until in the afternoon. He
figures that this is sufficient work to get
the players ready.
Under Hank O'Day the Reds worked
twice a day. and as the team got a splen-
did start in the race. leading the others
for weeks. il would seem that this was
good system.
Tho busiest man at Charlottesville will
he Trainer Mike Martin. With some
thing like forty players to look after
the Nationals trainer will have. little or
no time to himself. After practice every
man gets his turn on the rubbing
board. Sore arms and legs have to be
= attended to. bruises bandaged and To-
lions applied. Being an expert chiropo-
dist Martin makes himself of much more
value to the squad than will McGraw's
dentist Ball players must have good
feet in order to do their best work. and
Martin looks after this together with his
numerous other duties. From the time
that he arises in the morning until it is
limo TO go to bed Martin will be a very
busy man.
Gnflth's system Of training his pitchers
differs much from that Of other managers
He gives his pitchers a good workout one
day and then rests them for one or two
In accordance with their stamina. Rest
in this case does not mean idleness by
any means. but they are not allowed to
pitch on the off days. but must chase
nies IN the out1eld or practice ON the
inf1eld 10 help their fielding.
In this way he has been very successful
in not only strengthening his pitchers
arms. but he gets them I'm good general
physical condition. which Is Of the great
est aid to q pitcher. 1t Is just as essen
tial to have a pitchers legs in good trim
AZ Ids twirling arm. for there is as much
strain on one as the other.