Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-03
BY. ED GR1LLo.

If the showing of the two unknown
pitchers used by Connie Mack against
the Phillies is an indication of how his
pitching staff has been strengthened
the failure to land the pennant this
year cannot be attributed to any weak
ness in that department.
Wykoff and Bush, two youngsters who
have hardly been mentioned as being
members of the team. seem to have more
than the ordinary recruit. for they sue
ceeded in beating the Phillies. and that
by allowing only one run in eighteen in
nings. If this showing is not a flash in
the pan, Connie will surely have strong
pitching staff. for Houck and Brown of
last years staff have probably improved.
and should be able to make up for any
deficiency that Bender, COombs or Plank
may show during the coming campaign
But beating the Phillies these days is
not much of a trick. That team seems
intent on once more being great disap-
pOintment. There is something materially
lacking in that aggregation. 1t seems to
be team which. instead of needing
head. has too many for its own good. and
while it appears to have strength enough
to be prominent in the race. it is getting
such a poor start that there will have tc
be an enormous brace If it expects to cut
any figure in the National League race.
"A CleVeldHQ SCdtlStlcldn mas nSuTeu IL
out that If the Maps can make as good a
showing against the first division teams
as they have against those in the second
division they can win the pennant. 1t is
shown that Cleveland has always been
successful against the clubs which were
not up in the race, but that it failed
abominably against the real contenders
in the race, and under Birmingham
change of conditions is looked for.
The failure of the Maps to look good
q SyaI n CT no CIR fnor "a &C
lack of strength and playing system and
perhaps determination. A ball team which
considers itself beaten by certain rivals
before a ball is pitched is not apt to be
prominent in the race.
Birmingham may be able to instil a
different spirit into his players than has
prevailed. and when he does it's showing
against strong teams will improve.
The first month of the playing sched
ule infiicts the hardest task on the
Nationals that any team with pennant
aspirations has ever been asked to shoul-
der. OF the first twenty-seven games
scheduled twenty-one are with Boston
and Philadelphia. the two strongest
teams in the league This period will
really prove the hardest part of the
entire schedule. If the Nationals can
break even in these games the team will
have done wonders and will undoubtedly
occupy good position in the race, But
should they fail against their two rivals
they might find themselves out of the
race by the time the first sixth of the
season has gone into history.
These conflicts between the Athletics,
Boston and Washington may give some
other team a chance to lead the process
sion during the early stages. If the
three teams mentioned can beat each
other one of the other teams in the race
which is pitted against the weaker teams
may get good lead for while. though
it be beaten out later in the race.
Should Griffith be able to pilot his
charges successfully during the first
months of the season and make a win