Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-11-23

Considering the fact that Shanks was
incapacitated on four different occasions
last season, his work was really salts
factory. The chances are that he would
have shown to much better advantage
had he been fit all during the campaign.
Shanks will have one advantage over
all competitors for his position. in that
he is a fielder of more than ordinary
ability. Should his hitting improve 20 or
30 per cent he would be an ideal man
for the place.
Cashion, too. must be given some con-
sideration. There is no doubt about his
ability to hit. In fact, it would not be
surprising if he led the team if played
regularly, but. of course. he is far from
being a finished fielder. though there is
always a better chance for, a ball player
to improve himself in this respect than.
in batting. which seems To, come natural
to the average player
1t is believed that the coming meeting
of the National League Will see more
trades made between the clubs OF that
organization than have taken place in
several years There seems to be a de-
sire on the part of nearly every club
in the old circuit to part with play er
or two in exchange for members OF one
Of the other teams. and as a result there
may be considerable swapping OF ma
terial.
There. is no. doubt that from a stand
point of. attractivenesS, the trading OF
PLAYERS is stimulating. New faces on a
team do much to revive interest. and 1T
also happens that players often show TO
better advantage Under changed ENVIRON
ments.
notwithstanding the fact that Clyde
Milan has led both major leaguek in base
running the past two seasons, the chances
are that he is not a bit more capable on
the paths than is Dan Moeller. MoelIer,
who hit some forty or fifty points below
Milan last season. stole over sixty bases,
finishing second in the league and being
but ten or twelve bases behind Milan. His
batting average would indicate that he
did not reach first base as often as Milan,
hence had fewer opportunities to pilfer.
Moeller is one of the fastest runners in
either league. At times. he. is a clever
batter, too. but he has his 1slumps and is
not consistent. though he makes up for a
portion of his shortcomings by his re-
markable speed on the bases.
Griffith is enormously charged with be-
ing q manager who consistently claims the
pennant year. IN and Year out. though his
team does not figure to have a chance for
so high a position. The fact of the mat
ter is that Griffith never makes s.ch
claims but he refuses to eoncede the flag
to one of his rivals before they have ac-
tuaIly won it.
1t was SO last fall With the Nationals
second and only having mathematical
chance to" finish first scribes In other
cities were surprised that Griffith refused
to concede his teams defeat. He would
insist that he still had q chance and was
the last one to admit that Mack.s team
had won the pennant But there is meth
cd in this madness. For Griffith to adj
NIT that his team was out OF the running
would have the. effect of discouraging his
PLAYERS, whereas when he insists that
there is still hope his team hustles to the
very finish. This probably accounts for
the team finishing second in the last two
races. for, though 1t was beaten both
years by Boston and Philadelphia, respec-
lively long before the final games were
played. the Nationals played just as hard
at the finish as they did at any other time
during the race. .-..a..-
rhe worlds tourists. who are now at
sea, will not be allowed to grow stale dur
ing the voyage. The pitchers. in particu-
lar, will be forced to warm up on deck
every day. providing the weather permits
In order that the two teams may be able
to give good exhibitions in the foreign
countries both Callahan and McGraw are
anxious to have their teams in good fettle
when they arrive there. SO that the exhi-
billions fnrnished will at least give. Some
idea Of how the game is played in the
major leagues here:
Just what action the National League
- W . . "a