Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-07-16
BATTING ORDER
TO Be CHANGED
Griffith Decides to Lead Off
With Morgan and Drop Noel
Ter to Fifth Place.
CLARKE Is BOUGHT
FROM HIGHLANDERS
New Player Is Third Left.
handler on Nationals
Pitching Staff.
BY j. ED GRILLO
Special Dispatch 10 The Star.

/ Sk~'idi bispdttH 10 Inc star.
| ST. LOUIS. July ia change i'm tho
Nationals lineup. which will mako
| Kay Morgan the lead off man. is tn ha
| inaugurated today. when the men of
Griffith will play the first game of the
second series here. MoeIler who over
since he has been a member of the
| team, has led its batting order. will he
| dropped down below Gandil. a nosition
which Morgan has held for some time
+, The object of this change is twofoId
In the first place. Griffith believes thar
Moeller viii be greatly benefited nv n
change Of position. AS the lead off
man he has been forced to do a lot
of running on the bases and this is
believed to have worn him out. Griffith
wants to put him where he will not
be under so great a strain, in the hone
of freshening him up. On the other
hand, Morgan is believed to be in a
stride now which particularly fits him
for the head of the list. He is not
only hitting wen. but he is getting on
the bases remarkable number of
times. What is more, Griffith believes
that Moeller will prove himself a yalu-
able man to follow Gandil for like
the big first baseman, he is apt to get
a cleanup hit almost any time
II believe we will be benefited by
this change. not only because the line
up viii be more satisfactory, but be-
cause the change will give Moeller a
rest and freshen him up so much that
he will play in his old stride ere long"
said Griffith in speaking of the change
Joe Boehling is slated to pitch the
game today. The one inning he
worked in Cleveland the other day was
about fifteen balls to retire the side
Whether Johnson will be called upon
to go against the Browns tomorrow or
whether Engel will be given another
question. though it is assured that
Engel will work in one of the games
here.
Ten of the fifteen games which the
Nationals have played since coming on
the road have been victories. u showing
which would do credit to most any team
in any company. Griffith is hopeful of
continuing this stride and If he does he
is sure to have whole lot to say as
to where the pennant shall fly next sea-
son. If the team played anywhere near
as good ball at home as 1t does on the
road there would be no question about
it winning the championship. Only
small percentage Of victories are annexed
at home. though it has always been con-
tended that a home team has a percent
age in its favor. Griffith blames ii on the
climate and his contention seems to be
DOTnG out Dy the results.
Though little Acosta could not speak a
word of English when he joined the Ma
tionals at Charlottesville this spring, and
was absolutely unfamiliar with MAJOR
league base ball, there Is now not a
player on the list who can dissect ball
game better than the little Cuban. He
absolutely astOunds Griffith with his in
teliigent comments after game. He can
pick out all the weak pays and lie
posted as if he had been paying ball in
the majors for years. The day is coming
when this mere boy is going to be one of
the great players OF the game. Not only
has he ability, but he is one of the most
intelligent youngsters that ever broke
into the league.
When Calvo was sent to bat for Groom
in the fifth inning Of Mondays game AT
Cleveland there v as n man on first and
none out, but the Nationals were TWO
runs behind CaIvo WAS gwen no IN
stIuctions when he stepped UP TO tne
plate lie had tWo balls called on him
when he made AN effort 10 Uunt. Tn
fortunately. he uiG not get the pa. far
enou~h away from the plate 10 give him
q chance 10 reach FIRST, though nc made
1t ciose play there. The play was all
soiLteIy unexpected, and when Manager
Griffith got d chance to do so he com
pilnerted the Cuban for his aiertness,
for a bit better hunt would have caught
the maps lnteld mapping because it AZ
an unexpected plat.
George McBrde's covering Of second on
attempted steals is attracting attention
IN every city where the Nationals show.
lev @i2nd critics anu fans sat in wonder
ia the ninth inning OF Mosday's game
Whsn olson. after getting a good lead
and Leatng the ball was clearly out.
-4chrioe planted himself IA front of the
Dag ,o"aro which Olsen was coming so
thal ne had 10 go around, and then reach
ing up with his bare hand caught the
pan ana, with the same motion, touched
the runner, getting the decision. 1t was
one OF the best plays of the kind ever
seen on ball held. and, though il robbed
the Maps OF what slim chance they had
10 lie the score, the crowd appIauded.
Eddie Fosters infiamed eye has much
improved, and the chances are that ne
VIII De In the lineup a ain today. Foster
was just beginning to go at top speed
when he Is going well he is invaluable
to the team.
IL is. however. a fortunate circumstance
mat Grifhth has Laporte around. He
mas hiled the bill of utility man excellent
ly this season, and but for him the
chances are that the Nationals, by reason
OF the many accidents the team has suf
Iered' would now be far down in the
race.
Determined to have a pitching staff on
winch left-handers will eventually pre-
dominate, Manager Griffith has picked