The Detroit times., 1913-03-24
Picked For About Every Place
Among the Eight by
the DOpesters
TIGERS DISAGREE UPON
NATIONALS CHANCES
Crawford Thinks They'll Slow
Up; Bush Likes Them as
Probable Champs
By RALPH l.. YONKER.

BY RALPH L.. fONh Elk.
MOBILE, March 24.--rhe Washing
ton club is the puzzle club OF the
American league in the dope on the
1913 pennant chase.
The Nationals are not puzzle to
any one man, but when the opinions
CT many men in the baseball worsu
are taken. they are found to vary SO
widely that the result OF the whole
Of them is very indefinite. That is,
While each man has certain DEFINITE
.Gea of his own as to what the Ma
tonals will be able 10 accomplish III
The coming season. there Is no uni
versal opinion.
There are those who think that
Washington is going to be in the van
Of the flag race every minute, bat
ling with Philadelphia from April 10
10 the end of the season. There are
hose who think that the Nationals
Will slump badly and be lucky TO have
A chance for the first division. There
are those who concede them a place
in the first division without an argu-
ment, but refuse to let them have =
-chance at the pennanI.- claiming that
they haven't the strength TO beat
Philadelphia and Boston.
sam Crawford Is one OF the Eek
Tigers who believes that the Nation
Is We're running at their top speed
III together last year The young fei-
ows all happened 20 race along with
n~~ttles wide omen and with scarcely
a lar in their machine. Sam says
that they can't all be going at top
speed during the coming year; some
one OF them is bound to break down;
when he does he will slow up the IN
tire machine. That will mean that
he Nationals can kiss. a fond farewell
20 all hopes of championship. es-
Decially with a steady crew like Phila-
delphia working all the time.
On the other hand, walter Johnson
IS enough, with the speed that must
emain In the club even after one or
Two Of the men slow up, to keep 1t up
in the first division.
DOME Bush doesn't hold this view
of the Nationals. He says that Bos-
on will not win the pennant, but he
doesn't know which club will, Phla-
delphia or Washington. DOME has
.aith in the young Nationals.
George MalIiB is Ct the same opin.
ion about the Red Sox. He don't
think that they will repeat. but he
DOESN'T pick the winner, although he
links the choice is between the Ma
tionals and the Athletics.
The past record Of Clark Griffith
supports those who believe that his
club will not show as well In 1913 as
il did In 1912. Griffith is noted for
making fine showings with clubs at
first and then losing them later on.
AS varied as the opinions regarding
he Washington club, the opinions re-
sarding the Athletics are agreed. The
Athletics are picked. almost without
exception, for the pennant.
Bender. Coombs and Plank are the
Big Three upon whom mos tot the
hopes Of the Philadelphia hackers are
placed. These three grand men OF
baseball are going back, according to
heir knockers. They are old. Bend
er won't stay In condition, and he Is
sick, besides. Coombs Is injured so
that he can't play the game much
longer Plank Is an old-timer who
must blow some year and 1913 Is the
logical year for him to do SO.
Nevertheless, all these things have
been said for the past five or six
years, and the trio has continued to
win games galore. Last year Plank
ers, being beaten to first place by
Wood of the Red Sox. Plank had the
greatest year of his career and estab-
lished himself as the most wonderful
southpaw OF modern times. He won
26 games and lost 6. Coombs was
headed only by these two men and
the great Walter Johnson. Bender,
out of shape most Of the time, was
twelfth. Mack's young pitchers, Pen
mock, Brown and Houck, didn't afford
Connie much aid, but with a years
experience under the Fox under their
belts will assist the Big Three nicely.
Those who can't see the Philadcl-
phia club say that II has no outfield.
Those who can see>ft, admit that the
Athletics outfeld isn't the best in the
world, but claim that any weakness
that II may have IL more than Offset
BY the wonderful fielding and hitting
infield the Philadelphia club posses
SEES.
The Red Sox are not popular cham
pions. They lack in star pitchers and
10 the infeld. Joe Wood is their only
real brilliant hurler. Heinie Wagner
is the best man In the infield and he's
getting old enough SO that he is likely
to slow UP.
There IL one thing to consider. how
s. ever, before RELOCATING the Red Sox
20 q position outside of the pale of
championship possibilities. That is
that the Tigers were, like the Sox,
unpopular CHAMPIONS. After the IL
gers won in 1907 they were doped to
lose the pennant In 1908. They were
weak because they had neither pitch