The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-04-20
GIANTS GETTING TO
BE POOR STARTERS
But With Isl More Games to
Play 1t Is Too Early
to Worry.
ATHLETICS IN SAME BOAT
Chances Team Not the Soft
Spot for Eastern Rivals
That It Was.
ATHLETICS IN SAME BOAT

The Giants soon will have the reputa-
ton Of being poor starters. Last year
they had a troublesome time finding their
stride, and this year they haven't done
anything but be outplayed by the opposing
clubs. The last two springs have been IN
big contrast to 1912, when the Giants
were Off to flying start and had an enor-
nous lead before the season was half over.
They came near playing themselves out
that year by midsummer, for they hit
fearful slump and before they got their
second wind came near losing their lead.
Better a slow start, as now and more In
reserve later on than burst OF success
early TO be followed by "A collapse. col
lapse which would he fatal to any team
without the inherent strength OF the
Giants the last three years.
We don't know what is the matter with
the Giants Just now except that they
aren't winning and are tied with the Bos-
tons in the number of games they haven't
won. In one battle the hitting wasn't
adequate, In another there was poor Held
ing with insufficient hitting. in the third
Mathewson was cuffed hard; but why
these things were thus we are not OF suff1-
Client depth of baseball erudition to know.
Sufficient to the day are tho apparent
reasons. and as only three games have
been lost and there are ISL more to play
with such assets as McGraw. Matty. Tes-
reau. Marauard. Demaree. Merkle. Doyle
Fletcher, Burns. Murray and the rest still
on deck, we are not worrying at all over
the first weeks developments.
The Giants reached Baltimore in splcn-
did condition They had fingered in the
South longer than any other team and had
had more good weather. Maybe the fact
that they haven't got used to the different
weather of the North as the teams they
have met have had has been a temporary
handicap. Almost anything may be at
tributed to the weather. Several man
ayers have declared. apropos OF the early
season weather bugaboo. that after this
they'll favor staying South until the last
moment. Perhaps that is better in the
long run. but three teams which in the
first week showed fast and victorious
baseball and which did a lot of ante
season playing in cold and variable North
crn climes are the New York Americans.
phi1lies and Brooklyns.
On the other hand the Athletics had
the same experience and haven't won a
game The Athletics haven't been hitting
As well as the Giants. They are playing
like a team which hasn't opened out yet
because OF being slow in reaching cond-
ton. as IL they weren't as far along as
the other teams. There hasn't been the
slightest symptoms that tho revcrses of the
Giants and Athletics are due to any new
organic weakness.
II Is a fact. though. that for the last
two years the Giants have met with
harder opposition from the other Eastern
teams than was the case for long time.
especially In the spring. and the Brook
lyn and Quaker clubs being more for
midsble than they used to be not only
has something to do with the Giants
present position but also removes from
the schedule that element of "softness
which used to exist by reason OF many
games carly in the season with the
Brooklyns. Phillies and Bostons.
IF the New York Americans keep on
as they have been going they will intro
duce a new element into the Eastern half
or the American League circuit. They
won't be snaps OH which other Eastern
teams may fatten TO percentage profit be
fore the schedule brings them in contac,
with Western clubs. Last year the New
Yorks were far more troublesome for the
White Sox. Clevelands. Detrots and
Browns than for the Red Sox. Athletic,
and Washingtons. At the rate they are
going now they are no longer a soft spot
for the three latter.
Whether a teams Improvement Is genu
Inc or only a flash is a matter not 10 bt
decided by a short period OF three games
With tho New Works there are signs oil
genuine improvement--the team spirit, tn,
actions and attitude of the men, theil
execution OF plays, system AS distin
Guished from the haphazard and the prob
able strength of the pitching staff. A,
there is no reason why the New Yorl
team should become conceited about itself
Its present spirit OF we're Just AS gooc
90 they are will, in proper quantity. maxi
II no longer doormat. no matter wha
the eventual position attained.
Walter johnson never had more speet
than he did on Saturday. He had trouble
controlling it because he found il Difficult
to adjust his stride to the slope OF til,
pitching hill. lie either stepped too IA
or too short, but by reducing his spec,
got the hang OF the thing better and man
aged his smoke better in the latter par
OF the game. II Is easy enough to pltcl
effective ball when everything is goin.
right. but to do as johnson did. hold al
opponent to one run and four hits and b
best with men on bases. to do this Will
wild and worried, was all the more ad
mirable and praiseworthy an exhibition.
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