The Washington times., 1914-06-21

I are now closely punched and another
is not so far back. They are so close
in fact, that it would be the easies
sort of a thing for the men who rur
baseball to get together and by trading
or selling one player. or at the very
outside two men. to make II almost q
certainty for any one of six outfits. Yet
there isn't going to be any such trade
enough to develop or pick up ''phe'
nom'' there will probably be no appre.
ciable change in the club rosters until
| fall.
financial mistake to let the Athletics
win another pennant- The league
would rather see the flag go to any
other city. considering only the fscal
part of it, but there isn't ANYBODY
offering big odds that the Mackmen
in every ten will tell you that they
look like the best bet in the race right
now. and the fans seem to take 1t al
most as a matter of course that there
viii be another worlds series at Shibe
Park.
Whether the present champions re-
peat or not. they probably will be SC
close to the top all the time that the
fans will believe them destined to
march into a commanding lead when
ever they get ready, and this, in itself.
hurts the game. So long as the EEL
lows who support the game by kick
ing in at the box office think that one
club is a sure winner. it hurts attend
ance everywhere
fixed let me suggest that the mag
mates can make themselves a lot of
money by taking Eddie Collins away
from the Mackmen and handing him to
St Louis. The Athletics are not draw
ing much at home anyhow and what
they would lose by parting with Col
Inns wouldn't begin to Offset the gain
that St Louis would make The Mound
City is now a baseball graveyard so
until Hickey got his club up in the
first division. Give Collins to the team
and there is no question Of its being
a real contender. particularly as tbS
loss Of Eddie would put the Macks out
of the running. But does anybody
man Is going to be transferred just to
make the race better and make st
Louis a big drawing town? Not SO
that you could notice iti
If you don't fancy the trade I have
outlined. why not ship Frank Baker to
the White Sox? Do this. and you Rave
a probable pennant winner in Chicago.
for Franks batting would win many a
game that now is lost. One OF his
home runs now and then would grab
the decision for the sorts Of pitchers the
Sox have on the roster. With Baker
removed from Ine MdCAS ana pldCeO
with the Sox, 1 would be willing to
give odds that Chicago would finish
higher than the champions. 1t would
be a wonderful thing for the league
financially to have Chicago win the
pennant this year. for with such a huge
town and so large a park, Comiskey
could get the dough by the barrel both
for himself and all the other clubs. But
J. Franklin will be playing with Connie
Mack until he gets too old to plav any
where probably. and the Sox will have
to founder around in the ruclS for lack
OF a man to bat IN a run or two for
them.
Another way to fix" the race is TO
give Eddie Cicotte or Jim Scott to the
Tigers. If we had either one Of those
birds on our club, the pennant would
be Just about as good as won for US.
but there doesn't seem TO he chance
TO grab either man unless We chloro-
form Comiskey. Detroit Is right now
one Of the best drawing clubs In the
league and with the practical assur-
snce that the Tigers were going to
grab the flag, II would be easily the
verv best. So there is room for some
very profitable manipulation II the