South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1914-03-24
GIANTS LOOK NOW
LIKE WINNERS IN
NATIONAL LEAGUE
Pirates and Braves Have
Chances to HeCkle MCGraW'S
Men But Must Add to Paper
Strength to Cop Pennant.
BY FRANK G. NlENkE


just now as il the New York Giants
viii grab of the 1914 pepnant IN the
National league, thereby turning the
trick that no team in modern baseball
has beena bic To turn-winning a PEN
ant four times In row
The Phillies. looked upon as being
able TO give the Giants a real night ali
the way &c the wire, have been shot 10
pieces by the invading Federals With
Seaton and Brennan now performing
in Federal uniforms. the Phillies
pitching strength is at least 33 per
cent weaker than 1t was at the close
% the 1913 season.
The actions OF Second Baseman
knabe and ShOrtstop Doolan in going
over 20 the Federals has wrecked the
inner bTeastwOrks of the Phillies and
Manager Doom has no one among his
recruits that looks able enough 10
jump into the vacated spots and per
form in real style.
The Cubs are not looked upon TO
furnish any real trouble this season.
The Cubs in the old days stacked up
as one of the best aggregations in
baseball history. But the going OF
Tinker. Chance, Evers. Brown. keul-
bach and a few of the other stars
has reduced the OUTFIT TO little more
than a second division organization.
Braves Have Chance.
Pittsburgh and possibly the Boston
Braves. are the only teams that loom
up just now as strong enough 10
heckle the Giants. The Pirates seem
TO have been greatly strengthened in
the infeld by the trade with the Car
dinals, but the showing of the club de
ponds quite a lot on what the pitchers
will do. If the hurlers can strike "A
steady stride at the start OF the sea
son and keep 1t up, Wakner. NioN.
Mowry ct al. may be counted upon 10
do their share in the uplift work.
The Braves are problem. The
acquisition OF EVers has strengthened
the team materially and on paper
they look like one of the very best
little aggregations that has worn a
Boston uniform since Lots wife took
another squint and was transformed
into a bag of salt. But what will
they look like-and what viii they do
when they begin caVOrtlng on the
green's next month?
Giants Have Pitchers.
The Giants pitching staff sizes up
as the very best in the league. Math-
ewsOn. MaTquard. Demaree and Tes-
reau constitute quartet that seem
TO have enough skill and power 20
grab off about 20 per cent OF their
games In addition To this quartet the
New Workers have a few new fingers
who may breeze along at a winning
gait-and who may not. At any rate.
wares during the summer, and II they
succeed in anneNing at least half OF
their games, and the Big -Four
shows up To standard the Giants ought
TO rOmp home with an average around
.675-a mighty husky one for the
other contenders 10 shoot at.
The Braves, with the addition OF
Evers, seem 10 have a stronger inheld
than the Giants. who have been weak
ened by the loss of 'Tilly' Shafer. the
temperamentaI third basing person,
who announced that he was through
with the game because the game
worried him so that il created silver
threads among the gold. But the
Braves pitching staff on past per
formances seems inferior to the
Giants Tyler stacks up as the Braves
best bet in the hurting line, with Per
due a close second. Hess, Dickson
and James are good pitchers Per
haps they'll show something startling
this year. And perhaps a few OF the
new Brave recruits viii uncork some
hinging stunts that will win them
places near the top of the list. Ia
these little possibilities happen, the
Braves will have look-in.
Superbas Have Strength.
As previously stated. Brooklyn
might cause a little trouble with fire.
quent spurts during the season, but
it's quite unlikely that they'll scare
ANYBODY with pennant ambitions. VIII
bert Robinson. the new manager. fell
heir to a mighty good outfit, but II
hasn't developed enough to warrant
any pennant- possibility predictions.
Charles Lincoln HerZOk, after Civ
ing his crowd Of Cincinnati Reds a
close scrutiny has not rushed up 10
any newspaper person and claimed the
I pennant. Which indicates those VINO
| often have stated that Charles Lincoln
was a rather brainy person.
Miller Higgins, who is serving time
! as manager Of the Cardinals. mas
/ hopes that his team Will emerge from
the cellar and make things exciting
for the persons occupying the ground
floor and upstairs rooms in the Va
/ tional league. But Miller always was
a hopeful fellow, and his motto al
/ ways has been;