Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-03-22
MACK'S TEAM HAS MARGIN
ON OTHERS IN COMING RACE
But Washington and Boston Are Sure to Prove
Formidable Contenders Good Players
Have Been Developed Here.

! This because his motion is natural one
| and when he pitches his entire body Is
! brought into action. The average ooy
plays ball just as soon as he is able, and
| the result Is that the wear of throwing
| tells on his arm long before he Is ma
| tured and, consequently, mars his
| chances to gain any prominence as
| player. Johnson's arm is as good To-Day
| for the reason already stated. that pitch
| ing just comes natural to him.
| 1t would not be at all surprising If
| Griffith carried pitching staff of twelve
or more all during the season. There
are so many promising youngsters on the
| team who may become winners any day
| that he does not propose to let any OF
them slip through his fingers unless he is
satisfied that they have no future, or are
| in need of experience which conditions
will not allow him to give them. WINE
| the league has placed a limit on the num-
Der of men cub may carry during the
playing season. it is not unlikely that
| ent, because of the presence in the field
of the Federal League. Furthermore,
Griffith will not know just how well
fortified he is with pitchers until the
season is well under way, and he VIII
| take no chances of being caught snort
handed on twirlers when the pennant
| fight is on.
outfield will not require any changes.
which would mean that Shanks and
Moeller, and, of course. Milan. are show
| ing Improvement, Griffith will be better
| fortified with material for these POSITIONS
/ than he was last season. He Is sure to
have two capable fielders ready to jump
I into the game in Acosta and Paul Smith.
Acosta's chances must be taken seriously
| The little Cuban has developed into
| rafting good player. and II he ever
hra alrs Inf he linz
| matter to displace him.
While many of the other big league
teams in training have been able to play
more games this Spring than nave the
Nationals, it Is safe prediction that no
set of players has worked harder to get
themselves in playing trim than Gr1h1th $
players Snow or shine. the work has
been consistently kept up. When 1t was
impossible to get outdoors the gym has
been invaded. 1t is, of course, true that
much of this work has not been OF the
kind which a ball player requires. but, SO
far as the physical condition OF the squad
goes. it could not possibly be improved
upon. The foundation for hard stretch
of real base ball training has been laid.
and all that remains is stretch OF good
weather to put the players in the best
possible fettle.
In his twenty-five years or more OF ex-
perience Clark Griffith has. of course
seen many catchers For years ne nae
for battery mates some Of the cleverest
backstops in the games history, and he
is surely well qualified to express an
opinion on the ability of players who NIL
this position. Griffith pays Eddie Aim
smith the compliment that he Is the
greatest receiver behind the bat that
ever lived. He holds that Ainsmith
agility makes it possible for him to
handle the delivery Of any pitcher. be ne
ever so erratic and wild Ainsmith in
action shifts quickly on his feet as the
occasion may necessitate, and. as re-
suit. he is always in position to handle
the ball, even though 1t be feet away
from the plate. Ainsmith. by the way, 1s
one of the rare instances of a catcher
having real speed in running. 1t Is doubt
full If there is man on the team who
can beat him at hundred yards. and
there are some fast sprinters among the
players, at that.