The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1914-10-15
open SEASON ON.
Baseball Fans Of Stove League
Are Now Busy.



The Next Year" cry is upon US. and
any old team at all Is at liberty to go
as far as it likes toward coping the
flag in the conversation race which
will be in progress during the coming
sessions of the Stove league. The
bust-up and the awakening is with
held until the grass is green again
and suitable alibis have been framed.
The most convincing and sustained
next year. talk was evident in the
vicinity Of Boston during the winter
Of 1884, but these Boston folk
made good. In 1912, the Braves had
finished last in the National league
scramble. Last year found them at
the head of the second division. and
with the acquisition Of Johnny Eyers.
the next year. talk became loud and
persistent It looked like further
waste of conversation up to July, but
after that most everybody knows
more or less what happened. Now
Boston can see nothing else but an
other pennant in 1915 and consider
ing the unprecedented feat of the
Braves this year, and the general out
look among the other teams, argu-
ment at this stage Of the game is
largely futile.
Giant Prospects.
The Giants are expected to present
one of the greatest changes in the
history OF the team when they take
the field for the 1915 race. The next
year talk in New York is weak and
wavering for no one knows what to
expect. There is no doubt. however,
that Manager McGraw plans a house
cleaning. His machine has fallen to
pieces. The four-time pennant hoo
doc struck with full force upon the
Giants just at time when it seemed
McGraw would overpower the jinx.
The inf1eld, catching department and
the outfield are now sadly in need of
bolstering up. New blood is needed.
and McGraw intends to reconstruct
his team not upon the wreck OF his
present organization, but after weed
ing out those who have slipped back.
There is likely to be some lively trad
ing this winter in which the Giants
who have heretofore figured in the
worlds sc-ies box scores viii be shunt-
ed away from Broadway. Burns in
the outfie1d. and Fletcher at short,
and Tesreau in he box are about the
only men who displayed anything like
the form McGraw must have. 1t was
not one of Matty's great years, but
no one is talking Of a trade involving
Blk Six. AS for the rest of the team,
however, no ones neck is any too Sc
cure.
Next years pennant is not conceded
to Boston in st. Louis or Chicago. or
even Brooklyn, for that matter. The
rise Of the Cardinals has been all but
as sensational as the Braves. They
didn't go as far as did Stalling's men,
but kept everlastingly at 1t. and may
be expected to give good account of
themselves next year, The Cubs OBJ
viously were suffering from internal
troubles during the past season. They
have the pitchers and the power and
under real leadership will be danger
Gus to any team. Brooklyn staged an
eleventh hour squirt that carried them
to the top Of the second division. The
Dodgers have a habit of arousing
hopes at the tail-end Of the season,
or making a wild dash at the start
and then dying out. so they look
about the same for next year.
Problem at Pittsburg.
At Pittsburg there is a problem
This team, on paper one Of the
strongest in the entire outfit, has been
son McGraw declared it was the Pr
rates the Giants had to beat If they
were to win their fourth consecutive
pennant. Something will have to
happen in Pittsburg.
Reports that Red Doom is to be re-
lieved Of the management Of the
Phillies will not down. The Federal
league raid put the blink on the Phil
lies this year, where sickness and in
juries have stepped in before.
To the famous board Of directors is
left the hapless Cincinnati Reds.
Charlie Herzog took 'em and made
them jump through hops, roll over
and dash into the first place early
this season. but they then settled and
continued to settle until they nearly
fell out Of the percentage column. In
September they pulled the history
making stunt Of losing 10 straight
games. It is fashion to have q new
manager in Cincinnati about every
spring, but the Reds fashion plate
for 1915 Is as yet missing, Cincinnati
being the last word in National league
affairs.