Evening star., 1914-04-08
GRIFFITH PICKS
UTILITY PLAYERS
WaIIy Smith, Gedeon. Acosta
and Probably Paul Smith
Will Be Retained.
PITCHER FOR OPENING
GAME NOT YET SELECTED
-Four Twirlers Will Be Prepared for
the First Series in
Boston.
BY j. ED GRILLo.

I 1t IS not likely that any team in the
| league will be better fortified with
utilltS players the coming season than
the Nationals. Griffith has decided to
| carry two extra out and intielders and
at least three of these have already
been selected
| That WalIy Smith and Joe Gedeon
viii be retained for use in possible
emergencies on the infield was admit
ted by Griffith this morning and he
also announced that Mcrito Acosta
! would he one of the extra outfielders
! of which he intends to carry two Paul
Smith and Little Lee are the only other
! extra outfielders in the SQUAD and II
| is admitted that Lee is much too mex
perienced to warrant his being retained
this year. hence it is more than likely
that Paul Smith will fill the other
utility role. 1t stands to reason, of
course, that Griffith will not carry All
the pitchers he now has yet il is not
likely that the staff will be cut more
than one or two. so that there is every
reason for believing that the local team
VIII be well fortified in the matter of
quantity at least right through the
season.
1t has not vet been decided which of
the pitchers will face Boston in the open
ing game of the season next Tuesday
waiter johnson has been mentioned for
this honor. as it was figured that he
would be Griffith's logical choice. But
Johnson right now stands no better
chance Of being selected than do three
other OF the pitchers. Griffith will pre-
pare four men for this game before maxi
ing definite selection. Johnson, Ayres
Engel and Boehling are to go through
a course of work from this out which Is
calculated to have them on edge for the
opening event.
johnson, for instance. will go four or
five innings today. and will then come
back Saturday against the Boston Ma
tlonals for four more. If he shows good
| form in these exhibitions his selection
for the opening day is almost certain
Ayres will be worked in the game to-
day and so will Boehling, and Ayres will
be sent back for the full route Saturday
when he pitches for the Yanigans at
outs should put Ayres in fettle where
he can give good account of himself
Boehling and Engel will be worked in a
similar manner SO that these are most
likely to be the four pitchers to face
the Red Sox in the first four games of
the year
Following the Boston series, the Ma
tionals so to New York. and if conditions
warrant some of the youngsters will
break in there, Bentley and Harper
both being figured as making their sea
sons debut against Frank Chances re-
juvenated Yankees
In letting out those pitchers who are
still in need of seasoning, Griffith is go
ing to make special effort to place
them under some manager well versed
IN the game who can teach them some
thing. In on or two instances he will
keep the youngsters right with him, in
order personally to give them the educa-
tlon they require. though he may not
use them in any of the regular games
Many young pitchers of promise are
ruined when they should be deyeloped
and Griffith intends to use great care in
placing his recruits.
George Mcbride is improving rapidly
and expects to be in perfect condition
by the time the season opens He play
ed in the game this morning and will
very likely be in his position in the sec
cond game this afternoon.
Yesterdays game did not give Jack
Bentley chance to show his best form
for the reason that he was not up against
a team which had much strength These
exhibition games with weak teams are
apparently of little or no benefit to the
Nationals. True it gives the players some
exercise. but they do not get the kind
of practice that is calculated to put them
in shape for the real struggles in the
championship race. Games between the
Vets and Colts. in which both teams use
competent pitchers. are much more
beneficial.
The chances are that when this day is
over lot of tired athletes will make
their way out of the local ball park
Three games are scheduled today. This
morning the Vets and Colts hooked UP
and this afternoon the Regulars are to
play both Galaudet and Catholic Uni
versity. The last named game is apt to
prove interesting. for johnson and Ain
smith are to work for the collegians.
Clyde Milan has a batting average OF
nearly $50 in the games which have
been played to date. The Nationals cen
tertieder appears to be in much better
batting form this spring than he has
been in several years Milan contends
that he got into his stride last fall when
during the final weeks of the season, he
did much to bring up his average. He
says he will continue to hit over the 300
mark all season, and if he does. the
teams chances for high position in the
race will be greatly improved
That Carl Cashion stands chance of
being a successful pitcher in the coming
campaign seems to be the general opin-
ion among the players. Cashion has inn
proved control this spring and that has
been his only weakness heretofore. Wal
ter johnson is one of those who look for
Cashion to be a winner this summer. IF
LASH can Sel tHe Dali over, ana II looks
as if he has improved greatly in this re-
spect. he is going to be winner" re-
marked johnson this morning. Few
pitchers have more stuff than Carl and
he has never been hit hard in any of the
games he has pitched but. of course. he
handicapped himself because of his lack
of control. This spring he looks better
than ever and I look for him to moro
than hold his own this season.
The details of yesterdays victory over
the Alexandria Cardinals would not fur
nish very interesting reading. 1t was
walkover for the Nationals. which the
following score indicates. The score:
NATIONALS. AR r.. H. BB.sosB o. A. f.
Marllsr' Mn",ae n r.. . . : ] .
,iandil. ih.. . . ) / o
Mu1ssh. N'resn II II, ,',... s ! . +. !" !" ! {"