New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-05-11
Giants, in the Doldrums,
Need More Hitting to
Help Along.
PIRATES NOW FACING
MUCH HARDER TASK
important Crisis at Hand for the
Federal League, but 1t Does
Not Look Dangerous.
D., uarhert
BY Herbert.
&C. Herbert Daley.)

C. Herbert Dalcy)
The Giants have been in the doldrums,
Not literally, of course, in that part OF
the ocean near the equator Astounding IN
light battling winds. but fgurativey IN
condition where little or no progress Is
being made John ]. McGraw has ex-
pressed the opinion that his team is IN
momentary slump, for the reason that on
account Of so much rain the pitchers nave
not had enough work TO keep in condl-
tion II strikes some that. on the whole,
the batters are not making hits enough
70 manufacture runs. The best pitching
in the world will not win games unless
the offensive punch Is strong enough 10
provide a run or two occasionally. inns
was emphasized in no small way by the
washington team recently. Many rams
EXPRESSED wonder that Walter Johnson
should lose three games in a row. but
few Of these evidently analysed the con-
ditions closely enough TO appreciate mat
the Senators scored Just one run behind
him in eighteen innings. Emphasis was
laid on the fact that the wonderful Wal
ter was beaten. not on poor pitching. but
least p fair amount of blame
eating back to the Giants, the fact re-
mains that the team as a whole has not
been running so smoothly as the condi-
t,ons apparently warrant 1t cannot be
said either. that the weakness lies at
third base. as Milton Stock is doing quite
well enough UP 10 this time to MI the
shoes of lilly Shafer, whose detection mas
aroused much anxiety. II is still FAR 100
early. however. for the fans 10 get eN-
erc,sed. even though the Pirates are
booming along at a pace that seemingly
brooks no opposition. / overheard size
able wager one day last week at even
money that the Giants would beat the
prates IN the race for the National
Ieae7le remnant On the face of II TINS
sounded like a sympathy wager, with the
u,sb father to the thought, as odds
were justified by the present standing or
the teams, but everything else ASIDE u
strikes me that the fellow who casts In
his lot with the Giants will not get so
much the worst of il and that he VIII re-
toice in collecting some day next OCTOBER.
II must not be overlooked that the
Pirates have been fattening at the eX-
nense of the Cincinnati Reds. st. Louis
Cardinals. two teams that give no lndi-
cation of being any stronger than last
wear. when they were trailers, and the
chicago Cubs. a more or less broken ma
chine. without Evers. without Tinker,
with a remarkable third baseman playing
at short part of the time and an out
fIpfn
two ago. The Giants, on the other hand
have been facing what appears to be
stronger teams and suffering more than
the Pirates from the handicap Of cold
rainy weather
A better test. or at least better chance
for comparison. will come In the next few
weeks. with the Giants on the road fight
ing the Western clubs. 1t is true that the
Pirates again will have the advantage OF
maintaining their commanding lead on
their own grounds, but they are quite
likely to find the going much harder
AGAINST the sluggng Phllies, the i'm
nroved Superbas and the champion Giants
than has been the case 10 date. II they
succeed in brushing aside this opposi-
+ion then indeed the followers of the
Giants will have reason to worry. and
ut wager at even money viii look hope
lessly bad.
Frank Chance and his Yankees viii DC
q, home AT the Polo Grounds for the next
few weeks entertaining the western
cluhs. They have rushed by ScyIa' as
r,prcsented by the Athletics and lausheu
AT Cbarvbdis, as portrayed by the WASH
,ngton Senators. Instead of wallowlhe III
tho ruck. as so freely predicted. they are
fighting along close to the van. The storS
is told of a negro who bought nam ana
went back the next day demanding me
return of his money on the ground that II
VAS not NJ TO cat. why replied inc
dealer that ham must be good; 1t was
cured only last week" "Mebbe so, sad
the purchaser. but if that ham was cured
last week its done had relapse. Let US
hone that the Yankees are more thor-
orghly cured than the ham and that no
RELAPSE will come against the "eaNe'
Western clubs 10 illustrate once more '"e
uncertainties OF baseball. Judging from
the general conversation that one hears
from dav to day, there are quite as many
fans roofing for the Yankees at TINS tiihe
DO there are for the Giants. Nothing sue
IDS like success, and the New YORK
club 20 sure to profit. financially ana
a,horu,iso from its present position IN Inc
race and from what seems 10 De "'e''''
fighting spirit
speaking Of the Yankees makes one