Evening star., 1914-04-07
FATE OF RECRUITS
SOON TO Be KNOWN
Griffith Will Pick His Team Be-
fore the Present Week
Is Ended.
ORDERS STRENUOUS WORK
IN THE PRACTICE GAMES
Johnson and Ainsmith to Oppose the
Nationals With Catholic Uni
versity Wednesday,
BY J. ED GRILLo.

Tine fate of some of the Nationals re-
cruits will be decided the present week.
Just how many of them will he carried
INTO the regular season will depend large
y on what these players show before the
campaign opens. Griffith admits that he
IS not well enough versed regarding the
ability OF most Of his Young players to
warrant his taking any action regarding
them. He contends that weather condi-
I tons have been so poor that he has not
, been able to get a good line on the re-
! cruits. but he hopes to know just where
| they stand by the time the week is over.
! The present weather is such that within
| a day or 50 every man in the squad ought
to be able to let himself out, and Griffith
will pass Judgment on what they show.
As Yet nothing definite has been de
cidcd. II is as good as settled. however
that several of the pitchers will be sent
! to the minors for development while one
| of the extra felders will also be shipped
| When asked this morning if he had come
| to any conclusion as to which of the
Youngsters he would retain. Griffith said
| We will. of course. hold on to several of
! them, mostly pitchers. but have not yet
| decided who will stay and who will 60
| shall take a final look at them all this
week and will be able to take action be-
fore We leave here to open the season
! Griffith is far from satisfied with the
condition of his players. He blames the
! cold weather for having held them
back, but he is determined to have
! them on edge by the time the first
| game is played in Boston next Tues
! day. With this in view he is going to
| give his squad the most strenuous work
of the training period this week. He
| called all his regulars together this
morning and told them what he eX-
i pected- There is to be no more list
| less work in any of the games nor dur
| ing practice. Every man must do his
! best at all times and something more
| than five hours will be put in al real
work every day.
! This morning he had his two teams
| out from 10 until -. There was a rest
| He had Gallia and Shaw to do the
pitching. the former for the regulars
and the latter for the Colts. Both
| used everything they had and there
! was decidedly little hitting. This will
be continued ev9y day. The exhibit
| tion games with local colleges 90 not
furnish the right kind of batting prac-
| tice because of the weakness of the
pitching. so that Griffith has decided to
work his own pitchers at top speed in
the morning struggles between the
Vets and Colts
| In this way it is hoped to better the
batting.
! In keeping with the plan to pit the Ma
| tionals against the best pitching possible,
Manager Griffith has decided to allow
Walter johnson to work for the Catholic
University team in tomorrows game
against the regulars Ansmith will
catch him. 1t is figured that to face the
premier pitcher for five or six innings
will do more to get the regulars into
their batting stride than twenty games
against weak semi-pro college teams.
Walter is to pitch for five or six innings
and Griffith informed him this morning
that he would be expected to cut loose
and try as hard as if it was a champion
ship game. Shut them out il You can
| without a hit. I want them to be up
against the real thing from this out
were Griffiths instructions to his pitcher.
1t is therefore not at all unlikely that
the Catholic University team will score a
victory over the Nationals for Johnson
is sure to try his best.
Perhaps the most optimistic among
the players is Herman Schaefer. He
sees a chance for the Nationals to win
to impress this on every one of his
teammates. Schaefer contends that the
players must realize that they have
good chance in the race in order to
give them confidence and make them
realize that it is to their benefit to do
their best at all times.
Il see a great chance for US this
year. he said this morning IF our
players will get down and. hustle right
from the start our chances are bet
| ter than they have ever been. ! have
been with championship teams before.
and I tell you it counts a whole lot 10
have the players realize that they have
a chance and go into their work full
Of ginger and energy. Let us have
! do it easily. We have the strength
| Though we are not the best hitting
| team In the world. none of the other
teams compare with us in a defensive
way. and with some great pitching and
| the proper spirit we will upset all
calculations and come home with the
7 bunting
| 1t seems to be the general impression
among the players that the pitching staff
| will be much stronger than it was last
season. 1t is true that of late several of
| the twirlers have shown poor FORM but
| this is undoubtedly due to the cold