Evening star., 1914-03-15

furthermore, Boston, where the season
opens this year, has not been trouble
some team for the Gri.fmen. 1t is, there
fore. hoped TO get a majority of games
from the Red SoX at the outset, and 1t is
not figured that the New York Yankees
will be particularly troublesome. First
place is expected to be In the Nationals
possession when the season opens in
Washington.
That such a start would greatly benefit
the chances of the team stands to rea-
son. In both of the former campaigns.
in which it has finished second. it has
had an uphill fight on his hands from the
outset and, while it proved itself game
to the core, there is no doubt that it
would do much better If 1t was running
out i'll front.
Doc Ayres is one of those pitchers who
relies principally on control. He has alb
solute command of the ball and can come
pretty near putting it over the center of
the plate any time he wants to. While
Doc was working out this afternoon
Griffith remarked that he wanted him to
put ten balls over the plate. alternating
fast one with a curve. AyreS accom-
plished this feat without ever as much as
coming close to either corner of the goal.
Griffith pronounced this a remarkable
exhibition of control and added that it
almost insures Ayres of success.
:
much in use on the Nationals pitching
staff this year. Cashion works almost
exclusively with this delivery and VIII
liams and Ayres resort to it at times.
Williams has a particularly vicious un
derhand ball. which he sends to the plate
with a sharp upward shoot on il, and then
can come right back and curve 1t over.
Schwartje and Harper are really the only
straightaway overland pitchers on the
squad, for Johnson is a side-armer, and
so are most of the other right handlers.
If weather conditions are as promised
and the coming week furnishes real
spring weather Griffiths squad will be
the hardest worked in training for the
next few days. 1t is the intention to make
up lost time, and, besides regular prac-
tice. 1t is figured to play two games a
day, one in which the regular team will
figure and another for the rockies. There
Is no doubt that the actual playing of
games is more beneficial to ball players
in the spring than any other sort of work
they can possibly indulge in, and there
has been u lack of playing during the
present season.
The players who are not engaged in
battery work have had so little oppor-
tunity to do anything in connection with
base ball since being here that 1t has
been absolutely impossible to get any
kind of reliable line on the youngsters.
OF course, some OF the newcomers have
appeared more impressive than their
rivals during the couple of practices that
were held, but 1t is not fair to pass final
judgment on any of them. But the play
ing of games will give them an oppor-
tunity to show their real worth and a
week from now fairly good line on
the ability of the young players should
be available.
The catching staff is sure to be in |
splendid form from the outset of the sea-
son this year. Because Griffith did not |
carry any young catchers this spring, |
the working out of the large pitching |
staff has fallen to the lot of the regulars |
and they have been decidedly busy and |
hard worked. Ainsmith. Henry and Will
they have had but few opportunities to