The Washington times., 1915-04-05
PROBABLE LINEUP.
BY LOUIS A. DOUGHER.

Today comes the first real contest
on the Griffmen's spring exhibition
schedule at Georgia avenue, the
Philadelphia Nationals being the
card. The Washington team, flush
ed with victory over the Cincinnati
Reds. are expected to show all their
strength against the three National
League clubs due here this week.
The Phillies play two games, to-
day and tomorrow. Wednesday
comes the Brooklyn Dodgers for two
games and the last two days Of the
week will see the worlds champion
Boston Braves hooked up with the
Griffmen. The fans ought to get
their moneys worth before Sunday
comes around again.
Billy Martin, the former Georgetown
football and baseball star, expects to
join the Braves by May 1. The plaster
cast on his broken leg will be removed
Thursday, and he thinks that he will be
able to play ball inside Of four weeks
after that.
"I want you, Bill, even If you have ave
TO crawls around, George Stallings
wired me-" said Bill today. so sup
pose I'll have to get right on the 'oo'
Martin is taking the best of care OF
himself doing all he can to prevent his
taking on any weight. He eats but twice
a day. and as soon as he Is able 70
walk he will take other means to keep
his weight down. He was making
great stab at third base till his injury
and he now expects to get into the run
ming at the hot corner on his return tc
the team.
The diamond at American League
Park is in perfect condition today
Heavy tarpaulins were used Saturday,
and whatever dampness settled upon the
field vanished before yesterdays brigh,
sun. Unless rain comes again, the
playing space should be good enough
for the fastest kind of ball throughout
the exhibition series
Despite wholesale desertions to the
Feds the Phillies are expected to make
3 u lot of excitement in the National
League this season. Charles Doom, a
consistent failure as a manager, has
gone to Cincinnati and Pat Moran, a
veteran backstop, Is now having his
opportunity as leader of a major
league club. Moran is considered q
brainy baseball man and he already
has more harmony than the Phillies
have shown for several years.
Sluggng Is the strong point of thc
Phillies. In Luderus, Cravath, Beals
Becker, and Killifer they have a quar-.
tet who can hit the pill far and FIRE.
quent. The reconstructed infield finds
Luderus still at first base, but Bobby
Byrne, a National League veteran, has
gone from second to third, his old love
been shifted from third to second, while
Bancroft, rookie from the Pacific
Coast League. is making good In th'
shortfleld.
slsts of "Gabby'' Cravath, once a mem
ber of the Nationals; Beals Becker anC
Whitted, last season with the BostoI
Braves. Whether Whitted and Becke
remain as regulars when Dode Pasker
returns to the game cannot be said. bu
the dope Is that Becker will be benche'
and used only as a pinch hitter. Whit
ted is playing fine ball, making a stroni
b.d for a regular Job.
Bill Killifer the catcher ranks witt
the best In either major circuit. He 1
the lad who caused the famous "Killife
decision" as a result of his hopping L
the Feds and back again. This decision
settled the case of the ten days re
lease clause, in players contracts 70
years.
While Manager Griffith used his sam
old Sl4 lineup against Cincinnati yes
terday, it is expected that he will us
some of his promising second strin
men during the games to be played her
this week. Henri Rondeau and Merit
Acosta are almost certain to get
chance against the visiting Nations
League outfits, while Charlie Pick an
Douglass Neff may be seen in tn
infield before the week Is out.
fhe pitchers will all be seen againi
tho bfgI leaguers. particularly thos
about whom the old Fox wants NOR
Information than he now has. This az
plies TO Booth Hopper. Bert Gallil
Harry Harper, and Joe Engel. Thi
Aiiartet has rounded into good cond