Evening star., 1915-03-21
Mertz andMert;

predicting pennant. is mum on the
subject, but he admits that he is we'll
satisfied with his teams chances.
While Chic" Gandils crooked arm
is not interfering to any extent with
his throwing, it bothers him a good
deal when swinging at the ball. and
this may account for his failure to hit
up to his standard. But the arm is
rounding to rapidly and Chic" con-
tends that just as soon as the weather
gets warm he will have full use Of
it again.
1t is d good bet that there will not
be q single change made in the line
up of the Nationals over last season
wi hen the opening game is PLAYED,
is not intinlating in any way that he
has any intentions of making change
In his present lineup. He Is satlshed
with the work all of his players are
casion later on to bring in some new
blood, the season is sure to open with
the same batting order that prevailed
all of last season.
Neff and Pick will be the inf1eld sub
stitutes and the chances are that
Acosta will be the one extra outfelde
to be carried. Griffith may decide to
carry two. but it is not unlikely he Will
figure on using Pick in the gardens in
the event of emergency. There is hit
tie hope of any of the young outfeid-
ers being retained. Rondcau is having
a hard time getting his legs IN work
ing order, as result OF which he is
playing only once in while. Massey
has shown by far the best OF the other
recruits. though Brown. too. has done
we'll Lamar. of course, Is an mex.
perienced boy, who stands chance OF
some day being star, but ne neeos
q year in the minors at least.
With anything like real base ball
weather prevailing next week the Ma
the time they reach Richmond to tackle
Jack Dunns new team in a fhree-game
series. The pitchers seem to be par
ticularly advanced, which usually as
when pitchers are going at their best
batsmen find it particularly dfmcuIt
to connect early In the spring.
In order to give the Nationals tho
best kind of batting practice Manager
Griffith has instructed all his pitchers
to use their curves. Not only nave the
twirlers' arms reached that stage
where curying is no longer dangerous,
but the batters need to accustom them
selves to the peculiar slants and shoots
that curve balls take in order to be
ready when the real season opens. To-
ing, including johnson, and the bat
ters for a time were absolutely bafHed.
for they have seen decidedly few curve
balls since training here, because Grif-
fith would. not allow the pitchers to
use curves until he was satisfied that
their arms would stand the strain.
No members of the team have been
worked harder OF more constantly than
the infielders and outfielders- The regu-
lars always must stay after game Is
over to take part in about fifteen to
twenty minutes of strenuous practice.
stopped drizZling. and Griffith fmmedi-
ately ordered his fnf1eld and outfield
to get busy. He does the hitting to the
infield himself, and two long fly hitters
about at a lively pace: All hands are
well tired out by the time they reach
the gymnasium, for they have to run
up steep hill for quite a distance be-
fore they strike the level sidewalk.
It has not yet been decided how the
catchers will be paired with the pitch
ers. but 1T Is foregone conclusion that
Grifflth will again have Ainsmith han
die the delivery of Walter johnson ex-
clusively Henry is sure to look after
most of the youngsters, though not in
frequently "Rippy'' Williams will be
put behind some of the left-handers
Williams is sure to throw a lot better
this year than he did last season. and
he has had experience enough behind
the bat to make him of much help to
the young twirlers.
Walter Johnson demonstrated this
morning that his arm is gradually
rounding into its best form. 1t was
the first time this spring that Walter
has taken part in game, and he
showed terrific speed, and even resorted
to the use of few curve balls He
was hit safely three times in the four
innings he pitched and every one of
the blows charged against him was
for extra bases. Acosta getting triple.
Pick a double and Altrock triple.
He eased up for .Nick;" Incidentally
eye is at it's best. He got two hits In
two trips to ,I the plate: ana an one Of these.
est hit bail Of the teams stay here.
It went on q low line to center field
the embankment, It taking fully three
minutes for the. the ball ,n to ,,, he retrieved;
innings again Monday against the col
lcgians, and after that will be worked
in games regularly to have him on
edge by the time the season opens