Evening star., 1915-04-07
BROOKLYN IS HERE
TOPLAY NATIONALS
GaIIia' and Hopper to Pitch
Against Dodgers in To-
days Game.
SOUTHPAWS TO WORK
AGAINST LOCAL TEAM
Bentley's Wildness Gives Phillies
Chance to Win After Griff-
men Have Lead.
BY J. ED aR1LLo.

Dodgers are here, and it Is likely that
the Nationals will face left-handed
pitching in the game this afternoon
Manager Robinson said this morning
that he would very likely pitch
Schwartz and Smith, two of his south
paws.
The Dodgers are not in the best OF
form as yet It was the misfortune OF
the team to train on d sandy field in
Florida, and this interfered with real
practice. What is more. Wheat and
several others of the regulars are not
here with the team, though Wheat Is
expected here today from his home,
a daughter.
Robinson has twenty-five men here
in his squad. and he has sent several
young pitchers home.
Manager Griffith proposes to pitch
Bert Gallia and Booth Hopper. both OF
whom have shown splendid form this
spring. Gallia In particular has
shown remarkable Improvement over
the form he displayed here during his
former stay. He seems to have
developed into finished pitcher, while
Hopper is the one pitcher who stands a
good chance of being worked regularly
during the season.
Connolly Of Georgetown had a con-
ference with Manager Griffith yester-
day, and 1t seems assured that he will
join the Nationals at the end Of the
college season. Connolly. however. re-
cused to sign or enter into any agree
ment as to terms before his work at
school is ended, which will be in the
early part OF June.
Dan Moeller is establishing a record
for reaching first base this spring. He
has gained that bag more often than
any other lead-off man during the ex-
hibition season. He had q clean rec
ord against the Phillies Monday, and
yesterday he was on first three times
out Of i've trips to the plate Moeller
| is not only hitting well. but he Is dis
playing splendid Judgment in making
| the pitchers get the ball over. and he
seems to be faster than ever on his
| feet.
Ray Morgan is coming into his bat
| ting stride. He hit as in the days OF
old yesterday. and is sure to be OF
| son. Morgan has done q lot Of work
| this spring. He was determined to Get
| himself into the best possible condi-
ton, and he has accomplished this py
| hard work.
While it is true that Manager Crit
| fifth may in due time make a change in
his outfield and supplant Howard
|
no chance of this being done for some
| time yet. There is no getting away
from the fact that defensively speak
| ing Shanks Is one of the most valuable
| good batter as he should be to be
| classed with the great outfielders OF
the game, but it would not be an easy
proposition to get a substitute for
| Shanks, who will improve the team
| strength in every respect
l Griffith Is VerV ant to go along with
Shanks for while in the hope that he
will have a good year with the bat. II
| he fails then a change is sure to be
| made. but hardly before the season is
| well under way. Rondeau is ready to
get into the game most any day. So is
Charley Pick, who will also be consid-
| cred. Both are working hard to keep
| themselves in condition SO as to be
| ready when called upon.
| Morning work will be continued in
| definitely by Manager Griffith. Not
until the team is going at its best and
the real hot weather makes itself felt
| will morning practice be discontinued.
| The present warm spell is Just what
| the members of the local team need
! to put on the finishing touches of
| their training. 1t is this kind of
| weather that the pitchers In particular
need. and it is to be hoped that there
will be siege of it from now on.
| II Saturday is a clear day the Boston
Braves world champions ought to draw
| a recordbreaking crowd. There nat
| urally has been quite a change in the
| playing Of the Braves since they were
was nothing impressive-looking about
Stallings' team. but IL did the unexpect-
ed. won the National League pennant
and then won four straight games
| from the Athletics, breaking the rec
| ord for the world series.
| This team should prove quite an at
! traction, for it numbers among its
| players such sterling athletes as Wal
ter Maranville, Johnny Evers, Dick
| Rudolph and many others.
Regardless of what pitcher may
have in the way of speed and curves,
] team il he lacks control Inability to
| put the ball where they want to causes
the downfall Of most twirlers, and 1t
was this failing on the part Of Jack
terlay's game which gave the Phiilies
q victory.
So far as holding the visitors down
well and 50 far as hitting was con
desired, allowing but two safe drives
during the four innings that he Off
ciated. But one of these came after
he had placed q couple on the bases.
| and played havoc with the lead the
Nationals held up to that time.
oeschger. young right-hsnder. who
halls from California. pitched the final
three innings for the Phillies,' and he
displayed a splendid lot of deceptive
stuff. oeschger had the batsmen guess
ing with lot of speed and a decep-
tive curve ball. which he mixed In we'll,
and the locals failed to score while he
was on the rubber.
Seiglie, the Cuban tnflelder, is no
longer in dispute. Managers Griffith
and Moran got together regarding the
player yesterday. and while the local
club will make amends for money
which the Phillies spent in having
Sieglie report to them. the player is Of
icially turned over to the Nationals.
Sieglie, while he has some natural abil
ity. Is far from being up to major
league standard, though he may i'm
prove with time. Under present con-
ditions. however, 1t is no easy matter
to develop players. because It is al
mos. impossible to farm them out, and
as Seiglie is not ready to break into
his time in practice. which does not
develop players as quickly as actually
playing in games.
Demaree. the former Giant, did not
set things on hre during the six in
nings he worked against the Nationals.
He was scored on three times and was
however. may prove good performer
for the Phil1ies, for the reason that he
seems to know how to pitch.
Ordinarily the Nationals would have
scored three runs in the Arst inning
instead OF two. Demaree's tumble Of