The Washington times., 1915-09-30
@mparing Centerfielders Shows
s.Red Sox Having Distinct Ad.
= vantage Over PhiIs.
SPOKE" BETTER THAN COBB
nm Hit All Pitchers But AIexan-
der. Unless Eppa Rixey Has
a Good Day.
By HUGH S. FULLERTON.

This is like comparing Goldberg
10 Machael Angelo.
Dode Paskert, who has carried the
Ienterfield's burdens for the tri-
Aphant Phillies this wear, is the
unluckiest guy in baseball in that
yhA.now must be compared with iris
SSpeaker. Compared with a lot Of
Sother centerfielders, Dode would
lmake fine showing in figures, but
lagainst that unhuman being Speak
Nf,s the dope makes him look like a
1912 Ford alongside q 12-cylinder
limousine.
There is nothing to it. Speaker
outclasses Pasket so far that the
Red Sox pile up huge lead in the
dope, which will have to be offset
in other directions.
I was so anxious to see the teams
compared in other departments that
I switched from the infielders and
looked over the outfield, and the
further one goes in the figures on
those fellows the worse the chances
Of the Phillies seem.
However. remember that attacking
strength Of any team is s. per cent Of
the total game. that defensive strength
10 80 per cent. and that. OF defensive
strength. the pitcher is 3s per cent and
the centerfelder is ~ per cent. There
fore, a centerfielder outclasses his
rival and neither Of them get a chance.
the worst amateur Is just as good as
Cobb-for that game.
But with Speaker It Is different. This
fellow, with all due respect for Cobb.
IL the greatest defensive outfielder OF
the day. He can go further back after
ny balls. he can throw better than Cobb
can. since the Peach injured his arm
by fool efforts to pitch. and he is the
biggest help to pitchers possible.
Boston's pitching stan Is fine. But
great II they knew that. whenever they
were in the hole to a batter. they could
groove a ball. let him hit as hard
as he could. and that out there in GEN.
clear to the bleachers. go either direc-
tion. cover an acre OF ground. and save
him.
have figured Speaker worth almost
pitchers. In one game against Chicago
saw this fellow and Hooper catch
Ave long driven fly balls that not one
OF the White Sox outfielders would have
laid hands upon.
Dode Paskert Is a pretty good ball
player. mechanically. He has nerve.
he covers a lot of ground. and he has
dash Of speed on the ba ses.
He never has been rated as q smart
ball player. and at Cincinnati, where
he served an indeterminate sentence un-
til he finally was paroled to the Phillies.
-
q much improved ball player with Phil
Adelphia and has not shown much of
the bone stuff the Cincinnati scribes
SeWn ah n% more OF asd amson ME
The chances are that his showing at
Cincinnati was due to natural lack OF
interest and carelessness, rather than
to inability.
He is a cracking good man tor pitch
ers, because he goes back well after
fly balls, and the Boston grounds: with
their depth. will afford him ample op-
ing closely, and he shifts we'll around
the field for batters and covers up close
to second. possessing great speed IN
a forward dash.
On the attack he is dangerous. and
he hits left-handers well. He runs the
bases much better than his figures for
the season indicate. He has not been
running to amount 10 anvthing this
base at all, Evidently Paskert did not
get fully into the ambition and the
stride of the team until late, for his
work has shown improvement only in a
6uarked degree since II became evident
hat the Phillies were due to crab the
6ae..
Paskert has little of the punch" that
es necessary to win. and he usually Uses
Hpoor Judgment when he starts ag;Tes-
ksive work. COMPARED either as a batter,
NS'a jockeyer at the plate. as a worrier
Of pitchers while batting or on the
bases. as a baserunner. in using judG-
6ut as to when to trv for extra bases
Ind as a fielder or as a thrower. he does
ot compare with Speaker.
Speaker. Indeed, is. next to Cobb. the
most perfect all-rOund PLAYER In the
4uQntry. He can do everything III the
ame. and do II better than almost any
Une. He beats Cobb throwing both for
6trength and accuracy. but he does not
nake the plays Cobb does. or trv ia
prce play or draw I on;
You can figure safely that Speaker
atting average will be trimmed con
derablv in this series chiefly because
ess Rixey has one Of those good days
,ater ] shall explain to you why
igure on R'xey affecting the batting oi
Me Red Sox. 7 know Moran's battle
Ian fairly well, and | am deductine
Some more from the Red Sox batting
ability than any one would do from the
lain study Of figures. 1t ought to work
Ind II It does Sneakers slugging will
De. reduced considerably.
faskert will have to have lot OF
bick to hit 100 Wood. Foster. and Ruth
uEht to check his batting almost en-,
irely, and he ought to make what hits
be gets off shore and Leonard.
- You must deduct bit more from
paskerts value in this series for this
act: He has batting weaknesses. Hob
9tzel played with him for several sea-
ons. and knows them better than al
host anN one: so the Boston pitcher.
6N know all about Paskert ana what Il
that he does not relish.
EJnmorrow the shortstoppers.
1cbpyright. 1915. by The Wheeler syndi
cate, Incl