Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-07-10
WEAKNESS IN BATTING AFFECTS
GENERAL WORK OF NATIONALS
Inability to Get Runs Discourages Pitchers
and Causes Players to Give Up When
Opposing Club Gets Lead
BY j. ED GRILLO.

CHICAGO, July 10.-While 1t is true
that the element of luck cuts a mighty
figure in base bah. there is no chance
TO attribute the present slump OF the
Griffmen to anything of that sort
Griffith hit the nail the head the
other day when he said he REALIZED that
his team was too weak with the nat
ever to be faCtor far the pennant.
That is the trouble with the Nationals,
If the team could hit up the the aver
age standard it would be a winning
aggregation; presence of timely base
hits would awaken a spirit which IS
now entirely lacking and, Incidentally.
il would instill confidence which for
these many days has not been preVa-
lent.
TIL. batting weakness has affected
everything connected with the team
The players are not expecting 70 WIN
because they realize they cannot get
runs enough to accomplish TINS. lheH
see their defeat the minute the oppos-
ing teams score a tally and they do
not go into Il struggle with confidence
And the pitchers. too. are affected II
they are scored on they figure they are
charged with another defeat, for they DO
not believe in their teammates ability to
drive in runs.
Griffith undoubtedly voiced the answer
when he said he must inject new blood
needs. and barrels of it. The present ag-
gregation has no future 4 whole.
There are some good ball PLAYERS on 1t,
but they need to be surrounded by new
men of ability before they will show to
advantage
1t is not unlikely that Manager Grif-
fifth will bench Connolly today and put
Foster back on third base and get Ray
Morgan in the lineup The team prac-
ticed with this makeup yesterday. no
doubt for the purpose of installing the
latest contemplated switch today.
Walter Johnson Is to work today. and
either Benz or Faber viii oppose him
Jim Shaw is a victim of scoreless
games In the last two he has worked
In MS team has scored a single run.
and of course, shaw has lost. In fact,
on few occasions this year has Shaw
had substantial offensive support 1t
seems to be his fate always to he
hooked up with some pitchers whom
the Nationals cannot nit effectively,
and the league seems TO be we'll sup
piled with twirlers who shine against
the Nationals. This was demonstrated
in Detroit. where two of the pitchers
of the Boston Red Sox We're pounded
at will, yet this pair helped to down
the Nationals six straight games.
Poor work on the bases proved cost
~ TO the Griffmen yesterday. Almost
any team could have scored I bunch
of runs in the third inning, but the
visitors made mess of it just as Il
rally could have been started Nc
Bride walked and then Shaw hunted
right at Scott, the result being the
forcing of Mcbride Moeller's Single
followed and then Shaw allowed Scott
to cctch him mapping off second.
Shauf-s hit and Fosters walk followed,
but no runs We're made, for Milan
Y.r4 md f,f1-
4 team which finds that its opponents
cannot hit at the right time is much
like the fighter who allows his OPP
ponent to hit him where and when
he plea SEES because he cannot hurt him,
and waits for the opening TO put his
opponent away.
The fifth inning was another crime.
With one. down. three hits We're made
in succession, but the final one by
Foster hit Shanks and rally was
spoiled. Shanks was absolutely to,
blame. II was apparent that Fosters
drive was a single, and Shanks, instead
of playing il safe and letting II pass,
tried TO run in front of it. There was
nothing for Shanks to gain, for thei
reason that second base was probably
as far as he could have gone, for Noel
Ter was in front of him.
Memo" I.eibold made his debut in a
Chica 20 uniform yesterday afternoon
and he did little or nothing TO make
him look impressive. The first two
trips 70 the plate Shaw famed him,
and twice after that he rolled easy
chances TO the iufeld. But Rowland
figures that he will be of great help to
the team as 4 lead-o1 man, as he con-
siders him 10 be hard man to pitch
to. and believes he will get on the
bases often
Tommy Connolly is not proving the
hitter he was expected to he after play
ing regularly Tor a while. The cole
gIan is not meeting the ball with any
force these days. and he Will have to
Improve q whole lot before ne VIII be
able to help the team. But he seems to
be in the slump with the rest of the
Grif players, and perhaps they VIII
all come out Of the slump together.
Connolly. however. is showing UP wei
as . fielder ~ rhirc.
E.,,h-- wallace Tor the frst tifac since
Ia Fre..rt,. an umpire worked IN a game
fu which tie Nat ouals took part. II
va% urapire-in- chief behind the bat
and his work was rather good II"
seems 10 lie able to hustle the players
In and cut He IS for the present tied
1,n with Umpire Connolly, and ought to
Learn = lot OF things about the art Of
r.mpiring from the veteran official.
According, to reports from the Pacific
Coast League, the pitching in that or
a.L-tization is the weakest il mas been
IN many years, hence major league
managers are not taking big batting
averages in that league as being an in
ai-4tion of particular prowess. Joe
f;edeon. whom Manager Griffith ex-
pec,s 10 bring hack in the fall or next
spring. is one OF the players hitting
Ike :. Jackson ont in Salt Lake C.ty,
but If remains 10 he seen u this iY his
real form
There rs one hing about Gede9n that
- TO be admired. When 'frimth iIi-
formed him that Il" probably would
have him back With tn" Nationals
,icd-oa told ltIu mat he. v.ould
2ladlr com" hace. bat that ne would
refuse 20 occupy the bench. Geaeon
wants 70 play rcgt.larly, he says, or
stay 81 the MAJORS.
There IL 10 ray 20 develop players
on Tire bench. Tney may get = lot Of