The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1915-03-06

Mote This is the sixth of a series OF
articles outlining the baseball situation in
the big league cities.l
Cleveland, o., March 6.-While a
majority of big league managers are
figuring out ways and means of jim
mying their teams into first place or
thereabOuts, Joe Birmingham, man
ager of the Cleveland Indians, erst-
while Maps, is facing the problem of
lifting his team out of last place in
the American league.
Birmingham has entered the pleas
ant though somewhat perplexlng pas
time with the zest that always marks
the doings of youthful manager, and
hopes to land his team in at least the
fifth berth.
He started his campaign this winter
by eliminating from the team several
players whose views on running ball
club did not coincide with his own.
Ole Olson, utility infielder, was SEN
fenced to the Cincinnati Reds, Napol-
con Lajoie was sold to the Athletics
and Doc Johnson, first baseman,
failed to find his name on the team
roster when the list was made public
Veterans Scarce.
The Indians will start the season
with only three veteran pitchers, I'M
less another is obtained by trade or
purchase before the middle of April
Willie Mitchell. a southpaw, and Fred
Banding and Bill Steen, right-hand-
erS, are the vets
Guy Morton, obtained from the
Waterbury club last season, and who
bears the earmark of a future great,
appears to be the pick of the younger
pitchers. Sam Jones, a member of
the Cleveland association club last
season; Coumbe, Walker, Bowman
and HarStadt are the other pitchers.
Several infield changes will be APP
parent when the team takes the field
for the first game of the season. Bill
Rogers. with Portland, Pacific coast
league last season, will replace Lajoie
at second base. Roy Wood, who
showed good form last season, prob
ably will cover first. Barbara. re-
Turner. will hold forth at third.
Wambsganns, Cedar Rapids short
stop last season; Shields, Waterbury
first baseman, and Thomas, Omaha
third baseman, will fight it out for the
utility jobs, Barbara or Turner, having
the first call, of course, if either fails
to break as a regular.
Five OutfieIders.
Five outfielders will try for jobs,
manager Birmingham among them.
Joe jackson will hold forth in right
field and will again try to nose out Ty
Cobb in the race for league batting
honors. He hopes to succeed this
year after many vain efforts Elmer
Smith a Waterbury recruit, will play
center field. Smith played thirteen
games with the team last fall and
batted 1927. He is one of the best out
field prospects the Cleveland team has
picked up in years. Graney will play
left field and Leebold and Birming-
ham will be the extra outfielders.
Steve O'Neill and Ben Egan, the
latter with Baltimore last season, Will
do the bulk of the catching Devogt
and Billings, with the Cleveland aSSo-
citation team last season, will fight it
out for the third string job Lee F'ohl,
veteran catcher, will instruct the
young pitchers.
The Cleveland team may be the
dark horse of the American league
race. If Smith, Barbara and Rogers
come through in style and two of the
recruit pitchers deliver the goods the
club should make a hot fight for
first division berth.