New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-02-07
Without Run of Bad Luck
Carrigan Appears TO
Have 10-Game Margin.
MACKMEN STAND AS
LIKELY RUNNERS-UP
Boston Has Edge, Extensively
and Defensively, with Won
derful Set of Pitchers.
No. 3. The American League Race.
By GRANTLAND RICE.

This sporting life, as some philoso'
pheT has said, may be checkered, bu'
It's never wholly dull.
A few years ago 70 was the main
winter business Of every club owner
and manager IN the countryside 20 rise
I'd and predict pennsnt winning bal.
club, although 81 the moment SAID bal
club might be riveted 70 ninth place
in an eight-club league.
But things have changed. To-day
Joe Lsnnin, owner. and Bill Csrrigan,
manager, OF the Red SoT, are raising
a terrible rumpus because their club
is being picked 20 win the A, L. flag.
And their roar IS justified. II they
win-well. wotthehel, that's what they
should have done.
II they don't win-a collection OF
cheese and al the rest OF -,
The A. L. Race.
In spite OF which the Boston Red
soY. on form. should carry the best
show Of supplsn;ing the Mackmen tor
1915.
Last season IN the American League
race the finish was Phuadclphia-Bos-
ton. This season j. should be Boston
PbNsdelphia. II is hardly logical 20
suggest that Mack still has IS good a
baiI club as ne ever had. with Collins,
Bender and Plank missing. Yet even
with these stars on guard, the Red SoN
beat his club ten out OF eleven games
in the closing stages Of the summer
race. 80
Mack still has good machine left
one even capable Of Winning q pennaht
II Lajoie starts hitting and the young
pitchers hold up. With good pitching
he has o fair chance 20 finish as hlgh
as first, which Is high enough. But ne
hasn't as good chance as boston ma,
which is the main argument JUST
now
II the Red SoK play aggressive ball
stick 10 their trade and don't have a
lot Of hard luck. they should win by
ten games from the field.
They have three good ca'chers IN
Csrrigan, Cady and Thomas. They
have the greatest pitching stat IN
baseball one Of the greatest OF the
decade. With the addition Of DICK
Hoblitzel and the development OF young
Scott at short, they have first class
infeld With Speaker Lewis and
Hooper they have next 20 the best out
field IN the game, one second only IN
club value TO the Tiger combination
which embraces Cobb, Crawford ana
Neach.
Both Wars.
The Red Sox are Strong enough both
wavs-ofTensively and Oetenslvely.
They carry number of good bats
men, led by Iris Speaker The club,
"a club, has sufficient power IN IT'S
wallop 10 get BY.
But the strongest section OF the line
up is the pitching staff. Wood, Leon
ard. Collins. Foster. Gregg and Shore
are all winning pitchers. Leonard was
the most effective pitcher in the game
last season, so far a. earned runs go.
Foster was No in effectiveness, en-
bracing both leagues. Shore ranked
sixth in the American, and the In
trinsic worth OF Joe Wood, Ray Col
Inns and Nesn Gregg is too well known
10 call for enlarged comment.
All Carrigan needs IS FOR four o.
these pitchers TO be In good shape 70
have the best defensive team IN base
ball.
Carrigan has three pitchers on his
club who AZ one time or another have
led the American League. They are
Wood, Gregg and Leonard. His pitch
ers last year finished one-two, with
both Wood and Gregg out Of shape
Wood has now recovered. and is eX-
pected TO be there with the Old-fash-
Toned Smokey Joe brand.
Mack's Chance
The Mackmcn arc n well fixed in
catchers as the Red Soy are They
have a better inheld aud an outdeld