Evening star., 1915-02-07

work to date has been nothing short
of remarkable, but there has been lit
tie hope of his advancing here with
that his youth stopped Griffith from
giving him a thorough trial
Acosta. like all young players, must
be played regularly if anything is to
show to better advantage during the
winter in Cuba for that reason, but
during the several years that he has
been here he has broken into the game
but seldom, and on those occasions. OF
course, could not be expected to set
the world on fire.
Unless Acosta shows enough this
spring to warrant his being played
regularly. it might be good policy to
send him to some minor league team.
where he could play every day and OBJ
tain much needed experience.
What wonderful ball player How
ard Shanks would be if he We're a 30
per cent better hitter! There are no
left felders more capable in the field
grounders or throwing to bases is
concerned. and Shanks also uses good
judgment on the bases: He Is a
hustling. hardworking PLAYER, and II
he could hit as well as he can do
everything else in a ball game there
would be few players in his class
For a while last season II looked as
If shanks had overcome e. ms ho,n WeaKness tineiS
and hard, and, what is more, his gen
eral playing improved as result. But
the Monaco boy does not have the
breaks very long. Soon old hard luck
began to rob him of safe drives and
he seems to become discouraged un-
der such conditions and let's down in
his stick work.
Perhaps the coming season will show
sF o
spect, in which event there would not
be a chance of his being displaced by
any of the recruits who are to be tried
out.
, To an extent. at least. there is still
something experimental about Griffith $
pitching staff Walter Johnson. OF
course, is seasoned artist, but he Is
the only one of the lot who IS sea
soned. All the others have much to
learn. and, though there are reasons
for believing that the last season has
improved them greatly. they still nave
to show before there is anything GER
tain about them.
looked promising as the last season
progressed. In fact, Bentley pitched a
game or two which were brilliant
Ayers started well, and then pulled up
near the finish. Boehling was handi-
capped by reason of an injured knee,
and his work should not be judged.
Gallia pitched brilliantly in the Ameri-
can Association. Jim Shaw attracted
lot of attention around the circuit last
season and IL he gains control he
ought to be n pitcher of high class Joe
Engel was good in spots, but still is
weak on control Sometimes pitchers
of the type of GrifTith's youngsters give
a lot of promise one year and then
fail the next. while occa sionaliy sew
eral of them come through after sea
sons experience and prove winners.
This is what may happen to Griffith.
and if it does he will be well fortified
with twirlers.
Billy Martin of the Boston Braves.
who is wintering in this city. realizes
that he has taken on too much OF
an alderrnanic appearance for a ball
player, and he is going into actSe
training. beginning Monday. TOT tne
man, who has had considerable expert,
ence in the training of athletes. VIII
take Martin in charge.
That Cleveland team may upset cal.
culations next season as much as IL
did last year. When after t, pu..,hR r hefnre np
ii finished last Just why this slump
overlook the Birmingham crew mas
never been satisfactorily explained.
True the Feds took Falkenberg.
mighty good pitcher, away, but that
alone would not have made the team a
taflender after being contender. Fed.
eral League influence no doubt played
birmingham seems to have picked up
several rather good-looking youngsters
last fall. Smith, an outflelder, has the
earmarks of being a star in due time,
while Rarbare, a third baseman, han
dled himself well and looked as if he
might hit. Wambganss. another in
fielder. seemed to be of the right sort
Lajoie's leaving will not hurt the
ar. tleNe-
land is concerned Lajoie was through
last season A fellow named Rogers,
who halls from Portland. Ore. is slated
to take the veterans place, and he is
touted to make good, so that Birming-
ham may have q team which again
will prove a real surprise.