Evening star., 1915-01-10


Connie Mack's team must not be
figured out of it by any means. True,
he lost his greatest player when he
sold Collins, but it probably will be
found that his pitching staff is not
so weak, though Bender and Plank
will not be there to help the young
sters along. Lajoie. at second base
may have one Of his good years. Be-
cause he was badly off last season does
not mean that the big fellow Is
through by any means, and 1t would
be just like Mack luck to have La1oie
event Collins VIII not be missed as
much as was feared.
Bill Carrigans Boston team is gen
orally picked as having something on
all its rivals. but, of course. whlie on
paper the Hub aggregation looks
mighty formidable. it may not play
as well as is expected. and CONSEQUENT L
ly not make runaway race OF II
There is, however. little doubt that inc
Red Sox will be favorites When the
season opens.
Detroit is a team which has strong
nucleus and would not have to nave
more than drop in or Two TO max
it one of the most formidable In the
race. Jennings is pretty sure TO nave
a better pitching staff than last sea
son, while he is given credit Tor haNlns !;
picked up an infielder or two who will
better tha, department OF MS team
while he is well supplied with prom
ising outfielders.
Collins will be sure to make big
difference in that Chicago team, and
there are reasons for believing that
the St Louis Browns. the New YORK
Yankees and the Cleveland Maps viii
have better teams than tney coulo
boast of last season.
There is little on which TO base the
opinion that the Nationals Will be better
fortified next season than last. There
have been but few additions made to the
teams roster which can be figured as
having chance to strengthen 1t, and
vet if come of the players who had Off
periods last season should regain their
best form Gritfith's squad may prove
|, one of the strong factors in the race
But on the whole it looks very much
like 1t did last year. Rondeau, VINO is
supposed to furnish the batting strength
which the locals have lacked. must make
Certainty, for there is a lot of difference
between the minor and major league cali
Der of ball. That Grifflth's pitching staff
can be figured on showing to better ad-
vantage seems assured. To begin with
it is not at all unlikely that Walter John
son will have a batter year than the last
one, which in itself would mean much
Then there is reason for believing that
Boehling will show something like the
form he displayed in 1913, while the
young pitchers ought all to have been
greatly benefited by last years expert
ence.
Organized base ball does not expect to
be beaten in the coming legal proceed
ings brought by the Feds. To begin
with, it will be shown that the Feds tried
| to join the organization this winter. and
by this effort proved they did not con-
slider the body to be operating Illegally.
What is more, the Feds have been in
strumental in getting players to break
their contracts, while other facts will be
produced to show that the new league
does not come into court with clean hands.
The national commission claims to be
well prepared for the legal battle and
it is said the Federal League will be
shown in an unenviable light by the
evidence which the commission will
produce.
! 1t is contended that organized base