Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1915-10-07
RED SOX HAVE EDGE.
OYER PILLS In BOX
Alexander Only Quaker Hurler Who
Is in Same Glass with Leonard,
Wood, Shore or Ruth.

Wood, Shore or Ruth.
BOST0ES ARE BETTER HITTERS
NEW YORK, oct 6--As was the case
last season. when the same cities but
different clubs were involved in the
worlds series. Philadelphia and Boston
will enter the coming struggle for the
prize of the base ball universe with the
same numerical strength In the pitching
department. Both the Phillies and the
Red Sox have eight twirlers who can be
called to the mound by Managers Moran
and Carrigan, but II is likely that not
more than half this force of hurlers will
be started during the series which be-
gins late this week.
The Phillles' pitching staff includes,
Alexander, Demaree, McQuillen, Rixey.
Chalmers. Mayer. lineup and Baumgart-
ner The Red Sox hurting force includes
Foster. Leonard. Ruth, Shore. Wood.
Gregg, Collins and Mays Several OF
these pitchers have not figured to any
extent in the general seasons play and
II is possible that their names win not
be found in the box scores when the
final reckonings are made for the series
OF 1915. Those most likely to go to the
mound as National league representa-
tives are Alexander. Demaree Mayer
McQuillen. Rixey and Chalmers, while
the American league pitchers will I'M
doubleday be selected from Foster, Leon
ard. Ruth. Shore, Wood and Gregg.
In considering the strength OF the
pitching departments Of the Phillies and
Red Sox 1t is, therefore, necessary to
analyze the all-around ability of the sex
tet named. An unusual difficulty Is
encountered ate the very beginning since
1t is conceded that Alexander will be.
used In from two to three Of the first
four games. depending upon the order
OF play. Alexander STANDS head and
shoulders above his pitching teammates
and is Manager Pat Moran's trump card
to be played at every possible oppor-
tunity. and some clever base ball poll
tics and diplomacy has centered about
the extraordinary ability OF the Phiilies'
star.
Alexander Is the Leader.
Alexander's pitching average for the
season is more than 200 points higher
than any Of the other Philadelphia club
twirlers. Taking the six named and av-
eraging their records for the season,
gives team pitching average of Sal.
4 These figures do not represent the
strength of the Phillies. however, II
Alexander is used In. say three OF a
possible six games. Under such a sched-
ule the average would be increased more
than 100 per cent and Moran Is too
shrewd a manager to overlook any such
increase In strength. Following Alexan-
der. Mayer and Demaree have proved
the most successful twirlers for the Ma
tional league pennant-winners. McQuil-
len has won and lost sn equal number
OF games. while Rixey and Chalmers are
lsIlghtly below the 800 mark.
| Against this pitching staff OF one star
and five twirlers of moderate ability the
Red Sox are able to muster six mound
men, none of whom can quite equal
Alexanders record. but all showing av-
erages ranging from 100 to figures fifty
points higher. II is due to this high
class average that the Boston staff. con-
sidered as whole. outranks the Philiies
by more than l76 points. Many factors
must enter into consideration when an
effort is made to compare the strength
Of pitching stats in a worlds series.
Assuming. however. that the pitchers OF
a pennant winning club would be just
as effective against the batters OF the
rival combination as they were against
the batters of their own league the av-
erages show, that Alexander outranks
all the Red Sox boxmen except Wood
and II is not at all certain that the latter
viii be called upon to work I'm the com
ing series.
On the other hand. the American league
huriers will have a decided advantage In
every game I'm which they are not opposed
by Alexander. Foster. Leonard. Ruth
and Shore have grand pitching AVERAGE
OF ne, according to the latest unofficial
figures. which aided by the hitting and
alright fielding OF the Red sox, should
be sufficient 70 overcome the perform
anoes OF the Phillies' second string pitch
ers. Against Alexander. however. their
success remains 20 be demonstrated As
batters ali these bOxmen far surpass
their Philadelphia rivals. but the fielding
figures show that the Philies have a
slight advantage in this respect
sOx Are All Young Men.
Whatever Alexander may be called upon
TO do Il appears almost certain that
Foster. Leonard. Ruth and Shore, as frs
string men who have taken their regular
turn in the box during the season. will
bear the brunt OF the boxwork since
Wood. Gregg and Collins have been used
but occasionally this year. and Nays
almost entirely as a relief pitcher. II IL
thought In the Boston base ball circles
that the first four viii be the only pitch
ers TO start games in the coming series
for the Red Sox. and that they will be
called upon 70 pitch IN the order named
All are comparatively young men. de-
veloped by Boston within the last two or