Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1916-01-09

Barber is another youngster, whom
Griffith picks to hit over the 300 mark
in the next campaign. while he is GER
tain that Jamison and Clyde Milan will
both show improvement in their hit
ting. Milan suffered q severe handi-
cap last season, because he did not get
himself in good condition until the sea
son wal well under way. The popular
center fielder blamed his failure to
| play up to his usual brilliant form in
the early games to the fact that he
did not relish the climate at Char
~lottesville, where the cold played hovoc
| with his training. Next spring he is
to spend a couple of weeks at Hot
| Springs, Ark, together with Walter
Johnson and George Mcbride, and he
expects to be in better shape when he
! reports than he was at any time dur
ing the first two months of the last
, campaign.
Gcdeon, il is hoped, was showing
true batting form last season on the
| Pacific coast. where he made an aver
age of .313, in which event he would
prove a big improvement over any
regular second baseman Griffith ever
has bad.
GriGith wants to play Eddie Foster
at third if possible, for there isro
question that he is Of more value to
the team in that position than at
| second base. though, Of course, IN due
time he might develop into a star
at second.
staff and capable catching during the
! 1916 season. said Griffith. and II
we get the improved hitting which l
expect there will De no reason for US
Complaining about the team. ! con
code that IL is going to be a hard fight
in the American League next season,
and that there will be more real con-
tenders in the race than there nave
/ been in several years, but L am well
satisfied that we will hold our own,
and II I have any luck in the matter of
making q trade or two during the win
tor may further improve the team.
! believe that I will be able to swing
2 deal or so before reporting time rolls
around"
rhare is a mistaken impression prev
.,ant that young ball players are done
az Injustice by the system when keeps
them in a minor league Tor aeV c g
| ment, n "nIcn 10 ~
TIE fact OF the matter is that the
,,,ies Of base ball permit the lending OF
bali players from the majors 10 Inc
! minor caSue oh
fnr a limited term. which. il memory
serves correctly, is two consecutive
Seasons. This. is not a hardship on the
nIayers who are sent back for develop
ment. but really a benefit to them. In
every instance where a young player is
signed by a major league club and then
found to need more seasoning he is
naid the amount of the contract he
signed with the big league club. the
big league paying the difference be-
i tween the limit the minors can pay and
| The amoun of the big league contract
I which the youngster holds.
The Washington club like all others
had quite a lot of salaries to pay last
iseason to players who did not wear a
Washington uniform during The regu-
| lar season. and who were playing in
the minors for the purpose of develop
ing and drew the same 50 larry that they
/ had signed for with the Nationals. This
Twas quite an item in the expenses OF
the local club as we'll as in the books
of all major league organizations
Though but little mention of the fac
has been made. the Washington club
drafted Henri Rondeau from the Min
~neapolis club last fall and it is more
than likely that the Frcnchman will
i get another trial with the Griffmen in
the spring.
Rondeau played uch excellent ball