New Britain herald., 1916-05-08

ing East vs. West and West vs. East which is now under way, brings on more interesting possibilities than any intersectional criss-cross for several years. In this shifting of troops and wagon trains the East goes west in the National league, while the West comes East in the American.
 And by the time the double in vasion is over we may be able to get the first paint line on Whi's Who in Ealldom or Who Will Be
 For Example
 These next two or three weeks will show us many things. In the Ameri- can league we will see how Washing ton, successful in the East, can stand up under the hammerng of Detroit, Chicago Cleveland and St. Louis.
 And we shall also see just how serious this Cleveland rally is If MT Fohl and his pet Indians can rip along through Boston, New York and Washington as they have out West the Cleveland revival will be com plete. And yet, when you think it over, the uplift now in vogue in Washington and Cleveland isn't much {; mystery after all. Washington has a great right handler in Johnson and u great left handler in Harper. There is the jump in two games out of any four, Cleveland has in Morton Klepfer, Coumbe, Mitchell and others a first class staff. Washington and Cleveland have drawn the best pitch ing in the league-and the rest Of 1t is a Cinch
 No Hurry.
 The two clubs supposed to get away in a hurry, Detroit and Chicago, have had their troubles, trials and tribulatons, but this Eastern jaunt will give good line on their strength.
 out on the riad And perhaps they won't. Which is fair enough as a baseball prediction.
 But they are not likely to discover any peculiarly soft spots around
 The Giant Dream of a Revival
 However the other clubs may look at it, the Giants are viewing their Western jaunt with feelings akin to supreme joy. They have gotten so sick of the other three Eastern clubs that they can't even bear to look at the standing of the clubs
 On this trip McGraw will show the West plenty of hard hitting. but whether or not he can show it any thing like good pitching is another matter. There is a chance that against new contenders the Giants may finally hit their better stride and get going again. They have prac- tically exhausted all the known ways tc lose a hall game and perhaps they will start winning for spell. But we advise no gentle reader to wa ger his all upon this possibility. Far from it. If they get the pitching yes. But getting tho pitching Is something else again.
 Phillics, Dodgers and Braves
 This Western trip will also offer the first full test of the inherent strength shown by the Phillies Dodgers and Braves. They have been picked all along as the three strong est clubs in the league Their records have upheld the dope. But how much of this actual strength and how much is due to Giant weak ness is vet to be tested.
 Braves, Dodgers and Phillies have all picked up four or more victories from the Giants and have thereby heen enabled to get away at top speed. There is nothing like having a soft mark to start with, and tho Eastern trio have overlooked few bets in this respect.
 But there will come a fairer test when they meet the four Western clubs, who will be barricad ded at home with machine guns trained on the advancing foe.
 The Western Test.
 Moran. Stallings and Robinson all believe they are slated to win. The main dope is that these clubs will finish 1-2-3. If the West is to check their rush there will be no time like the present. Later on it may he too late. For if the three leading Fasteners can more than hold their own in the enemy's country, what chance is there to head them off in June after they return for long siege in the vicinity of home cooking. Not enough to rave about.
 The West hasn't won National League pennant since the Cubs triumphed six years ago. Since that time Giants, Braves and Phillies have gathered in all the glory. But all four Western clubs have been bol- stered up this season and one of them may come through With a punch strong enough to give the Eastern CTS a harder fight than the outstand- ing dope now suggests
 Whatever happens to the Giants in the West, it will be a great relief to what they have suffered along the At lantic seahoord. And if they can get a few wins under their belts a