The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1916-10-06
Desperate Work Might
Gipe Dodgers Honors
On Paper, Boston Red Sox Have Big Advantage
While Both Teams Play It Safe-Detroits
Baserunning Would Upset Predictions.
BY HUGH s. FULLERTON.


not exactly coincide with my set opin-
ions. and It certainly does not satisfy
my desires. but, II we have any faith
In dope or systems, we must believe the
figures.
The dope says that the Boston Red
sox are nearly 600 points better as
ball team than Brooklyn, and more
than 300 points better than the Phillies
lin a seven-game series.
Some may construe this to mean that
Philadelphia is a much better ball club
than Is Brooklyn. This may or may
not be true, but It 10 certain that, for
the worlds series-say a set Of seven
games against certain kinds Of pitch
ing and against certain batters. Phila-
delphia lie a better team to represent
It's league than Brooklyn would. be
This Is because, In such a series. Phila-
delphia can use its best points to ad-
the idea.
The figures give cold comfort to the
National League either way. The dope
proves that the Red Sox are mechan-
ically superior to the Phils In seven
OF the nine positions, and that they are
better than Brooklyn In seven points,
although not the same ones In which
they excel Philadelphia.
The worst point against the National
League entry In such a series is that
the Red Sox have the greatest advan-
tages In the positions that count for
the most in the playing Of the game
The superiority of the Red Sox pitch
Ing STAFF Is immense. In reserve
strength, In ability to make substitu-
lions without weakening his team. Car;
guess as to pitchers would bring disas-
ter to either of the National League
clubs, whichever gets In the series,
while Carrigan is in position to guess
retrieve the day by quick change.
Advantage to Red Sox.
The dope shows that Boston has the
advantage at all styles of going-ex-
cepting the base-running end OF the
game. 1t is an odd thing that base
running has become so much OF
lost art. II the Detroit team had
been lucky enough to get into this
have been redoubled, and largely be-
cause the Detroit team Will run the
bases. and few OF the others either
attempt 1t or Try to use 1t regulamrly
have thrown the. figures at them to
prove that a speedy runner has all the
advantage In trying to steal. but they
refuse excepting McGraw, Jennings.
means of making runs. The figures OF
runs scored will show how effective
1t is IL you compare the runs scored
with the hitting of the teams.
base running team and only Brooklyn
would be classed as fast on the bases.
Brooklyn has lot OF unused speed.
From the figures II would seem that
retaining the worlds championship
Is to do IL through sheer generalship.
The worlds series is serious busl-
ness to these players They take II
bad baseball. II any team should go
into the worlds series, and play ball
the way II does in it, REGULAR season
take the same chances, and try to win
by surprise attacks. 1t would have n
much better chance. / never have seen
but two teams try that-Chcago and
Detroit In l90S-and they both tried II
the same moment, and the result was
one of the most desperately fought and
interesting series ever played. There
was something doing at every jump.
Always Playing II Safe.
In these series so much is at stake
that the players and managers hesitate
TO take chance. They play II safe.
knows what is coming and plays for
II. Beyond keeping down the scores.
II does not help. 1t makes for clean,
mechanical baseball. but not for sem
sational playing and brIlllancy. Usually,
after one team has the series won. II
cuts loose, as the Red Sox did last
year, and plays At it's regular seasons
gait. The other club. beaten, resorts
to desperate methods and makes things
lively.
Now the National League seems to
have little chance. Why would It not
be a great idea to cut loose and play
the game with the old dash and brill
liancy: stallings won a pennant by
Another point II is known fact In |
than an unknown pitcher usu- |
ally is effective against any club. Watch |
the youngsters getting their fall try
outs now. and see how they beat the |
other teams. This Is such a common |
experience that every manager OF a |
leading club breads seeing an untrlcd |
youngster step to the mound against |
him. He knows that, when they find |
him over for time. they will hit him, |
but for that game he will have them
guessing, and probably will beat them. |
That being the case. why should not
the manager OF a club that has little |
more In his kit besides a hope OF win |
ming try some strong-armed. wild fellow |
who is strange to the other team. In |
experienced pitcher whose every move
is known to the opposition from pre-
vious information gathered before the
series. Fred Clark did It once with
Babe Adams, and surprised Detroit out
of the worlds championship. He did It
because he was compelled to do It,
Adams being the only curve pitcher ne
had In shape.
II Brooklyn should send Dell. for In