Evening star., 1916-01-02
BILL DONOVAN FIGHTS
HARD FOR ALL GAMES
Never Comedies Victory to Star
Pitchers, But Makes Them
Work All the Time.

NEW YORK, JANUARY 1.--"They don't
work pitchers nowadays the way they
worked 'em when / was having my
good years with the Tigers"
unused Bill Donovan, manager OF the
New York Yankees. Perhaps the pres
ent system works out better for the
team over a long season, but'I believe
the system in vogue eight or ten years
ago was a better test Of q mans worth.
There was no indication then that a
manager considered his, team long
shot just because the other teams best
twirier was due to work.
''This is what 1 mean" explained
Wild Bill. 1T seems to be, growing
custom of late years for the manager
of one team to work one of his second
string pitchers when opposing Walter
johnson or any other pitcher who is
having an especially good year. The
manager seems TO take for granted
that he is sure to win the next day
with his star pitcher and that IL would
be a waste OF EFFORT as well blunder
to sacrifice his star against a greater
one. They are all doing IL. l am
opposed to the plan, and by looking
over games last season you Will notice
that Slim Caldwell hooked up more
than once with the great Walter. The
plan generally followed would be to
pit one of the secondrstring pitchers
against johnson and save Caldwell for
a killing the next day.
Weakness of System.
The weakness OF this system is that
it comedies the other team victory be-
fore it is won and the players must
realize it when the manager takes such
a decided stand. No team can play as
well behind a second -string pitcher as
behind a star. and that makes the other
teams task all the easier.
lust recall what was going on about
eight or ten years ago ana see how
many soft snaps the pitchers had. When
Athletics 1t was pretty safe bet that
Ed Walsh would work for the Sox the
day that Rube Waddell was Connie
Macks choice. When 1 was having
my good years with the Tigers ] could
figure on battle with Addie joss over
in Cleveland. L seldom missed Rube
Waddell, and Cy Young was almost al
ways a certainty in Boston. 1t was the
same with every team in the league.
The rule then in vogue was to concede
nothing and fight for everything. /
can't recall anybody putting young
pitchers up before the Tigers for sac
rifice, but ] have seen many instances
In late years.
Why Concede DefeatP
''The new system of playing IT safe
makes your own team fairly certain Of
one game. but equally certain
Of dropping the other. Why concede
that one defeat? Put the star pitcher
against the other star and take a
,hance on winning that game. Then
he next day your second-string pitcher
mas as good chance of coming through
Is his opponent. So, instead of making
an even break almost certain you take
chances on winning two games. Then
again it seems unfair to less able pitch
ers to make them do work which a
fears to intfust to his best
boxman.
MAKE this point sure. Yankee box.
men are not running up winning rec
prds at the expense of mediocre pitch
ers. The best man on my staff will
work against the best of any other
team when II is his turn. and ] would
switch the assignment to bring star
aaainst star whenever possible. That
gives my team a better chance to win
when opposed by star pitcher. Why,
make defeat almost certain by putting !
n . youngster? No. sir. none of that
nursing pitchers for your Uncle Will :
iam."