Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1916-02-26
Greatest Problem Will
Be to Cut Down
Squad to Require
ments of League
By CHANDLER d. RICHTER

ARTICLE V.
FAST summer when Joe Tinker was man.
/ 4 aging the Chicago Federal League
club he issued a challenge to the winners
of the National and American League
pennants on behalf of the Chifeds. The
fans contended that the challenge was
merely a little press agent yarn of the
Independent league, but Tinker insisted
that it was his honest belief that his
Chicago Fed team was stronger than any
in the country.
Immediately after being appointed man.
ager of the Cubs and the consolidation of
the 1915 Cubs and Whales had been con-
summated Tinker proved to the fans that
he at least was sincere by placing on
the market more than half the 1915 Cub
team, which was good enough to lead
the National League up in August. At
the time Tinker declared that he had to
find room for his Federal League stars,
who he felt certain would prove stronger
than the 1915 Cubs.
As manager of the Cubs Tinker will be
given a chance to prove to the baseball
world that the Federal League was not
a joke league from a playing standpoint.
From a financial point of view the league
was surely a frost. but it is barely pos
sibe that Tinker had much stronger
team than followers of organized ball are
willing to believe.
If TinlSers Federal League team was
as strong as he claims, ne should win the
pennant in the National League race, as
the addition of such players as thinner
man and Safer to the infield, Archer to
the catching staff, Williams and Schultz
to the outfield and Vaughn, Lavender and
a few others to the pitching staff are
surely a wonderful help.
When the two teams had consolidated
Tinker surely had wonderful aggrega-
tion on paper, but as he is gradually cut
ting down the squad, the Cubs do not look
nearly so formidable as they did at the
time the deal was made. Tinker was
wonderfully bright ball player, but is yet
to prove himself capable manager, and
many of baseball's brightest men are in
clined to the belief that Joe will be a
hindrance instead of help to the team.
Knows the Game
Tinker knows the game from beginning
to end is a splendid man personally and
apparently there is no reason why he
should not be a success but he seems TO
60 wrong every time 1t is necessary to
exercise snap judgment. Poor judgment
and failure to control himself caused
Tinker to fail at Cincinnati in his first
trial as a manager. If he has mastered
self-control. the Cubs viii be hard team
10 beat, but If he has not, there is no tell
ing where they will finish.
There are a number of temperamental
stars on Tinker's payroll, and they will
not make JOes path any easier IL things
break badly in the early part of the sea-
son. One thing in Tinker's favor is his
fighting spirit. He will not quit under
fire, and some of the temperamental stars
may not be able TO get away with as
much on him as they did on Hank O'Day
and Roger Bresnahan.
Baseball men do not believe that Tinker
Will have a strong enough combination
about second base unless he is in shape
10 play short with DoOlan shifted over to
second. They argue that DOolan is going
back and cannot hit, while Yerkes is below
the major league standard 1t is con-
tended that Tinker could stand a weak
hitter in one of these position, but that the
rest of the team cannot carry two weak
hitters and slow runners as viii be the
case with both Doolan and Yerkes in the
line-up.
Last spring II was contended that Pat
Moran had too many slow runners on his
team, and that 1t would be a second diyi-
sion club because its Offense. barring an
occasional home run, would be worthless /;
but Moran developed a powerful attack by
constantly crossing his opponents. Tinker
has many brainy ball players and may do
likewise. He is at least willing to stake
everything on his Federal Leaguers, and
has proven eonclusively that he was
serious when he claimed the Whales were
worthy opponents for any team in organ
ICED ball
down his squad 10 comply with the 2l-