The Washburn times. [volume] (Washburn, Wis.) 1896-1976, 1916-03-30
fRv FRANK q. MENKE.)

(By FRANK G. MENKE.)
The Phillies, in our opinion, will not
figure very largely-if at aH-in the
1916 pennant fight in the National
league.
They won in 1915, not because they
were wonderfully strong, but because
all the other clubs were weak, either
normally or because of midseason in
juries. The mighty arm of Grover
Alexander was the real power that
lifted the Quakertown outfit to the
crest of baseball It is unlikely that
the wonderful Alexander ever can
duplicate his work Of year ago. He
may pitch better baseball in spots; he
may turn in better average. But it
seems beyond the range of possibility
that he ever again will rise to the
sublime heights in the critical mo-
ments as he did last year.
The Phillies will take the field in
1916 without any noticeable changes
in the lineup. They haven't acquired
any youngsters who look likely to bios
som forth into big league flowers. And,
as we view it. the 1915 Phillie outfit
will not have a real chance against
the greatly improved machines that
other cities will send into the battle.
Braves Look Good.
The Braves look about as good as
any club in the Tener circuit. The ad-
dition of Ed Konetchy ought to i'm
prove the batting and fielding power.
The Braves have a few young pitchers
who may be able to jump into the line
up regularly. They have fair batting
power, great fielding strength, super
fluffy of pep and some real pitchers.
Theirs is a machine built compactly;
a machine with speed and endurance.
The Giants are a problem. They
have been strengthened greatly by the
addition of several Federal leaguers
and a dozen stars of lesser magnitude,
but have they been strengthened SUI
ficiently? If McGraw can grab off two
or three real pitchers from that flock
that he will take South with him. the
New Workers. ought to be back among
the pennant battlers, because their in
field and outfield are extremely power
full.
On paper the Giants look better than
they have for many years. But are
they good enough to set the pace from
the start-and hold it until the finish?
Reds Are Dark Horses.
Those Cincinnati Reds will make the
biggest noise that any Rhineland club
has made for many years-or we miss
our guess. Charlie Herzog, the bat
thing" manager, is extremely confident
that his club will be in the fight all
the way into the STRICKLAND Her
zog's optimism is shared by many or
the dopesters. 49,
The Reds will have a great infield
with Mollwitz on first, Esmond at Sec
ond, Herzeg at short and Groh at third.
and they'll have fine outfield, too.
Behind the bat the Reds are as strong
as any other club in the league, while
their pitching strength is increased at
least 40 per cent by purchases of Fed
eral league and bush" talent.
The Pirates cannot be figured as
powerful club from this February view
point. They never were in the fight in
1915, yet the plan seems to be to send
practically the same crew into battle
in 1916-unless some real major
leaguers are found among the young
sters. Jimmy Callahan may be able to
put the club into the fight, but it
seems doubtful The Pirates must be
rebuilt before the Smoky city folks
can have their pennant dreams come
true.
Dodgers Loom Up.
Those Dodgers will bear watching.
They put up a great fight in 1915 and
lost because they couldn't hit toward
the flag end of the season. Early in
the year the pitchers wobbled and the
batters knocked down fences. Later
on, when the hurlers were doing won
derful work. the team slumped horri-
bly, at the bat. A dozen games would
have been won, instead Of lost, had
one or another of the Rodgers been
able to deliver the timely wallop. But
it was lacking.
This year, declares Wilbert Robin
son, those Dodgers are going to hit
and hit consistently. Furthermore.
they have gained reserve strength
through the acquisition of some good
looking youngsters.
Joe Tinker insists that he's going
to lead his Cubs-Whales outfit to the
crest of the National league He ought
to. The merging of the two clubs gave
him the chance to choose from over
fifty real ball players. Tinker's big
problem has been to decide which men
to keep. He's allowed but Fl. If he