The Washington times., 1917-12-16

WaShingtons chances fer success
4n the American League next sum-
mer, far away as it may be, seem
immeasdrably benefited by the trade
Manager Griffith made at Chicago.
If enough players are drafted
from the first division teams of last
season, there should be a greater
general balance in the league, Cleve-j
land seems 10 be hit hard by the
draft BoSton's big trade with the
Maclmeu has bolstered up the Red
Sox, though Bush, Schang, and
Strunk are all eligible to the draft.
Thus Tar the Chicago White Sox,
worlds champions, have not suffered
much, losing 4 third-strinR catcher
and Jim Scott, whose pitching days
were about done, anyway.
The Detroit Tigers have 30 far es-
capped much harm. losing one or two
substitutes, but Hughey Jennings
fears he VIII lose Howard Ehmke,
his leading twirler. II he does the
Tigers Will not be as strong as they
were In 1917.
DtHerenee Il Slight.
At most, the difference between q
championship aggregation and a tall
end outfIt in the major leagues is
Slight Il hinges usually on pitching
and on Bnappy nelding around second
and short. Hitting is not as inpor-
tRnt as the general public believes.
This explains why SO many nght-hit-
ting teams are winners.
The Boston Red Sox gave the White
Sox q wonderful fight for the PEN
n&nt last year down to the last month,
yet Duffy Lewis was the only Boston
man IN the 800 class at the end, and
his margin was slight The White
Sox had only Oscar Felsch in the 800
class until the very end of the year.
when SJOe- jackson slipped across the
line.
The Detroit Tiers, without a chance
1t the fnAl honors. led the league in
hitting. with the tail-end Philadelphia
Mackme1 running second to them
CoaaIdeF the FieIding.
Buk sconsider the fielding in fhe Ameri-
can League last year. and ons comes
closer to seeing where the winners won
Boston led, with Chicago q close second
The Tigers led the second division in
fielding. with the Mackmen on their
heels
when Clark Griffith had a winning
tam In 1917, Is13, and 1914. he. had what
q known as an alright infield, support
ing the best Of pitching. Gandil's value
to the Grinmen was not % much because
Of his hitting, which was good for two
years, but because Of his brilliant field
inG. II was GandiTs fine hitting that
made possible the White Sox victory in
the pennant struggle last season. for
he failed to reach Z75 with the stick
The Grinmen failed last year because
of three things: A certain lack OF Rg-
Eressiveness and faith in themselves, IN
and-out pitching, and the worst fielding
shown by the team since Clark Griffith
came TO Washington II was not be-
cause of weak hitting
Vow for the Future
Just what increase In sggressiveness
there win be next year cannot now be
GUESSED II Morgan Is with the team. and
PLAYED regularly AZ second base, he
Ghould be q live wire working with Layan-
Foster has lost all his old aggressive
ness, the lighting spirit that gave him
his FIRST two trials In fast company.
with Morgan out Of the lineup, a dis
tinct difference IL seen in the spirit OF
the inheld The whole bunch lose their
pep"
For two reasons. at least, the pitch
ing should be an Improvement next
season 4le nEsb - LA "
per win start even with the others
getting the same amount of training
and regular work, once the season
gets under way. He wasted half OF
last season nursing q sore wing.
The second is that the sale of Bert
0aIliA to St Louis should compel Man
aGer Griffith TO use Doc Ayers more
frequently. The Virginia mountaineer
fs 9 whale for work in cold weather
or hot When pitching In his turn,
ne Is a valuable man, as the official
records to be Issued this week VIII