Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-03-03
BOSTON PITCHING
STAFF AIDS CLUB
IN REMNANT RACE

the Boston Braves to keep in tn,
pennant hunt in the National Leagu,
last season.
They were in the race from start L
finish and they never fell below
fourth place Finishing a good third
only one and one-half games behint
he Phillies. in second place, those
Braves made themselves felt. anC
their chances this year look as good
or better than most rival clubs, with
The exception OF the Giants.
Stronger hitting is what George
Stallings' boys need TO put them very
much in the fight for the Tener gon
Talon this summer If they can brush
up their batting strength they will be
dangerous rivals Of the Giants or al
least it appears SO from this early
angle
While figures don't tell eyeryth ng,
they come as close as il is possible
TO come in showing the strong points
or weaknesses of ball club. and the
National League pitching records
show that Stallings' hurlers generally
had something on the ball.
/ The regulars Of the Braves staff
ranked between eighth and twenty
.hird places In the column which re-
( cords tho effectiveness OF pitchers.
Nehf, Tyler. Allen. Raglan and Ru.
dolph hold down the eighth, ninth
tenth, eleventh and twelfth places in
the pitching records. while the re
naming hurlcrs are strung out to
,wenty,tlird place. which is held by
Ed. Reulbach. And the Stallings
sharpshooting staff remains intact
with the prospects OF another good
year
In fielding the Braves OF 1916 head
the column with team percentage OF
9b1. They were charged with 2l2
misplays in 1853 games. But their base
running was very ordinary and In bat.
ting they were last with team aver.
age OF .233.
SO tho weakness OF the Braves ap,
parently lies in their attack with the
oludgeons. and 1t is in this department
that George Stallings will spend the
most time drilling his warriors dur.
ing the Spring training grind. Better
batting will be certain to make the
Braves very dangerous outfit
Johnny Evers determination to get
back into the game and do everything
in his power to stick there day in and
lay out has already been announced
The little Trojan has improved in
health during the winter and il he is
successful in keeping his health he
will be wonderful help to Boston.
Counting Evers in the game, and he
will be in there when the season
mems, the infeld may be much the
same as that with which Stallings fin.
ished the 1916 season. Konetchy will
hold down the initial sack. with Evers
on second, Meanwhile at short and
Smith at third. Several recruit in.
delders will get try-outs, and Egan
and Fitzpatrick, Of last years team.
will be In uniform again. Stallings
drafted Johnny Rawlings. a shortstop.
from Toledo, and Bill Massey, who
played both second and short last sea,
son for the Mobile club OF the South
ern Association. Neither player ap-
pears to have the markings OF a heavy
hitter in the big show, but both are
dasi.y felders.
With Blackburne, Gowdyi and Ira.
gresser forming the regular windpad
crew and Rico and Willard McGraw
lighting for places. the Braves are
pretty well fixed in catching talent.
Blackburne hit we'll and showed real
class In handling the pitchers aud
pegging to the bases during the lat
Ter part Of last season and will prob.
ably be first catcher with the Braves
this year.
Iavis and Crum are the only new
pitching recruits listed on the roster
OF the Braves, which was sent out re-
Gently by the management, and it ia
apparent that Stallngs Is pretty wen
satisfied with his hurting staff.
The outfeld candidates promise to
put up the livelicst scrap for posi-,
lions that team OF Boston Braves
has witnessed for a Number OF years
stallings has nine outfielders. and
this will mean that at least five of
them will have to be wecded out BY
the time for trimming player rosters
to twenty-five men. The outfield can
didates are Sherwood Magce, Ed Col.
Inns. Joe Connolly. Larry Chappcle,
Fred Bailey, Joe Wihoit, Fred Snod.
srass, Joe Kelly and George Twombly.
Chappelle and Joe Kelly appear to
be the scrappiest candidates for a reg.
ular job, but with such herd OF ny
chasers fighting for berths Stallings
will have his hands full wedding EN-
out.
When the out6eld Is finally selected
Stallings will have a well balanced
club and one that Is practically Ger.
tain to be- bis factor in the National
League race.