The Washington times., 1917-09-24
FULLERTON FINDS IT DIFFICULT TO
DOPE OUT THIS YEARS BIG SERIES

These figures are mere beses Of
comparison. 1t is ridiculous to say
that Ty Cobb is worth only 100 to
Detroit or that johnson is only thir-
teen and a fraction of Washington's
team strength when he is pitching.
The figures furnish us a fair basis
Of comparing men. II the average
batter is worth seven. what is Cobb
worth? II the average pitcher Is
thirteen. what is Johnson's value7
Instead OF using thirteen and seven,
however. / use thirteen hundred and
seven hundred. so we may carry out
further and reach finer distinctions
II we preserve the ratio 1t makes no
difference.
We must figure each mans strength
against certain pitchers. 1t makes
very delicate figuring. We know cer-
tain batters can hit certain styles of
pitching. We must, in calculating his
value in the coming series, study the
kinds OF pitching he must face. 1t
is no use to figure average pitching
strengthens, because the chances are
the White SoX will rely upon three
pitchers. and McGraw will use only
four, unless they are compelled to
call re-enforcements. OF this much
later.
Teams Totally Different.
The thing that makes doping the
New York-Chicago series so hard is
the fact that we have diametrically
opposite kinds of teams playing very
different types of baseball.
We have in the Giants a nervy. eX-
perienced, hghting. brainy ball club.
endowed with a lot OF mechanical tai
ent. and with a spotty and not at all
reliable pitching staff, which has been
shot to pieces and revived during the
season half a dozen times,
We find Chicago an uncertain.
thoughtless. almost brainless. arratic
team. possessing a terrific punch.
wonderful lot OF mechanical ability.
very little knowledge of the general
ship OF the game. Let me explain
that: The White SoX have a lot of
brains scattered around. and some OF
them at vital points. They blunder
terribly and bawl up simple plays,
only TO turn and execute miracles a
moment later. They are charged
with not being game, but forget
that-they are game as PEBBLES, and
have proved 1t. But they are not a
not battle hard until they are hurt.
The Giants are aggressive. brainy.
and they fight all the time and for
everything. In a worlds series. how
ever. this fighting counts little. as
the rules are too strictly enforced to
allow the favorite McGraw methods
to be used effectively.
Giants Experienced
There is another big point: The
majority OF the Giants are expert
enced in worlds series. OF the White
Sox, only Collins and Murphy have
been through that mill.
Undoubtedly, the gamblers. in max
ing the Giants odds-on favorites, are
iguring on the experience Of the
Giants, their gameness and their
reputation as money players" against
the inexperience and the tendency TO
panic OF the White SoX.
We must study all these elements
in doping the series, not as team
faults or virtues. but as faults or
virtues Of individuals. The gamblers
are beginning to dope" teams after
their OWE manner. One New York
gambler offered me almost as much
as a years salary to prepare this dope
for him exclusively and to redope
each night during the series. This Is
merely q warning not to make wagers
with those fellows. They are wiser
than we are.
The way we will proceed now Is to
take each man in his position, find his
team value as compared with the
team value OF his opponent in the Sc
ries. No player should feel offended
II he is rated below his opponent. He
may be a better man, but up against
the kind OF pitching he must face he
may lose so many points he will rate
lower.
Tomorrow we will take up the
study OF the first basemen and try to
discover which Is the better-not the
better ball player necessarily-but
which is the better man for the pur
poses of this series. That is all that
counts.
CCOnyTiEht. 1911. by the Bell syndieats. InnA