Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-04-10
LOOK FOR CLOSE RAGE N MAJOR LEAGUES.
No TEAM LIKELY D HAVE A NAlOVtR
Giants Run Near Close Of Last
Season Makes Them Look
Good Brooklyn VIII Try to
Repeat-Other Clubs Chances


*.**:..s:.i...s..ss...s. ...***oOo.
eT% HE most ardent home team fan
n viii have to admit that with
Z u the opening Of the big league
+ - baseball season on April II
there isn't any team In either the Ma
tional or American league that viii
have walkoyer this year. Seldom
have the teams been more evenly bal
anced Mt Gre opening Of the season.
In the National league there is every
Indication that the Giants will be the
favorite of many. The wonderful run
Of victories of the Giants near the
close of last season gave their admir-
ers lots of confidence.
Holke, Herzog, Fletcher and Zim-
norman form great intield. Robert
son. Burns aud Kauff can take care OF
everything in the outtield McCarty
and Rariden are good catchers. Nc
Graw has experienced reserves, too, In
Murray, Lobert and Gibson. Schupp,
Benton, Sallee Tesreau, Perrltt, An
derson, Smith and Middleton should
add the necessary pitching strength.
Baseball more than any other sport
is the despair of the dopesters. In our
national game the "sure thing" is de
lusion and snare. There amt no
sich animal" The Giants Of 1905 won
the worlds series in five games. At
the beginning of 1906 1t looked as if
they had team that nothing could
stop. Injuries and illness broke it up.
McGraW's men did not win another
pennant until 1911.
Brooklyn Looks Good.
1t also Is foolish to assume the atti-
tide that they will encounter no oppo-
sltion. N-1lbert Robinson has tidy
team of baseball players over in Flat
bush. and they have the added conf
0ence of men who have already won
a flag. Any team with collection of
pitchers such as Brooklyn boasts is to
be feared.
Brooklyn Is not smart team, but 1t
Is strong team and one that must
be given a chance in any reckoning.
This especially is so when it Is con
silered how great an asset is pitching
strength. 1t was pitching strength
that brought the Red Sox through in
the American league. At one time last
season that club was pretty well
broken up, but its rivals could not take
advantage of the fact on account OF
the twirling they had to face. De
troit led the league in run making
with Gao. Boston only scored $50 runs
l20 less than the Tigers. and yet I'm
ished first, while Detroit finished third
That shows what pitching will do. II
YOU can't score on team the best you
can expect is draw
Brooklyn is not the only team the
Giants have to fear. Philadelphia still
has Grover Cleveland Alexander. and
he is likely to receive more assistance
than he did last season. Moran has
proved himself to be a wise manager,
ana there is small doubt that he will
keep his club within haiing distance
OF the top
StaIlings Always a Contender.
Then there is Boston. George Stall
ings. the Miracle Man, who led the
Graves from the valley Of despond to
the heights of championship. didn't do
quite as well last season, but things
broke against him, and even then ii
was not until the last few guns were
fired that he was out of the fight
Stallings Is danger signal on the
track ahead of any club.
IN Chicago Fred Mitchell. Stall
ngs' old lieutenant has hard jol
ahead Of him. but every one whC
knows him feels that he is the man fol
it, aud the probabilities are that thC
Cubs win make d better showing thar
they did last season. when they finish
cd o bad fourth.
New York fans are interested in tht
showing Of the Cincinnati club for tht
reason that Matty is leading it, i
Isn't q bad club on paper Chase ant
Gr0h ere stars Of the first magnitude
aud CLARKE ana Wngo are good catch
egs h3Gsl Nealc, Griffith ana one o.
TWO others should make up Il good out
field. Outside Of Toney and Schneider
the Reds haven't any very strong
twirlers, but Matty should be able tc
coach pitchers as well as anybody il
the game and he may improve some
" his other box men and develop :
recruit or two
II II nara TO tell what either th,
Pirates cr the Cardinals may do. Jim
my Callahan Is building M a youn,
team III Pittsburgh and thinks he In,
some promising material. He has, o
course. a few old players of prove,
worth, ard any pitching staff whicl
boasts a Mamaux may not he disrc
Garded
X IN figuring out matters IN the Ma
y tional league 1t is well TO remrmbc
one thing during the past three year