Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-30
Cub CatChers Top the
Red SOx Says Fullerton

the Chicago pitchers than he has
done during the regular season. lie
has had poor year with the stick,
in spite of the fact that the team
has been winning and that the
pitching of the opponents has been
the worst in the history of baseball.
Agnew is normally about a .220
hitter, but this season he is far be-
low that poor mark. Killifer is a
dangerous batter, but scarcely one
to be classed as a great hitter. He
hits in the pinches and he is a great
factor in run scoring.
In the defensive work Killifer still
leads Agnew, although Sam is Il
clever man, a handy backstop, who
works we'll with a pitching staff
which is not easy to handle, and who
can throw and will throw.
The same situation that confronts
the Boston management at third
base applies to their catchers.
Schang, although he has not hit to
his early promise, is far and away
q better hitter and a more danger
Gus one, especially against left
handed pitching, than is Agnew.
Barrow can gain hitting strength by
using Schang in part of the games
behind the bat and part at third
betoNt "AiiCh VIII w.
But what he gains in hitting power
he will lose in part in the defensive
end of play. Schang, swho, with the
Athletics, promised to develop into
one of the greatest catchers of all
time, has not lived up to his early
promise. He is an erratic and un-
certain man now and not nearly as
steady or dependable as Agnew,
who, when Schang was at his early
best, was decorating the bench
while others caught for Boston.
Again the element of uncertainty
which makes the coming series
more interesting enters into it.
Schang would not work as we'll with
the infield, nor would he steady and
| coach pitchers as Agnew does, but
/ in these series one long wallop COW
ers a multitude of sins of omission
and commission. Besides that
| Schang has spells of catching in
| one.
He can handle Ruth, as it looks
if the opening battery would be
Ruth against Vaughn, Schang may
get into that game as a catcher,
and go to third base the next day if
Tyler works against Jones, as ii
would appear to dope out.
In other words, Schang, who has
been showed all around the Red SoX
team and who has discouraged us
all because he does not appear to
he a finished player in any job, may
he the biggest element of strength
of the Rostcn club if his known
strength IS used properly.
Comparing Chicago catching
against that that Cleveland would
have in such series, the advantage
of the Cubs is much less than is
shown in the Boston comparisons.
O'Neill is one of the best Of the
American League catchers and he
compares favorably with Killifer in
every departmcT of the game.
However, Cleveland's chances have
dwindled until extensive compari-
sons are almost useless, and may
be gone entirely before this sees
print.
And now for the tough job, which
is calculating the pitching Strengths
Of the teams.
l am deep enough in the dope to
be convinced that the results rest
entirely upon pitching. In spite of
the Cubs superiority in the catch
ing department, there is not enough
difference in the mechanical depart
ment to give either team a lead. 1t
looks as if Boston must show a su-
periority of about eight per cent.
ever the Cub pitchers to have a
claim on the series.