The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-01-05

DECKER
IS OFF
Miller Higgins Reaches
New York and Reports
Failure to Land st. Louis
Player at Reasonable
Terms Browns Demand
ed Peckinpaugh.

New York, Jan. 5-Miller ]. Hug
gins, the new manager of the Yail-..
KEGS, came all the way from st.
Louis, after a cold, weary trip on a
train which was IL hours late, to tell
President Jacob Rupert of the Nv
York club yesterday that the st.
Louis Browns wanted a gold mine
for Second Baseman Derrill Pratt.
The Yanks will not give a gold mine
or anything like it for the St. Louis
player, so the deal is off and the
Yankees hopes are again doomed to
disappointment. 1t seems that any
club can buy ball players but the
Yanks and as soon as they get into
the market the prices go soaring, sky
high.
Manager Higgins says the deal is
off and that no further negotiations
will be made unless the st, Louis
club comes down to earth with its
demands. 1t is understood that in
exchange for Pratt the Browns want
ed Second Baseman Joe Gedeon; a
pitcher, preferably Nick Cullop;
Catcher Nunamaker or Hannah, be-
sides a contribution of SIS 600. when
it comes to making demands on other
clubs and in placing big estimates ON
their own players, the st. Louis
Browns lead the league. s --,-s-9
THE deal for Pratt, is off for the
present." said Higgins, land unless
some new development comes along
it does not look as if we would be
able to get the second baseman. We
made fine offer for him, but it did
nt tn
During the negotiations the name of
George Sisler was mentioned, but
only in an informal way. The name
of Peckinpaugh was also mentioned,
but 1 will say now that 1 have never
considered for a moment letting
Peck go from the New York team in
any deal. I would like to have land
ed Pratt, for l think if he came here
he would play better ball than he
played in st. Louis. He is a good
hitter, although he had a poor sea-
son last year because of an injury to
his wrist. ri,
81 hope, however, to make deal
or two before the season starts and
will endeavor to strengthen the club
in few places. I have never seen
| the Yankees play and will not decide
on any definite changes until I have
| looked the players over in the South.
I'VE will take about 80 players to
| the training camp at Macon, Ga,
around March IS, and think I will
have the pitchers down there about
a week earlier. This will give the
J pitchers three weeks work before
! the exhibition tour with the Boston
! Braves begins, while the other play
ers will have a couple of weeks time
to get into shape before going on the
: road" ~--s -
It is understood that Manager
Higgins is looking about for outfeld-
ers, for the Yanks are badly in need
! of hitters. Outside of Baker and
Pipp, S%was weak hitting club last
season. Higgins believes that he has
pretty good pitching staff, but
would like to strengthen the back
stop department if possible. Mar
sans the Cuban outfelder, has en-
tirely recovered from the injury he
received last season, and it is expect
ed that he will not be able to fill the
bill at centre field during the coming
season. Gilhooley, the other Yankee
outfelder, who was expected to be
back in form for next season, has
been called in the draft, so it is likely
that Higgins will look for new men
for the other two outfie1d positions
Ray Fisher has enlisted, but the
club will have a strong staff of fling
ers without him. In fact, Higgins is
willing to part with some of his
promising pitchers if he can arrange
a trade to get a good infielder and
some outfielders.