New-York tribune., 1918-01-26
Ray Caldwell
Must Be Good
Or Leave anks
Higgins May Use Pitcher in
Deal to Strengthen His
Outer Garden
Bv w. I. Macbeth

"N~hSAo III viz biE nhONt A'A'A'Sh AANo
gins will now turn his attention to the
outfield of the Yankees. Tho garden,
as constituted last season, was one OF
the crimes of the age, and unless the
/ David Harum of Cincinnati is able to
manipulate some deals for seasoned
/ players Of highly developed patrol pro-
clivities his club is not likely to go
very far or suddenly toward general
reform.
A hint of what may be expected from
! Higgins before the annual scheduled
meeting of the American League in
this city, February -, was furnished
by midget Miller on his recent trip to
st. Louis for the purpose of hog tying
Pratt. While in the Mound City, ac-
cording to the word of friendly scribes,
Huggins lntimated very strongly that
Pitcher Ray Caldwell would be placed
on the market.
Huggins, the St. Louis writer's declare,
does not believe in having trouble
makers about him, and Slim Caldwell,
in his many vicisstudcs, willingly or
unwillingly, has been just that to the
Yankees during his tcmpestuous career
| in Gotham
Must Depend on Youngsters
Having sacrificed Cullop and Shockcr,
who may be regarded more or less as
veteran talent, and having stood the
loss of Ray Fisher, who has gone into
hn oc 4
Yankees, if he does dispose of Cald-
we'll. will have to depend largely upon a
lot OF promising young pitching talent
that has accrued to the New York
Americans of recent years.
During the regime of Bill Donovan
the local club appeared particularly
lucky in picking up high class minor
! league twirling stars, even though they
were not always developed properly
eliminating Caldwell, Huggins would
have left only three real veterans, Bob
Shawkey, Allen Russell and Mogridgc,
| Tor Slim Love cannot as yet By any
stretch of the imagination qualify for
that honor.
The Yankees have under reserve an
unusual number Of young pitchers who
have shown in the minor leagues dur
ing the processes Of "farming," to
which most ma jor league clubs submit
their hopefuls ability Of unusual de-
gree. Among the number are Neal
Brady and Bill Piercy, with Toledo last
season; Bob McGraw, farmed to New
ark in 1917; big Ed Monroe and Her
bert Thormallen, the young southpaw
from Baltimore who made good on trial
here last fall
Unless Caldwell is ready to assure
Huggins of his good faith and loyalty
by subscribing to a contract guarantee
ing proper behavior it might be quite
as we'll to cut loose from him now. Ray
is far from bad fellow at heart. His
is wcak-willcd. boyish nature. A
change Of residence might do more
good for him than any conceivable
thing. Certain it is if he only would
take himself seriously there should be
no better pitcher anywhere, not even
Walter johnson and Grover Alexander
excepted.
If Caldwell is to be traded Huggins
could do far worse than seek swap
with Hughie jennings. The leader Of
the Tigers has suffered shamefully for
lack Of good pitching, 10, these many
years. He has Just been hit partcu-
larly hard by the enlistment of Howard
Emhke, one of the few promising re-
cruits dug up by Detroit in many years.
Jennings always has been unusually
III.
No one could go further for a Caldwell
than llughic and at the same time
throw something valuable New York $
way.
Alarsans Not Reserved
AS the New York outfield situation
stands 1T does not look very promising.
Reports from Cuba say Marsans is far
from recovered of the broken leg he
suffered here toward the end Of the
last campaign. Marsans was playing
wonderful ball for the Yankees when
he met with his injury. Men Of his age
seldom come back after suffering such
a severe fracture as that sustained by
the Cuban.
Frank Gilhooley, who at one time
threatened to develop into second
Willie Keeler, suffered a broken leg
MS very first year out and last season
was so unfortunate as to fracture his
collarbone. The injuries have not only
set him back the two full seasons. but
have left the little fellow a bigger gam
Die than he was when he came as a
"bushcr' from the Buffalo champions.
or the outiielders secured last sea-
son and tried out last fall, Lamar
alone showed promise of development
sufficient for major league trial. Camp
and Wick may come on sufficiently dur
lrg the spring training season to COM
mand respect. Mike Donlin believes Wick
Will develop into one of the finest gar
deners of the age within the next two
years. The great trouble is that Hug
gins cannot afford to wait for the de-
vclopmcnt of kids. Manhattan's base
ball soil is too fertile to be consigned
20 tares even for one brief season.
c. A. Causey, a long. lanky, right
handed Kid pitcher, sent his signed con-
tract to tho offices of the New York
Giants yesterday. Causey. who is now
in Florida, took the course Of McGraw
instructions at Marlin, Tex. last
spring, but was turned out to Waco
for seasoning. The Texans think him
quite ready to hold his own in anv
company.
few months ago major league
club owners We're in q furry of appre-
hension over the possibility of a dearth
in playing material this year 1t now
looks as If the market will be glutted.
especially by minor league performers
At most. no more than eight, and prob
ably only six. minor leagues will op
crate the coming season.
This fact will make it hard on thc
IVORY hunters, as it will greatly limit
the field for scouting. Most of the
major clubs have parted company with
their scouting stats. Whether slelths
viii be reengaged depends upon the
health of the minor leagues by the
time of the seasons opening