Grand Forks herald. [volume] (Grand Forks, N.D.) 1916-1955, 1918-04-19
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CHANCE CUBS
MUCHSTR0NCER
Chicago Has Great Pitching
Staf-Few Cleveland
Bags Uncertain.
Chicago Forecast.

SS>0N'
y club of a year ago is Manager
Fred Mitehelrs boast Of the Chicago
Nationals this season. The new
strength Of the club appears to be in
the acquisition Of Catcher Killifer,
who was purchased from the Phila-
delphia club. n George Tyler, a
southpaw. obtained from Boston in a
trade involving Larry Doyle.
Experts rate Mitchell's pitching
staff as one Of the strongest in the
league. The Chicago pilot has
Waugh. Douglas, Tyler, Carter and
cruit pitchers are Harry Waiver and
James Walkers, leaders respectively
IN the Eastern and Southern leagues.
Mitchell is enthusiastic about both.
The infield will be chiefly compos-
Of youngsters. Charles Holfocher,
a STRIPPING Of a youth just past his
birthday. is expected to
develop into a star at short. He had
a, brilliant record for fielding i'll the
Pacific Coast league last season.
Mitchell expects to start Charlie Deal
at third base and kilduff. who form
erly was with the Giants. at second,
Merklc apparently is certain to be re-
tanned at first. Mann, Paskert and
Flack probably will start the season
in the outf1eld. Zeider, Workman and
DAILY will be avoilable as utility play
ers.
Mitchell considers the team a fifty
per cent improvement owe the team
Of last season.
II have several reasons for think
ing So" he said. "First. we have the
greatest pitching staff the Cubs have
ever had, and we have a. catcher that
r0mnQFrC fQ trNa hvS- upSth = TAi~n =.
King when he was at his best. There
isn't a better catcher in the game to-
day than killifer. l expect some
wonderful work from the pitching
staff with killifer to handle it..
Barring accidents and bad luck,
we will go into the ace in fine shape.
I am enthusiastic over the outlook,
and do not know of any club. not bar
ring New York or Cincinnati, that il
going to keep US from fighting for the
championship"
and engaged in a score of practice
games with Pacific Coast league clubs
and other teams en- route home.
Cleveland Forecast.
Manager Lee Fohl, of the Cleveland
Americans feels that it's the Chicago
White Sox against the field in the
American league race this year and
that his team has as good a chance as
any of the other even to beat out
Chicago.
The Cleveland 1917 outfeld is in
tact. barring sickness or injuries, this
year, with Speaker in center, Graney
In left and Roth in right. In case OF
either Roth or Speaker being drafted,
has Floyd Farmer and Joe
Wood. former Boston star pitcher, for
o%utielders. Wood has shown great
fielding ability in practice. and IL he
can regain his old batting eye and hit
the ball like he did in 1912-13. he will
make a good substitute outielder or
first baseman. in he does not
make n successful comeback as a
pitcher.
First and third bases arc the un-
certainties in the infield. Chapman
will play shortstop and Wambeganse
second base. Marty Kavanagh will
Miller, a recent acquisition from the
New Orleans club. is likely to give
kavanagh a hard hight for the berth.
It's a toss-up between the newcomer,
Gus Getz. and the veteran. Terry
Turner. for third base. with the
chances in favor of Getz.
Cleveland has lost Pitcher Klepfer.
Catcher DeBerry. First aseban Harris
and OutHelder Elmer Smith, in the
draft, besides some young pitchers.
Louis Guisto and several others en-
Although Pitcher Bagby
showed holdout tendencies earlier in
the training. he will be available.
Despite these handicaps Cleveland
has Morton. Coveleskie, Bob and
Groom and Counabe. all reported to
be in good shane. in addition to sew
eral young pitchers.
and Williams.
Tho probable line-up for the first
game follows: Graney, II: Chapman.
ss: Speaker. CT; Roth. ri; Wambs-
Eanss. Oh; Kavanagh. lib; Getx, 3b;
O'Neill. c. and Coveleskie, p.