New-York tribune., 1918-04-15
Higgins Confident of Team $
Strength. but Laments
Loss of Shawkey
By Wood Ballard

Well be there"
This was the parting word throwr
back to handful cf Yankee followers
who were at the Pennsylvania Station
near the midnight hour when Miller
Huggins left for Washington with his
team for the opening game of the
American League season.
The mite manager" doesn't talk
much, and for this reason his final re-
marx may be taken with more than
ordinary significance. 1t means that
Huggins has confidence in his play
ers, and 1t is certain that the players
nave confidence In Higgins. This is
half the battle in a baseball contest.
The entire roster of players was on
hand for the trip to the Capital City,
with the exception of AL Walters. the
midget backstop. who is out of the
game for a month with an injured
niger. In the meantime Huggins will
depend upon MUDDY" Ruel. the chat
tering catcher, and Truck Hannah, who
can't remember a day when he missed
playing ball, to take care of the re-
celving end of the pastime. Frank
Baker will join the team at Wash
ington, as will also Wilson Fewstcr
OF late international League fame,
Hho was prevented from accompanying
the Yankees on their Southern trip
because of an illness from grip.
Shawkey Is Needed
II don't know of anything else thas
can be said," was the way Hugginy
put it last night at his hotel be.orr
leaving for the train. "As have sai1
ing staff. l had depended upon Boz
Shawkey to win big share of h.a
games, but since he has joined the
service we are jus. that much lacking
IN the pitching department. I have
no idea who we viii get to fill Shaw
Keys place, but we are in the market
Tor another pitcher.
THE failure of Plank to report has
also been a disappointment. Eddie
would have been invaluable to u.
Aside from winning a fair number OF
games he would have been of assist
ance to the young pitchers, of which
we have a promising few.
81 won't use Caldwell in the opening
game tomorrow. Ray is in excellent
condition, but have other plans for
him. Either Mogridge or Russell will
oppose the Senators in the opening:
struggle. Either one is ready for tho
job"
That Higgins is satisfied with the
results of his sojourn in his camp at
Macon, Ga, is evidenced by the smile
Of old Cardinal days, which has sup
planted the look of uncertain worry
which marked him while a. Macon,
when he was dealing with a new and
unknown quantity. That he has
whipped his squad into playing form
he is confident. He will have one 90
the most aggressive teams on the Ban
johnson circuit And Pratt and Bodie
will ha not a liftla "a
gressiveness
Just at present Miller is hoping tha;
his heavy hitters, among whom are
Baker, Pratt, Bodie and Pipp, all men
who yearn for the extra base effect,
Will be able to stem the tide until his
pitching department can be strength
ened. or at least proves to be not the
uncertain quantity that it at presen IA
seems to be. Of his infield he is con-
fdent. 1t will take something more
than the proverbiai sizzler to get out
where the grass grows, and with the
exception of Peckinpaugh they are all
sluggers, and what Peck lacks as a
hltter-weli. some one once said that
he is the best shortstop in the game.
No Worry Over Outfield
If Miller continues the good worl:
which he has shown during the train
ing period there is no need to worrv
about the outneld. Bodie can take care
OF his end Of the game, and whatever
Frank Gilhooley lacks as a hitter he
makes up in his speed and ability to
land safely on the first bag. If Mar
sans is In condition when he reports
Higgins viii have aided mis- outfield
quite a bit
The team is also strong in substi-
tutes Sam Wick, lately of the South
ern Association, and Bill Lamar, of the
detunct nternationals. can fiji in in
the outtield with Hughie High, and
both are dependable men at bat Aaron
ward, Zlnn Beck and Fewster are the
second string men for the infeld posi-
tions. P0''
And the Yankees believe in Hug
gins. That's why there was such an
air of confidence when the team went
to bed in their berths at the Penn.
ssylvania Station last night. They are
the most determined lot of ball players
enc has seen in long time, and they
expect Walter Johnson to pitch against
them to-day