New-York tribune., 1918-02-06
Barnes Should
BeGoodBoxman
With the Giants
Former Brave Allowed Only
2.68 Earned Runs Per
Game in 1917
BY Louis Lee Arms

The 1918 National League pitching
records show that Jess Barnes, who
yesterday notified the club his signed
contract would be forthcoming pres
emily. is much better pitcher than
the won-andlost percentage might In
dicate.
The main thing of which he seemed
guilty last season was playing with
the Boston Braves. He ranked eigh-
teenth among National League fingers
in the matter of earned runs allowed
per game, though he was with club
that finished sixth. The average
against him of 2.6S is doubtless a bet
ter criterion of his pitching ability
than the won and lost percentage of
1872.
Youngster in Making
Barnes is youngster still in the
making, big strapping fellow, who
worked in thirty-four games last year
and pitched 295 innings of ball. 1t is
reasonable to believe that under more
encouraging conditions he would have
turned in higher figures for the season
than he did. The Braves were less
than the ghost of their championship
self in 1917.
With Tesreau apparently slipping
and the further value of Anderson and
Demaree as active right handlers prob
lematical, it would seem McGraw has
executed a move that will go far tow
ard restoring balance to his pitch
ing staff in the acquisition of Barnes.
With Rprr1ft Rornoc onG ihl
George Smith handling the right hand
end OF the fiinging effectively, Sallee,
Schupp and Benton may be counted on
to do all that is necessary in the mat
ter of left-hand pitching.
Lee Magee, exYankee, is said to be
in for one of the biggest salary cuts
ever slipped bali player. From a
contract calling for yearly remuner-
alton of more than S8,000-S 900 for
three years-Magee has been asked to
accept $4,000. 1t is reported from
Cincinnati he is virtual holdout.
Mageo is one of the mysteries of the
diamond. Never great ball player. in
the sense that Cobb, Sisler, Speaker and
others are great. the young Cincin-
NATHAN was at least better than average,
and through his buoyant aggressive
ness made himself of especial value to
the teams he played with.
Yet from the day Colonel Rupert
paid $22, 500 for him Magee seemed to
sink as q ball player He changed so
much that Miller Hugglns, last fall,
scarcely recognized him as the hust-
ling youngster who helped SO greatly
to run the Cardinals third in 1914.
1t probably was American League
pitching that put the skids under Ma
gee. He is q turn-around hitter, uk-
terly. without power to drive in his left
shoulder, and the better pitching bal
ance in the American League under
mined first his average and then, and
more importantly, his brimming conf
dencc.
Unless he gets off on the right foot
next year he may be through as a
major Lacquer, for he has experienced
man of his spirit. Getting started in
good style he may be of considerable
value to the st. Louis Browns-pro-
vided he accepts the inevitable and
signs the contract proffered him.
Meantime he is being roasted in
st. Louis because of the fact that he
told Quinn, the secretary of the
Browns, when that gentleman went to
Cincinnati to sign him at decrease
. per cent salary raise instead
Quinn responded that it was Federal
League concract and that if Magcc
wanted the raise he "would have to get
1T out of the Federal League
Pat O'Conror, who coached Huggins'
batteries when the Mite Manager ran
the Cards third in 1914, and then
hoped to the Pittsburgh Federal
League club. has been engaged to sup
plant Duke Farrell as the bull pen
king with the 1918 Yanks.
O'Ccnnor is happy. .flannel-mouthed
irlshman, who contributes his share
toward keeping club in good spirits.
II be can help gun the Yanks third or
better IN 1918, he will be a welcome
addition.