The Bridgeport times and evening farmer., 1918-04-15
GIANTS PINNED
FOR FIRST TILT
Start 1918 Grind Tomorrow
With Brooklyn Dodgers
at Polo Grounds.

New York, April 15-The Giants ar
rived home at midnight after a five
week Southern training jaunt This
afternoon at the Polo Grounds the
first and second teams battle rivals
in a two play affair.
The first game will find the Yanni-
gans in combat with the Inner-Seals,
and as soon as this is decided the Reg
ulars will hook up with the Inter-
borough Stars. Manager McGraw
plans to use all of his men at some
stage or other in these exhibitions.
There are only two ways of deduct
ing the possibilities of a ball club for
the coming season. One is to say the
team looks better than ever, will walk
home in the race, will have the pen
nant cinched by the middle of July,
and son on.
The other is to say the players look
like antiquated fossils, cannot see a
ball coming over the plate, don't
know what a bat is for and along
those lines for ever.
Therefore, taking up the outlook
of the Giants in the coming race, one
is compelled to say they belong to
the first class. Consequently, one is
forced to declare they should repeat
last years performance and lead their
rivals under the wire.
The personnel is almost the same as
last year with the exception of Ross
Young in Davy Robertson's shoes, and
Larry Doyle replacing Herzog at Sec
ond. And in the opinion of those who
follow the Giants in and out of sea-
son the changes will rebound to the
favor of the club. Young gives prom
Use of being the sensation of the sea-
son. He is fast, can hit and possesses
the golden advantage of youth. He is
just past 20, but handles himself like
a veteran.
Larry Doyle returns to his old love
as another link in the strong offensive
| chain. He is playing like the Larry
| of olden days, and comes back with
the well wishes of his comrades. Then
| one must say that Jesse Barnes, the
| right handed twirler, will be heard
| from. McGraw considers him a
strong brace to his pitching mob and
figures he will win a lot of contests.
While the Herzog deal, which
brought Doyle and Barnes to the
Giants, hasn't been definitely settled,
| it is more than probable it will shape
itself all right. Herzog would hardly
| care to wear the uniform of a club
which doesn't want him. If he per-
| sists, however, it will cost the Giants
not a few games, for the absence of
Doye and Barnes will be heavily felt
Getting back to the real bulwark of
strength-the old line-up-that looks
as good as ever. This is a big ad-
| vantage to a club constituted as are
the Giants, for each man knows the
others move to a nicely. Of the pres
ent makeup the only player apt to be
| called to the colors is Benny Kauff.
| The latter can field as well, if not
better than Benny. The latter, how
ever, has it on Without when it comes
to swatting the leather. AS it now
stands it is problematical when Kauff
will be called. It may be he will last
out the season. In the meantime,
Without is being groomed for the spot
in case Benny should leave.
| 1t is stretching matters little to
/ talk of the pitching staff's ability.
During the first few weeks the hurl-
ers didn't appear to answer the whip
as desired, but within the past few
days they seemed to show miraculous
improvement. Anderson is probably
the most advanced, and in his twirl-
ing against the Indians last Wednes-
day he booked like fast money. Tes-
reau is entirely recovered from his
indisposition of last year and the big
fellow should come through cleverly
Sallee will be ready in about a week,
as will Perritt.
Demaree is in fair condition, and
while not as dependabel as the 9th
ers, can be figured on to be of some
assistance Rube Benton needs
couple of weeks of warm weather to
get him tossing properly. Schupp
didn't show anything Of his old self in
his few outings on the mound. The
other day, however, he declared his
arm was in perfect shape and a few
days work would set him right.