Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-08-31

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Here's howdydo: the study of the
pitching strength of the Chicago
Cubs and the Boston Red SoX in
which I expected to reveal marked
superiority for one or the other club,
shows the two teams practically
equal.
True, the Cubs have a big lead in
straight pitching-the defensive part
of the game-but that is overcome
of the Red Sox pitchers who are
about the most able citizens on base
ball in that department.
True, also, it is the individual
slugging ability of Babe Ruth and his
liability to break up a game at any
moment that gives the Red SoX their
advantage in that department., an
advance not overcome to any great
extent by the fact that Claude Hen
dirk can so some in the slugging
line himself
We find now that the teams are
to all intents and purposes evenly
matched. Boston has the advantage
in the outfield. Chicago holding q
light edge in the infield and big
lead on catching, while Chicago mas
the edge on straight pitching which
is offset to q measure by the hitting
OF Ruth.
In ordinary worlds series the
pitchers and catchers hold all the
balance of power and l expected to
find one or the other team possess
that balance this year. To discover
that they do not makes the study
of individual pitchers more and more
important. In fact, it looks now
as If the series will be decided by
the skill of the managers in select
ing pitchers to work against certain
other pitchers, as we will discover
| when we come to analyse the teams
as a whole. l have been purposely
holding back that whole study of the
teams to the last minute to hgufe
the effect of grounds and place OF
playing the games upon the teams,
and also to wait to see whether any
last minute changes are mado In
the clubs.
1t looks as if it will be a tough
series.
Mitchell is a man who chooses his
pitchers without much regard and
starts him, letting the other manager
do the guessing. And great deal
depends this time upon which pitch
/ er Barrow names to start the series,
since it is practically cinch that
Mitchell will open with Vaughn.
The fact is that l expect Mitchell
will use Vaughn. then Tyler, then.
if the series goes we'll for him, Hen
dirk, and come back with the same
three, Douglass being held for emer-
! gencies.
| Boston, it would seem to almost
everyone, would open with Ruth, yet
| the chances are that Barrow will
start with right handler and he
may spring a surprise to the big
show with Jones.
Jones has a chance to be the Babe
| Adams of this series. He is a pitch
er who has been held at low rat
| ing because of his inactivity and
this season he has come along grad
ually almost unnoticed. In fact, un-
| til Leonard left the club Jones was
not figured upon to any great extent
| as o. vital element in the club.
He has learned to pitch, which is
about all the change there is to him.
He has an odd manner of delivery
which makes his fast ball appear
faster than it is, and its on top of
you in a second" according to oppos-
! ing players. His curve is just fair
and his chief strength lies in mixing
up his. queer floating slow ball with
his unexpected speed.
Ruth, of course, depends largely
upon his terrific power. He is a
tremendously strong boy, almost tire
less. and he has great speed and a
cracking curve.
Bush, of course, is speed mer-
chant. with a tremendous fast ball
and a curve, and Mays is the oldest
freak pitcher of the game, man
whose chief reliance is upon an
underhand fast ball which he can
make to break in on right hander
and away from the left handlers.
Mays is marvellous pitcher when
he has control but an easy mark
when his underhand ball is not
breaking where he wants it to break.
He ought to be used in the games in
which KLEIN umpires behind the Dat
| because KLEIN can see those low
; breaking fast balls better than any
ump in the business, and a lot of
jumps will not give Mays the corners
| on account of the way the BAN
! shoots
1t is tough thing to dope how a
{ team in another league Will act
against Mays because there is moth
ing like him in the National. I sup
| pose Mitchells strategy will be TO
wait and perhaps to bunt, which is
| hard to do even for as strong bunt-
| ing team as the Cubs when Mays is
in possession of all his speed.
Ruth cannot be figured as effective
as he has been. Some of the Keen
ness has been taken from his pitch
ing by his work in the outfield and
he is plainly in need of rest in spite
of his great strength.
Vaughn, of course, is Mitchelrs
ace. He has been a great pitcher
! for years but only recently began
to take the game seriously. He has
behaved himself. kept in perfect
! condition and has worked for his
! team this year as we'll as for him
self. His condition seems near the
top and the ten days of easy work
and preparation ought to send him
into the big show in fine shape.
Tyler, while not having the "stuff''
| Vaughn possesses, is going to be a
hard problem for the Red Sox. He
has one of the incest slows in the