The Birmingham age-herald., 1918-04-12
White and Red Sox Are Only Contenders tor American League Honors-Poor Pirates and Athletics Are
 Doomed to the Cellar Positions
ny HUGH S. FULLERTON HOW THE TEAMS RANK AMEpICAN ACHE

~ l4b loll loSo IO,S44
 3240 1868 1901 10,860
 3293 1902 1572 10,810 the Giants or the Reds in case of ac- cidents or disab ilities in the pitching staffs. If either the Giants or the Reds slip, the Cards and Cubs with their strong defensive staffs will become dangerous.
 The American league divides natur- ally into three groups this season. Chicago and Boston contenders for highest honors; Cleveland, New York
 and Detroit and St. Louis closely punched with St. Louis liable to de- velop more and more strength as the season progresses because of wealth
 of raw pitching material, and Wash ington and Philadelphia far down. In fact, Washington is saved only from being lower in the dope because of
 Johnston's strength and the still re- maining individual strength of the waning stars of the club. Philadelphia shows improvement and will be harder to beat this season than it wass last | especially during the early part of the year. The veteran Gardner Burns, l Walker and Cady, acquired in trades, | fense that contrasts strongly with the l Brightness of the team that started last season.
 ATHLETICS STILL WEAK
 The Mackmen do not figure to win many more games than they won last year-because the pitching still re-
 mains weak-but it will be team
 that will make things hard for all nd ayi11 eff r of other teams using their weak pitchers against the Athletics and saving the stars to bear stronger clubs. The man : ager who attempts to save pitchers in Philadelphia this season is liable to
 boost the Athletics out of last place. The changes in team strength since II figured the position strengths few
 weeks ago have not been great. Chica- :
 go has gained few points in the out
 field, due to Rowland's decision to use
 Murphy steadily in right field. New
 York has gained hitting strength in the outfield, Detroit has shown a slight slump in pitching, St Louis gain on
 the infield. although only few points while Washington shows loss in both outfield and pitching strength. this loss
 however, not being very important.
 GIANTS STRONG IN BOX
 The National league gives New York a gain in pitching and would show a loss in the outfield but for the fact that I figured on Robertson's loss and the possible Cor probable) loss ot Kauff before sending in the figures Chicago Cubs have made gain in the outfield which may increase. Boston shows q rather heavy infield loss and
 Philadelphia an outf1eld loss and a pitching gain.
 The National league may be grouped in three punches, with New York and Cincinnati in the first, Brooklyn and Pittsburg in the last and the others closely matched, with St. Louis lead ing.
 There still remains the element oi uncertainty because of the draft. Ths gains and losses thus far shown (since we started this doping) are due chief. ly to retirement of players for various reasons-salary cutting being the most important. True most of the dissatis- ! fled ones have come into the fold, but We must count not only those who re. l main out of the fold but must deduct from the value of those who come ir because they will not be satisfied en- tirely.
 The chances are that those who will be drafted into the army will be with the teams great part of the season with few exceptions.
 WEAK SPOTS
 The weak spots of teams as revealed / by the dope are numerous. The White Sox being the most perfectly formed their only weakness being pitching and that will not exist unless Fabel is called; Boston will be weak in the outfield and in catching; Cleveland al
 third base; the Yankees in catching and one Outfield position: St. Louis ir the outfield and probably in pitching although Jones has material enough to remedy that; Washington is weak in four positions, and Philadelphia is below par in two outield and two in. field positions and lacks punch. In the National the Giants art strong everywhere, catching being 1t. worst outfitted department. The out field will not be quite as. good. Cincin natl is consistently strong everywhere if the pitching staff is not cut by tht war. St. Louis is evenly balanced il every department. Chicago Cubs show' great strength in pitching and catch ing, average strength in the outfielt and much uncertainty on the infield which is the weak department. Tn, | great weakness of the Cubs is lack O hitting power and Mitchell has devoted
 his entire spring training to stfivinl to gain punch. He Is great catcher and will add to the attacking strengtl of his team--but not much because hi men haven't it in them. St. Louis ha tremendous latent possibilities. Tn, team was hurt by the slashing of sal
 aries and the effect will remain for . long time.
 BRAVES RECONSTRUCTED Boston presents a problem. Stalling
 has busted the disturbing factors tha ruined last years team and has con
 structed quite a ball club. It has Ru
 dolph and Nehf strong pair, and i
 additional pitching strength develops
 to support them Gin addition t,
 Hughes) the team may prove nor,
 formidable by June 15 than it nov
 seems. The Phils have been torn t, pieces and then wrecked while being l reconstructed. Moran has little ma terial and a bunch of holdouts and dis satisfied players. He is a great man ager, with a hard problem to slove : Pittsburg is coming; the team is not il
 shape to win many games, but 1t is get } ting stronger and is much healthier
 than it was last year, although stil
 rating eighth.
 z In the next article we will appl, lthese figures--the known offensive ans defensive strengths of teams-to tn.