The sun., 1919-04-20
YANKEES PENNANT
CHANGES R0SEATE
Best Pitching Staff and In
field I'm League Make Club
Formidable.
TEAM Is STRENGTHENED
Lewis, Shore and Other New
corners Give New York Lot
Of Added Power.
TEAM Is STRENGTHENED
BY DANIEL,

that the Yankees would win the Ameri-
can League pennant. Nearly every year
the prediction was justified by the looks
OF the club on paper, but not once have
the American League representatives OF
New York finished In front Sometimes
they have been merely flowers that
bloom In the spring. In other years
they have shown the way for more than
haif the season. only to break down un-
der the final drive OF the opposition
What are the Yankees Of 1919 going
TO do?
Tho Yankees are going TO win the pen
nant True, We have taken the cue from
critics of other springs, but a keen anal
ysis or the proposition will demonstrate
that Miller HuEgins's OUTFIT looks like
the one best bet in the American League
II Higgins is successful In his quest Of
another experienced outhelder and an
other catcher-and We have good rea-
son to believe that he will be successful
we Will double the strength of our pre-
diction and then add even a little more
emphasis.
We believe that the Yankees will win
the pennant because they look like the
strongest outfit not only on paper but
On the field. We think they will finish in
front because they have by far the
greatest pitching staff in the major
leagues, because they have the greatest
infeld in the majors, because they are
copmanded by man who comes close
to being the snartest baseball man in
either league. and because they have the
pitchers who are certain to beat the
club We expect will give them the hard
est fisht-the Red Sox.
Mig OutneId Improvement.
Wherein do tho Yankees of this sea-
son differ from those OF 1918? For one
thing they differ In the outfe!d. Ping
Bodie is the lone survivor of the regu-
lar outfield OF last year. for G!lhooey
was traded to the Red Sox, High has
been sent to Toledo and Miller to
st. Paul. In place OF the rather
rnakeshft outfeld he had last season
1uggins will open with Duffy Lewis in
centre field, Bodie In left field and either
George Halas, Sam Wick or Bill Lamar
IN riaht. II either of these youngsters fails
to make good New York fans may be
sure that the club will obtain an ex-
pe,ienced man by trade. for the Yankees
hold the whip hand In pitchers and
practically every other club In the
league is bowling for hurlers.
Lewis. hero OF worlds series. played
10 baseball last season, but from what
We saw of him on the training trip we
feel safe In saying that he is the Lewis
Of old. He is fielding like the same old
Tia Bile Lewis OF Red Sox fame. He is
lifting just hard as ever and in ad-
di'on he has contributed his indomita BILE
,pirit. lie has made his mates feel
that they really are the class OF the
league and that IL they develop the
proDer spirit they will take that flag
just as surely as Thornmaien is a left
handler
Lewis will make a pleasing change in
Ito outficld New York fans will zee a
iran who makes catching a hard fly
look like taking candy from child. He
f. covering Il lot of ground. a factor that
has led Husgins to shift HIM from left
field, which ne played all through the
stay ut Jacksonville to centre, where he
will have a bigger precinct. Bodie will
have TO cover the sInfield at the Polo
Grounds. This surely VIII affect Pings
batting average. for the sunield makes
a difference Of about twenty points in Il
mans hitting. But Ping IL not worry
ing, and is all SCI 10 bust the old apple"
HaIas n Likely Youns.ter.
TIalas is youngster who played with
the Great Lakes Naval Station nine last
year. and before that with the Univer-
SIN OF Illinois. ADlS cTlllCS last year
predicted that he would develop into "a
ma jor league star. He is az fast as
they come, a good Judge OF n ball and a
first class fielder, After making most
favorable impression at Jacksonville he
sprang charleyhorse. and ii has re-
tarded his development. Should Halas
fail TO come through. higgins will use
Wick who Is terrific hitter against
speed and a good hitter against curve,
but not what might be called a first rate
outhelder Wick has bad habit OF
watching the ball all the time aftcr 1,
leaves the bat and soon he finds him
self running around in a circle. II he
eradicates that fault he will make d
great bail player.
As alternates for Halas and Wick,
Ilugglns has Frank Kane and Frank
O'Doul. Kane is young fellow OF
pleasing baseball habit and manner
who hit .302 with Providence two years
ago in the International League. He Is
a left handed hitter and fast fielder
and a. may be that when the final choice
q made he will patrol the right field al
the POLO Grounds.
O'Doul is left handed pitcher who
has a habit OF hitting. He has shown
ability as an outhelder and Huggins iT
the long run may decide TO convert him
into regular guardian Of the outer
works.
At any rate, u DOul Is sure 10 SUCK
for he gives Higgins worker Nho cal
40 two things. and that Is sort o.
handy man to have around when th'
player limit Is twenty-one. ODoul wor
twelve games and lost seven for SaI
Francisco In the Pacific Coast Leagu,
last year and the Yankees got him b.
draft
Best Inaeid In League.
Dodie did we'll enough last year. but h
is going to do even better this season
Higgins has got him out Of the habl
OF grabbing the bat at the butt end ap'
swinging for n home run every time
Ping IL choking the bat has changed hi
stand at the plate. and is getting bet
ter results. lie is pretty fast for a BIZ
fellow and ~ a far better ball plsye
than he generally IL credited with beins
Now for the Yankee infield. Here "
have no changes from the 1918 combine
ton. Wsllis Pipp In OH first, Del Prat
on second Roger Peckinpaugh at shor
and Frank Baker at third. Show us
stronger infeld In the league Pipp al
A resdy IA hitting like his old self, and 3
y in Pratt Peck is playing right up I
his best form We have not seen Bake
az vet. but we believe that he will prov
the same old reliable third sacber an
hard hitter.
tx,uso, FAUster will be untility IN