Evening star., 1919-05-10
HARPER TO PITCH
IF It CLEARS UP
Bad Weather Knocks Out
Yesterdays Washington
New York Contest.
TO SHIFT BATTING ORDER
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

NEW YORK, May 10.-Bad weather
| is causing the postponement of so
many games that Washingtons
pitching staff will be severely
taxed when the double-headers
necessitated by cancellation of
games fall due. Including that
of yesterday. when the Grintmen were
prevented from making their initial
appearance of the season at the Polo
Grounds, five contests have been call
ed off because of untoward meteoro-
logical conditions, two with the Ath-
Ietics at the capital and one each in
Philadelphia, Boston and this city.
An unusual feature of the postpone
ments is that only one of them. that
at Shibe Park. was traceable to RAIN
cold weather being the reason for the
other four. Incidentally, the list may
be increased to six today. Tor there
is a raw, chilling wind prevailing ana
the official forecast warns that oe-
scending moisture IS on the program
for this afternoon
Ordinarily it might be figured the
Nationals would be no more hand1-
capped than their opponents oy nav
ing to stage two battles IN one da!'
but it so happens the Washington
in the league. numbering only SIX,
with Harry Thompson assigned to the
outfield in Milan's absence. Most or
the other teams have eight huriers,
and one of them has nine.
Johnson, Shaw. Harper. Craft. How
Iik and Ayers are the fingers Griffith
now has available for use. and of this
list only johnson and Harper have
demonstrated they are to be rened
upon. 1t is true Shaw has won pair
of games. but both were accounted
for by his newly developed penchant
for manufacturing circuit clouts, as
he has been hammered hard on every
appearance save one and then Wild
ness caused him to be withdrawn.
Hovlik's experience has been similar
to Shaw's, minus the b1udgeon work.
while Craft has been on view only
two or three rounds at a time. and
Ayers has yet to show his wares. The
Doctor was scheduled to start his
first game yesterday. but hardly Will
be called upon for duty now until the
team undertakes it's invasion of the
west next week.
Harper will be sent to the mound
in the first clash of the season be-
tween the Nationals and Yankees il
a game is staged today. as Harry does
not work on Sundays. 1t is likely
George Mogridge will toll for the enc
my, thus making left-handed after
noon of it. Johnson has been adver-
tised to appear on the hill tomorrow
in the first American League game
ever played in New York city on a
Sunday, in which event Shaw will
perform in the final of the series
Monday. Had it been possible to play
yesterday there would have been no
game Monday: but with Tuesday an
off day in the schedule the Griffs will
have plenty of time to make the
jump to Cleveland and make ready
for three-game set with the In
dians, which is to open Wednesday.
Manager Griffith finally has deter
mined to switch his batting order to
take advantage of the long g-distance
clouting Joe Judge has been indulging
in this spring. Under the new ar
rangement Menoskey will lead off, fol-
lowed by Foster. and with Judge in
third place. Next after him will come
Rice, then Shanks, Thompson, Jan
vrin and the battery. 1t was Griffiths
intention to have Judge and Milan
change places in the lineup, the lat
ter's illness spelling this plan. Aside
from Milan and Judge, Menoskey and
Shanks are the only players on the
club capable of breaking" fast ahead
of Foster on the hit and run. Mike
really has not been playing long
enough this spring to be ready to do
hlmseif justice. but the boss figures
placing the responsibility Of leading
on on his shoulders may help him to
round into form rapidly, and he wants
to keep Shanks lower down in the
list in order to take advantage Of the
| annual spring humping Hank is due
| TO start most any day now. Besides
the records prove that. despite being a
| llght hitter. Howard ranks among the
! most Valuab bic membe on the club t
the business of driving in runs
The change will not be effected to-
! day if Miller Huggins sends a south
paw hurler TO the hill against the Ma
| tionals, however, as Menoskey will be
| replaced by Charity, a right-handed
| hitter who will follow Rice in the
| batting order. whenever a portsider is
tolilng for the opposition.
Griffith was in conference with Man
| aSer McGraw of the Giants who yes
terday returned from Pittsburgh.
where he interviewed Branch Rickey
and Barney Dreyfuss in regard to an
old friend of the millions rumors-
Davey Robertson. The latter has join
ed the New York club and got into a
| game Thursday as pinch runner. but
Is slated to be disposed of az soon as
| McGraW can arrange some deal that
| Will give him a catcher or a left
| handed pitcher Reports are current
| here that the triangular swap that
| would make Robertson Grirman,
| Lavan Cardinal and Gonzales a
| Giant may yet be consummated but
| Griff says there is no progress to re-
| port along that line. the Pirates and
| Cubs having shown no signs of will
, lingness TO waive on Robey.
| Manager Griffith was notified yeNer-
| day that the time Emit for claiming z
| Bill Jacobson. on whom the st. Louis
| Browns asked waivers more than two
| weeks ago, has expired He may be
| notified by the Browns of their will
| fngness TO sell the giant outf1elder.
| however. in which case he will offer
J the waiver price. $1,000.