New-York tribune., 1919-04-20

with problem. Miller Higgins has
not yet reached final decision as to
who shall lead off. 1t may be George
Halas, the young University of Illinois
player. who came from Great Lakes
Training School to join the team 1t
may be young Samuel Wick, the boy
wonder of the Southern League. Halas
is q good youngster and Wick is a great
ball player in embryo.
Of course, the owners and the man
ager Of the Yanks are still hoping to
get an outfielder of experience and
speed for this place, but where is one
available? q? 1t looks as though not even
money would buy one. "And expert
enced outfelders do not drop from
heaven" Miller Higgins remarked
sagely "The minors can get players
from the majors, but the majors have
to develop them"
Veteran for Second Place
While the Yanks seem doomed to
start their attack with a result,
they have one of the best of the vet
erans in second place. This is Roger
Peckinpaugh, Old Reliable Roge, who
plays baseball with his head as well as
his hands and his feet. Roger knows
when and how to bunt and he also has
a happy faculty of crossing the intield-
ers once in while when they try to
do his thinking for him.
Walter Pipp, who is starting the sea-
son with mad walloping frenzy, prob
ably will be the third man with the
club. Pipp seems to be steadily climb
ing and should reach his real hitting
gait this year.
Home Run Baker has promised to
give his best to the team this year. AS
l. !,
of disappointment to the owners, who
paid a fancy price for him. Luck seemed
to have been against the agriculturist
of Trappe. Maryland. But Baker is
conscientious player and wants to make
returns. If he bats anything like he
did in the days when he earned his
Sobriquet, the driving force of the
Yankee tank will be something to be
dreaded
Following Baker will be George
Dutfy Lewis the canny Native Son. The
Beau Brummel Of the American League
promises to aid and abet the earnest
Yankee endeavor to mingle in worlds
series. Duffy is contented this year
and is more interested in things in gen
eral than he has been for some time.
Derrll Pratt, who never has been
poor hitter, will add some driving force
In the attack. Ping Bodie, who busted
many fence in the Pacific Coast
League, is one of the problems. Ping
started the spring series with very
low batting average and finished it
with the mumps.
Either of the two regular catchers,
Muddy Ruel and Truck Hannah, is
likely to connect for hit Hannah,
more than one bag. Ruel places his
drives and is not looked upon as cinch
by any of the pitchers.
Taking the Yankee machine on the
offensive, it does not look like weak
aggregation, even though it starts
with question mark. 1t depends upon
how this machine is worked and or
ganized. 1t lacks speed--the manager
frankly admits that 1t lacks the fight
ing spirit. These are two essentials
to bring a team into the pennant class,
and they must be developed. Tenn
peramentally, the Yankees are q quiet
and almost respondent looking lot of
athletes. They will have to be driven
out Of that frame of mind.
On the defensive Miller Higgins has
as formidable a bunch Of hurlers as
can be found in any major league club
Shore, Mogridge, Shawkey. Thormah-
len, are tried and ready for any gruell-
ing series of games. The absence O.
Dutch Leonard is something of q dis
appointment, of course, but an ab
sentee is better than discontented o,
Indifferent player. Jack Quinn, Pet,
O'Doul complete the list of boxmen
unless the erratic Allan Russell, VIII,
pitches wonderful ball in spurts, shoult
be retained.
With Baker back the Yankees will
have almost everything in the defen
sive in the infeld that could be desired
Certainly the owners of the Yank.
would not trade their first baseman fo
any in either league. But his absenc,
was felt keenly in the exhibition series
Peckinpaugh, though he developed tn
son, got the kinks out Of himself an
whirling through the infield as onl
can whirl. He still remains tn
test and snappiest Of all the short
ops.
Pratt seemed bit slow and uncer
tam In his fielding at the start. Par
of this was due to the poor conditio
of the infelds in tho sticks. But tn
Chances are that the scorer this yea
Will sing with great frequency that lin
OF Grantland Rice's: "Peckinpaugh t
Pratt to Pipp."
Duffy Lewis will play left field Tha
section of the garden will be we'll al
tended too for the Beau Brummel Sc
dom boots or misjudges them. Also h
still has the whip to shoot them il
There is some difference between Pin
bodle, VINO viii cover center field fc
the Yanks, and iris Speaker The
methods are different among othe
things. The right field Will 20 to on
Of the youngsters, the question mark.
Behind the bat the Yanks will hay
two dependable catchers. On tf
skctchy showing Of the early sprin
time, Muddy Ruel, the youngster. ma
win for himself the work in most ,
ne games. His discoverer, Old Be
filks declares that he is a great,
catcher than Walters and predicts tn;
will soon be the envy Of the leagu
or one thing, Rucl uses his head ar
il full Of fight, rarity among II
aanks.
Ruel's Queer Throw
Some critics cannot see Rucl becaui
r his queer motion in swapping II
alb 10 second. They claim that tn
lcvitably will result in his running h
nm. But Robert Gilks points out tn;
Zig" Clark, one Of the greatest catcI
- Of them all "uscd the same sort
iotion," and it wasn't "Nig's" arm tn,
svc out" GiIks added.
Hannah though he appears to be to
sayy and all too sugRestive Of Ri
4 Sweeney ir a thoroughly depcndabl
atchcr. The new lad, Red Baldwin
ooks az though he would 6cvelop. Har
an ia TIE one man that Babe Rut
ztes To have bnhini whom hc traee