The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1916-1920, 1919-03-17
BAKER BRIGHTENS
YANKEES CHANGES
Return Of Third Baseman
Means q Lot to New
York Club.
HOLDOUT SQUAD SMALL
Shore, Leonard and Pratt I'm
signed-Three Giants
Also Are Out.
BY FREDERICK G.. LIEB.

Frank Bakers decision TO play with
NE Yankees for another season greatly
clears the New York American situation
Tho owners Of the club and Miller Hug
gins were overjoyed yesterday at their
success in persuading Baker to rejoin
the team.
While the Yankees are mt n one
man club, the New York attack has been
puiIt around Baker ever since he came
mere In 1916. and what success came TO
the club, in the last few years was due
largely to Bakers prowess. He would
have ripped an awful gap in the Yankee
rneh had he stuck to his determination
not to play big league ball again
RogerPeckinpau ugh. shortstop and cap
tain OF the Yankees. signed last week,
as did Pitchers Allan Russell and George
Mogridge. AS Ray Fisher was relea sed
last Saturday to Cincinnati IL reduces
the Yankee holdouts to three-Ernie
Shore and Hubert Leonard. pitchers, OBJ
tained in the Red Sox deal. and Derriil
Pratt. second baseman.
The club might get along without
Pratt, now that Bakers return is as
sured. as Wilson Fewster. a fine young
infielder, could play second base. He
Is far better fielder than Pratt, but
his hitting ability still Ii to be proved
He does not hit a ball hard. jabbing
light singles through the infield and de-
pending on his speed to beat out infield
hits. He Is little fellow and may in
time develop into another player Of the
Higgins type.
HcrEog May Como Here.
However. In tho event that Pratt.
does not play HerzoR Is likely TO come
here. The club has sounded Herzog on
what he would take for the season and
he asks the $4,000 his Brave contract
calls for. The Yankees could procure
Herzog for the waiver price. No Ma
tional League club will take him with
that contract and a request for waivers
on Herzog was sent to the American
League.
Pitchers Shore and Leonard are ex-
pected to come to terms this week. Both
men are high calibre athletes who drew
big salaries with the Boston club ever
since the Federal League days and Leon
ard also made a demand for part OF the
purchase money which Frazee received
for his release. However. both are ball
players and baseball Is their business, so
they cannot afford to remain idle. Shore
resigned a commission as Ensign In the
navy to return TO the diamond. so there
Is little doubt that he will appear at the
Jacksonville camp.
With Baker again lined up Yankee
prospects for the new season actually
look most bright. 1t again assures the
club Of a vicious punch. whether Pratt,
Herzog or Fewster plays second base or
not. Baker, Pipp, Lewis and Bodie are
four maulers who at long range hitting
are excelled by no other quartet in base
tall.
The pitching situation looks more
promising than any time since 1910,
when George Stallings's Yankee pitching
star of Ford. Vaughn. Quinn. Fisher.
Caldwell, warhop and Hughes was the
envy OF every manager in the league. In
Shore, Shawkey. Schneider and Russell.
right handlers, and Leonard and Mo-
gridge, southpaws, Higgins has one Of
the best balanced pitching STATS ever
possessed by n local club.