New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1919-12-14
Robinson Seeks
For a Stronger
Infield Lineup
Uncle Wilbert Satisfied With
Outer Gardeners; Hopes
to Improve Catching End
By ilbert Robinson
Manager of Brooklyn Dodgers

National League people generally
are pleosed with the season Of 1919.
Every club in the circuit made money.
Naturally it is to be expected that
such encouragement will be reflected
in a great many ways beneficial to the
game.
Indeed the leaven has already begun
to work. At the National League meet
ing it was decided to permit the clubs
to train six weeks prior to the OPEN
ing of the season Formerly our teams
were limited to four weeks. The
longer training perior will be fairer
to the recruits. 1t will give the man.
ayers longer time to school green ma
terial.
The National League evidently in
tends to fight for the laurels which
were won in the last worlds series
certain advantages. That association
enjoyed a larger roster limit, for one
thing. | am not one to advocate the
carrying of unnecessary extra play
crs; but sensible leeway is dcsira Bile
when q club happens to be running in
hard luck.
Hard Hit By War
think [ can promise the fans of
Brook n and greater New York bet
ter line of entertainment at Ebbets
Field than was presented last summer.
Brooklyn was partlcu. arly hard hit by
the war. Many of our best men did not
get out of the service in time to take
advantage of the spring training at
Jacksonville. Then, on the eve of the
champ ionship campaign, Schmandt, one
Of Brooklyn's main dependence in the
intield was seriously injured. We had
Konetchy and Lee Magee. With this
patched-up combination we won ten of
our first eleven games and threw quite
a scare into the field.
Mr.. Ebbets is anxious to improve
his club and will cooperate gen
erously toward that aim. We have
unmber of deals under consideration
, If successful in our negotiations by
/ the time we start outh the Dodgers
1 should be in line for very spirited
fight.
A number OF last years disappoint-
lncnts-aside from injuries, Of course,
Of our war heroes. You will notice
that service in the army or navy
seemed to affect practically every
baseball player. 1t was SO even with
the mighty Alexander Of the Cubss
Well, now that was condition there
! is no reason to believe permanent. It
should prove something like a bali
| player coming back after a protracted
/ lay-off. 1t takes time to get back in
to the old stride These same men
next year should be as good as ever
and if so Brooklyn's pennant pros
poets Will improve accordingly.
To begin with Brooklyn should be
able to present pitching strength sec
70 t;a1I
We hope to improve the catching and
the infeld. But the improvement tn:
may b expected from the pitcher
alone should assure a first divisio-
berth and that next season should be
a real accomplishment.
Reds Underrated
Cincinnati has a wonderful team and
a wonderful Manager. Cincinnati was
field disintegrated. That was the
whole trouble with the 1919 Giants
lie can be counted upon to rebuilt n
inner line. He has wonderful pitching
and strong catching.
The Chicuro Cabs should be yer.
formidable as the result of changes
made after the opening Of the cham
ponship race. And, then Alexander
is likely to come back with one Of
his fine years which is of itself equal
to the services of several stars. Pitts
burgh has a fine team and a smart one.
shall be surprised if George Gibson
does not develop its possibilities.
look in 1920 for one of those
thrilling years where the fight in both
major leagues will involve struggle
several clubs right down to the wire
Such Il season was 1908 and three Ma
tional League clubs Chicago, New
York and Pittsburgh and four Ameri-
can League clubs @Detroit, Chicago,
Cleveland and st. Louisl all had. win
ming chances almost to the very last
day. That was the year the Cubs had
to beat the Giants in a post-season
battle to win the title.