The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1920-03-31
THE LEFT FIELDERS.

BOSTON ,.. S55 112 1927
The outstanding features of the dope
on the left fielders, the first of the
outfield studies, is the remarkably
close rating of the American League
teams in position value, and the ragged
inequalities shown In the National
League.
OF course the Super-exceilence or
George Burns in almost every depart
ment of offensive and defensive play,
and the weakness of a number of 9TH
er clubs in the circuit, tends to strag-
gle the figures.
The thing, however. which strikes me
hardest is the equality of strength
shown in the American League. jack
son. never a great bah player, except
ing in hitting power, showed better
baseball during the early part of last
season than he ever has played; I
mean outside of his hitting. TheHBere
times when he played really inte0kent
ball although toward the finish of the
season by criticism and, instead of
breaking under it, he was stirred to
better playing. Although | anticipate
a big slump in Jackson's work during
the coming season, it is impossible to
calculate that in the preliminary fig
CURES / give it merely as a prediction
not based on figures.
Detroit and Cleveland both show
strong in the dope figures, and 1 am
a bit shocked to find New York so far
down the list. Lewis is not, of course,
quite as good as he was. He is slow
starting each spring, and gets slower
every year. Besides 1 have an idea
that Duf's heart is not in the old game
as it used to be, and that shows in
his work.
If we could be certain as to whether
Connie Mack will keep his trial line
up or make frequent shifts, it would
be very probable that the Athletics
would show more figure strength than
they do. 1 have had to use combina-
ton figures in doping that team and
perhaps will be forced to amend them
somewhat before the final calcula-
tons are made. Washington of course
shows very strong and if Griffith can
handle Roth successfully and get the
best that is in Bobby out of him, the
chances are WashinStons left field
strength will be much increased.
These things show the difficulty of
doping weeks ahead of the start of the
season, and explain why the figures
may have to undergo some radical
changes before 1 compile the individual
values into team values.
1t viii surprise many to find those
Pirates and Cardinals showing strength
in another department. One cannot
help but think that these teams are
coming along TO point where they
are actually dangerous. 1t seems as if |
the strength of these teams in some po-
sitions has been discounted by weak
ness in others, and that they are In the
position where the development of one
or two men would change the team
outlook entirely.
Cincinnati the Worlds Champion,
fails to show the strength in left that
one would expect. Duncan evidently is
not as strong he looked to be in
the Worlds Series and Moran appears
to have made a wise move in secur- !
ing capable understudies for the job. |
Duncan. however, may improve steadi- |
ly with experience, and come to his |
full power later.
lack Wheat has slipped somewhat |
but still shows a lot of class among |
the left fielders, chiefly because of his I
hitting ability. 1 wish to explain to |
those who are following the dope, and |
who may be trying to apply the fig |
ures to their own calculations, that |
it is well. especially among the left
fielders, to study their home lots
n sun field detracts a lot of points
from the value of any player. We will |
find in figuring Nels for instance, that
he will not rate as high as the Brook
lyn fans want him rated, because of
the fact that he is to be assigned to
the field job. Burns lead over the
others would be greater if it were not
for the hard sun field at the Polo
Grounds.
In the next article we will figure the
center fielders.
Copyrighted, 1920, by the Bell Syn
dictate, Incl