New-York tribune., 1920-02-15

q The big baseball conference in
settlement of the quarrel in the A
moment. Perhaps it was because c
deals-certainly none of consequene
then, that the line-ups to respond t.
day will be practically the same as tt
Unless a number of sensational
trades are effected in the meantime
(and this seems very improbable at
this late date), we can figure on three
very prominent contenders in the Ma
tional League and at least four in the
American. Cincinnati, Chicago and
New YORK should fight it out in the
sons Pirates and possibly the Brook
lyn Dodgers in the role Of dark horses.
Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago
York should pretty nearly g.
first division berths in the American
League. The Browns, Red SoX and
Senators, however, are all so strong
that any or all might be right up with
the pacemakers if the dope should be
at all disturbed.
Yankees Incxease Offensive
New York has asa good n pennant
chance as any American League club,
provided Babe Ruth lives up to his las,
seasons performances. He has added
a deadly punch to club already pos
sessed of q wonderful wallop. Hug
gins, moreover, has-or should have
the best pitching staff in the league.
If the aggregation were but possessed
of average speed it would be next to
hi I>1it 10 in fl1i Lar ne
in this necessary adjunct, it must be
confessed. Fewster was the only
really fast man with the team last
year.
Cal Ewing and other Coast magnates
who were in Chicago declare that Bob
Meusel will make good if he sets his
mind on the subject. He is pretty
fast, though a long strider OF the
Merkle type. But the Coast men say
he IS innately lazy, and that unless he
perks up and shows little more am
1t is understood that Higgins has
not yet despaired of landing Bobby
Roth from the Senator's His acqui-
sition would be a ten strike. Roth's
speed might prove the asset essential
TO make the Yankees stand up over the
field The offensive power of the team
would not suffer from Roth's presence.
Higgins needs a catcher of expert
ence also. Unless he lands such a
backseop the full pitching strength
may not materialize. 1t failed to ma
terialize in 1919.
Tigers Need Better Pitching
Detroit needs only high class pitch
Ing to come so close to the big money
that all the other contenders4will suf-
fer from heart failure. Somehow, Jen-
Il Ill L. u.
the proper box strength since his three
time triumph of 1907 -'o8-'O9. But in
Jack Coombs, his first lieutenant,
Hughie this year has one of the craft
lest coacies of pitchers in the bust
ness.
On paper Jennings has quartet of
real stars-Ehmke, Boland, Dauss and
Leonard. If Coombs can get the four
running smoothly from the start they
should average twenty games a piece.
That should worry Huggins, his Babe
Ruth Notwithstanding.
Cleveland has been rapping at the
less would have overhauled the White
Sox last year if the season had con-
sisted of 154 games instead OF 140.
Cleveland will start right in the COM
ing spring where it left off in the
fall. iris Speaker has q team that
should command due respect. Speaker
was handicapped by having no south
paw pitcher last year. He has picked
up several rockies, the most highly
touted being Niehaus. With gooc
portside pitching Cleveland will be
hard to stop.
And then there is Chicago. 4 cham
pion must always be respected. But
It seems unlikely that Cicotte. Will
Jams and Kerr can carry this aggrcga-
tion to another title. 1t remains to be
seen just how much the elimination OF
freak pitching will affect Cicotte, the
malnstay of Gleason's heavy batt Dies
Cicotte some years ago was supposed
to be on the edge of the abyss wher
he discovered the "shine" ball 4t has
been his chief stock in trade eve,
since.
Reds To Be Handicapped
. The elimination of freak pitching
will handicap the pitching department
of the worlds champion Cincinnati
Reds. "Hod' Eller in the worlds
series showed Cicotte tricks with Ed.
dies supposed copyrighted sinner
Ray Fisher was also dabbling with the
sinner" last year, and to it was at
ttr1buted the success of his come.
back"
McGraw has decided to stand pat
LOT tne coming season--that is Wh,
PRESIDENT Stoneham has despaired OF
etfecting whatever trades John j. Nc.
Graw may have had in mind. Stone
nam announced that Chase would star,
at first, Doyle at second, Fletcher al
short and Frisch at third. In view OF
the fact that this veteran fnfield. which
averaged over thirty years, cracked
badly last season. 1t is hard to see how
McGraw can expect them to stand ur
in 1920. -
1T is possible that McGraw has dis
covered he can rely on some Of his
rookie infelders. and will use the vet
Grams only until the youngsters ar.
thoroughly acclimated to major league
conditions. But that Is not his Gus
tom.
The Giants in every other depart
ment appear to outclass the field. Nc
Craw has five crackajack pitchers anc
four real catchers. He has, too, as 200,
an outfield as can be found anywhere
But unless in certain rockies he carrie,
a great reserve infeld strength tn,
team cannot figure now to head the
Reds.
Cubs. to Bear Watching
Fred Mitchell believes that Georg,
Tyler will abe himself again. II so, til,
Cubs will bear lot Of watching. Will
Alexander, Vaughn and Tyler swinging
along at their best clip, not for a mo
fnent forgetting Claude Henrik, the
Windy City boys will make a desperate
bid for the honors.
However. the Chicaoo md tho Gin.