Evening star., 1921-04-10


team gets any place.
Pirates Choice I'm National.
| The National League this year IS
! sharply divided into two classes. the
| good and the not so good. To my
| mind the finish will be; First, Pitts
| burgh: second. New York; third,
Brooklyn: fourth. Chicago: nth ST
! Louis: sixth, Boston: seventh. Gin
! cinnati: eighth. Philadelphia
| Pittsburgh has the best looking
| ball club L have seen this year and
has every appearance OF d pcnnant
/ winner. Rabbit Maranville has fur
F, nished the needed punch in the IN
| field and will keep the other players
| on their toes all the time. He is the
| first real shortstop the Pirates hav"
had since the days Of Hans Wagner.
DreyfusS certainly made "A ten-strike
| when he lifted him from Boston,
Joe Tierney. the scrappy second
| baseman, who is making a home run
| record in the south. and Barnhart at
| third base, are the other good rea-
sons for thinking the Pirates chances
are good. Pittsburgh has well
balanced ball club. both on the de-
| fense and attack. The spirit is good
be mighty hard to beat.
New York is in better shape now
than three weeks ago. because of
! the improvement in the physical
condition of Dave Bancroft When
| the star shortstop reported 10 the
club in San Antonio he looked bad
He was ten pounds under weight and
! seemed TO be very weak. He had
1 spent the winter in Hot Springs and
! it was reported that his heart was
bad. He has had his tonsils re-
] moved and will be in old-time form
| when the race starts. Goldic Rapp is
| expected to come through and make
| good.
| McGraw has a fair pitching STAFF
! and expects to pitch his way to the
pennant. True, he has d good ball
| club. but ! don't think it is so good
as Pittsburgh.
Dodgers Picked for Third.
| Brooklyn. because of its pitchers,
| is given third position. Robby was
| handicapped because of the hold-o
| this spring. He has the same ball
/ club as last year and should step
! out in front at the start of the race.
His pitchers will keep the club UP
there for month or so. but after
that the team should slide.
4 If the Chicago Cubs had a first
baseman and couple of good out
! fielders the team could be seriously
considered. Alexander Vaughn and
Tyler are good for at least fifty vic
| tories, but tfsx can't do all of the
| work. At that, the Cubs might be
| tHe OdIh nurse IN int race.
I st. Louis has a great ball club but
| it seems to get just so far and then
( stops Last year the pitching was
(. bad and the defense ragged. There
| are many heavy clouters on the club
and they should be just as formidable
this year, but the pitching has not
| improved to any noticeable extent.
Boston gets sixth place because il
! is better than Cincinnati and the
Phiilies. Fred Mitchell has the MAX
ings of good ball club if the pitch
ing stands up.
Cincinnati is all shot to pieces be-
! cause of the hold-outs. Ed Roush
has refused to sign unless he gets
| big increase. Heinie Groh has TAX
en- the same stand and Larry Kopf
says he can, make more money in the
| automobile business. Jake Daubert
| took his time in reporting and was
not in shape
| The Phillies look very sad With
| Paulette ruled out by Judge Lands,
| the first base position is open. The
| club also is weak at second and third.
| only a couple of pitchers appear to
have the goods and no one knows
| how the catchers will turn out The
| outfield is strong