New-York tribune., 1921-02-26
7Iidget Manager Has "a
Few Problems TO Solve:
Lack of Southpaws

A crowd of several hundred fans
we're on hand st the Pennsylvania Sta.
ron at 1850 o'clock yesterday after
noon to see the Yankee rockies off on
heir spring training junt. Accompany
;se them were Trainer Al Woods
Groundkeeper Phil Schenek, Traffic
Managers Charles McManus and Mark
6eth and dozen newspaper men, al
most enough to fill special car, while
half dozen others were to be picked
I'D en- rouse.
Manager Miller Huggins is going
direct from his home in Cincinnati to
Shreveport and will be In that Louis
ANA oil city when the first SQUAD ar
rfves. He proposes TO put in almost
week with the colts before the vet
ersns are assembled from Hot Springs,
srk. and their various homes.
Higgins will have plenty Of expert
advice this year in shaping the dcs-
tinjes Of his club, for in addition to his
no scouts, Bob Connery and Joe Kel-
lsy. and g new coach, Frank Roth,
Busiress Manager Ed Barrow will be
IN Shreveport soon after March |. AS
!, manager of players Barrow has
sroven his class of the highest order
snd as late as 1918, with the Boston
RED Sex, won q worlds championship.
At the moment Higgins is confronted
with several knotty problems. Not the
greatest Of these is an acknowledged
htldout attitude on the part of some
Of the players who were regulars last
YEAR, II is believed that comparatively
few Of the veterans unsigned from last
year have sent in 1921 contracts. At
least two men from whom much was
expected the coming season - Aaron
Ward ant Bobby Meusel-are confessed
"holdouts."
Hold-Outs Not Seriaus
The hoIdout proposition is not likely
10 prove q serious one. The individuals
Of championship teams, or teams that
reap such golden harvest as that
,shich fell to the lot of the Battling
Colonels last season, usually try every
way TO declare in for a share of the
profits. It is to be presumed that all
the recalcitrauts will find themselves
in Shreveport in due season.
There are certain holes in his battle
line that Higgins must plug. The
midget manager did lot Of bartering
during the winter. he traded off his
entire southpaw brigade and has left
only one port-sider, Harry Harper, &C.
cured from the Red Sox. Harper is
somewhat of en- unknown quantity. He
is erratic, to say the least. Hugglns
also traded Del Pratt, who, next to
Babe Ruth, was the most potent factor
in the Yankee success of 1920. 1t will
take good man to ELL Pratt's shoes.
And then there is the outfeld, which
presented the crying weakness Of the
Yankees last year. Bobby Roth should
rot only add 8 great deal of speed to
slow team, but relieve the punch oc-
casioned by Pratt's loss. Yet, unfor-
tunately, Huggins's team runs too
strongly right now to right-helders
Ruth, Roth and Meusel sre all right
aelders.
AS to the catching. that seemed to
have been remedied through the acqui-
sition of Wally Schang from the Red
S0X. But Schang, for the time at least,
IS d hold-out. Until he comes into the
iSld Fred Hoffman must be considered
he only catcher Of experience with the
eIb, and Hoffman had little experience
but they are undeveloped.
Still Waiting on Baker
It is unknown as yet whether Frank
Baker will play. If he does ne will
90 back to accustomed patrol at third
blSS. 1n1S W14l leave merry uREL Tor
the job vacated by Pratt. Ward, when
ne returns; Mitchell, the coast marvel,
and McNally will all be out for this
berth, as it is unlikely that anybody
Is going to take Peck Job from him.
Wilson Fewster is not catalogued
ior the second base position, though
II thoroughly sound again, he could
pyobably beat out any of the others.
Auggins has practically decided to send
Fewster to the outfeld; he believes
mst within a year Fewster will prove
ene OF the greatest felders known to
tae game in a decade.
Frank Roth, catcher OF great ex-
perience, will have charge of the bat
ssry men. lie will have little 30 worry
sbcut as to the catching department If
Schsng decides to be good. Roth should
make real catcher out of Fred Hof-
man in short time. He will have four
other young and untried catehers in
camp, assuring all the pitchers OF
2ienty OF hurting practice.
as to the pitching staff, the right
landed department should be of the
very highest order. Besides. Babe
sash is anxious TO pitch this year. Ii
auggins will allow him TO double in
ptass, the port-sided brigade will take
care of itself, for, without the question
ai doubt, Ruth single-handed could
axe care OF that department. The sec
ehd base position and the rearrange-
Aent Of the outfeld are problems
which huggins must solve for himself,