The Washington herald., 1921-04-11
COBB HASCHANCE
TO LAND DETROIT
In FIRST DIVISION
Has Greatest Outfelder
In Game, Says Expert.
Pitchers Problem.

This is the afteenth OF series
ef e.timntes OF the major league
teams. Others will follow daily.
(By universaI Service staf oerTsspondsnt')
DETROIT, Mich, April s.-A cas-
ual glance at the Tiger layout now
making ready to start the American
League pennant race under more
kindly auspices than has been the
case in recent years, reveals much
that is questionable and uncertain.
Only Indifferent pitching - long a
Tiger foible-can keep the Detroit
team out of the frst division.
This is neither threat nor prom
Use; 1T is a prediction. The Tigers
thave everything first division
club should have from the offensive
| punch to a new manager. This lat
| ter is not necessarily an asset but
the records of the past are pock-
marked with instances in which
new leaders have proved tempo
rary boon, at least.
whether 1t will prove permanent
in the case OF the Tigers is another
matter. That is Ty Cobb's problem
not ours.
| Cobb Grants Liberties
Cobb has made himself popular
with his players by granting them
liberties that are unusual, to say
the least. But IL is human nature to
take advantage OF liberality, a nd
the Tigers, We assume. are no eN-
ception. Boiled down, II will be a
question OF Cobb's executive abil-
ity: It takes a good executive to get
away with the kidglove method OF
managerial tactics.
Detroit appears TO be starting on
on. the wrong foot in the matter Of
| pitching, just as il has done for the
past decade. That. and the inf1eld.
are Cobb's problems. Not since the
pennant winning days of old wild
IBill" Donovan, Mullen, Killian and
+, Summers have the Tigers had a
pitching stan worthy OF the name.
| Just at the moment, Cobb can
! summon Ehmke, a fine right hand
er; Dutch" Leonard, once a great
southpaw, now not so good: Dauss.
a right handler: Cunningham, Old
ham, left-handed, and not so bad at
that; and Bernie Boland. Any MEM
Der of this array is likely to turn
in a good game from time to time
but not often enough. Lack Of con-
sistency is the answer, and Cobb
must supply il or take the conse-
lquence.
| Catehers Nothing Great.
| The catchers are woodall and
Hanien, recruits, and Stanage. a
sere and yellow. veteran. Not a
superabundance of brilliance there,
but they will get by.
The infeld is saved by the fact
that Bush and Young are still
available around second base. Come
what may. an infeld can be acid
tested by its strength or weakness
in the double-play area. And Bush
and Young are still very plausible
pair. in spite of the fact that Bush's
arm has been gone, 10, these many
| years.
At first base we find one Blue,
from the Coast League, whose hit
ting in the South has justified his
| retention and the shift of Harry
Heilman to the outfield. his normal
position. Third base is still a doubt
full matter, but it is our guess that
Bobby Jones, a weak hitter. will
| rome lnTOuRn on lne score OF eApe-
rience. il nothing else.
Not great combination, but
passable.
Has Great OutHeId.
The outfield is something also
again, in Veach, Cobb. and Heilman
With Shorten and Flagstead in re-
serve, the Tigers have the finest
outneld trio in the major leagues.
bar none. Not a dissenting voice
can be raised against this assertion
Defensively and, extensively the De-
troit outfeld outranks all others.
Pittsburgh - with Bigbee. Carey
and Whitter-might be reCkoned a
challenger for the honor. but the
Pirates fall far short of the great
punch that is Detroit's
1t is that outfield that is going
to carry Cobb quite some distance
this year, il anything will.
All in all, the hitting and the
team spirit behind the great Cobb
may be expected TO battle right
along with the Browns and Sena-