Evening star., 1921-04-10

RIght now Cleveland looks the best
bet. This probably sounds strange con-
sidering the strength in the New York
Yankee lineup. but from where We are
sitting the Yanks look like second best.
Still the Yanks cannot be treated
lightly. If Baker is at third; Peckin-
paugh. short; Ward. second; Pipp or
! Meusel, first Schang. catcher. and the
cutfieId consisting of Bodie, Ruth and
Roth, Higgins has one of the greatest
hitting ball clubs ever put together.
His pitching also is good. with Mays,
! Hoyt, Shawkey. Collins, Quinn, Piercy
and Harper to do the work.
The way the American League looks
now, after a visit to all of the training
camps and seeing each club in action.
is as follows:
How They Should Finish.
First. Cleveland; second. New York:
third. 81. Louis; fourth. Washington:
hfth. Dertoit: sixth. Boston; seventh,
Athletics: eighth. White SOx.
Cleveland looks the best because it
won the pennant last year after a very
tough battle. and the same lineup will
be in the field this season. That's one
reason; another is that the players are
not all swelled up over their victory in
| the world series. and instead of telling
admiring audiences how good they are.
they have been working quietly and
faithfully to get into condition as if
nothing out of the ordinary had hap
pened.
Iris Speaker is responsible for this.
He has maintained perfect discipline.
kept the players on their toes and
never has let up on the work. Instead
of allowing them to rest on their laurels
he has them laboring to win new ones.
outf1eld. which consists of Tobin. Jacob
son. Williams and a couple of likely
| looking kids, and the infield with Sis
Ter. Gerber and Earl Smith on the job.
seems to have filed the bill. Shocker,
| Davis, Bayne, Deberry and a few
rockies are expected to do we'll How
ever, with a man like Sisler on the
club and a conservative manager like
Fohl. the Browns might develop into
one of those dark horses. They should
get off to an early start
Nationals Are Uncertain.
Washington also is an uncertain
quantity. but Clark Griffith says his
club will be in the race if Walter
Johnson can tuck away the twenty
five games. Where the Nationals
finish depends entirely on Johnsons
comeback; The Nationals are dan.
gerous and we'll balanced team and
have reserve strength. a telling factor
There is mad scra mble in the Sec
ond division. Detroit is placed fifth
because of the many veterans. the new
spirit and the new manager. Tyrus
Raymond Cobb. Ty is anxious to
| make good and will work his head off
to accomplish something.
II McInnis reports to Boston the
Red Sox will have a pretty fair ball
club, with "Stuffy" on first; Pratt.
second: Scott, short. and Witt, third.
and Liebold and Collins in the outfield.
The pitching is fair, the catching none
too strong, but the club. with McInnis.
| will make the other teams hustle.
Connie Mack has been promoted to
seventh place. He has a nice-loorlin q
ball club this year and is likely to do
something. Connie has one of the
| best catchers in the league in Perkins.
] and his pitching staff is second to
, none. After lingering in the cellar
| for six years. it looks as il the
Athletics would get out in the sun
light.
The White Sox. all torn and ragged.
are awarded last place. Starting the
season with one catcher. two pitchers.
one infielder and two outfielders
Gleason had to pick virtually new
team from the minors. 1t is an ex-
pertinent. and, while every one wishes