The Birmingham age-herald., 1921-11-06

 BASEBALL IN. 1922 IS UNCERTAIN AS CHANGES PLANNED
Every Major League Club Has Room for Improvement
 at This Time
By JAMES W. CORBETT Copyright 1921 by King Features
 Syndicate, Inc.)

Syhu1chtcp Ancst
 The winter promises to be one Of the very busiest which baseball man agers and magnates ever have known.
 It's unlikely that single team of 1921 will go into the major league battling of 1922 intact. Every ma chine must be tinkered with In some way. Some of the old parts are to be replaced and the displacement process involves a lot of tinkering before the new parts fit perfectly.
 Even the world champion Giants will not be immune from changes. It seems certain that McGraw will make some shifts in his pitching de- partment. He wants-and needs more new blood than he has, Some of the oldtimers who are on the roster were still good enough in 1921 to carry the outfit along to pennant heights. But they'll be a year older in 1922. a year farther beyond their prime-and McGraw will need youngsters if he means to build for the future.
 Tanks Need HurIcr
 The Yankees need another pitcher or two. They need an experienced catcher to assist Wally Schang. Ruth and Meusel Is the big desire. Miller is good man, but 1t isn't certain that he has enough class to hold down job with the Yankees If they can get somebody else.
 The Indians are to be rebuilt. Iris Speaker is looking around now for another first baseman. It's said that Larry Gardner has slowed so much at third that he must make way for youth. Speaker could use a fast. hard-hitting youngster in the outfield. And he needs pitchers.
 The Browns, playing a study, con sistent game in 1921, demonstrated the need of at least two more young pitchers. They could use another outflelders. And the same thing goes for the Cardinals. The Pirate pitch Ing staff is composed. in the main, of old timber. They performed splendidly in 192i---but they can't go on forever. And so the Pirate chieftains are browsing around al- ready for kids to take their places.
 CIuttered With old Men
 The Dodgers are cluttered with old men. If the team Is to get back Into the pennant battling spotlight, 1t must get youngsters. Anu IL the same with the Reds.
 Connie Mack, unlike the others, isn't burdened with old timers. His trouble Is too many green young sters. Connie perhaps will devote his winter to attempting deals whereby he will get few experi- enced men to fit into his machine for the purpose of steadying his kids and developing them.
 The Phillies-no one can forecast about them. The team Is, in the main, old and broken down. It needs new blood. Whether it will get 1t is uncertain, for William F. Baker. the owner, all along has pursued the policy of selling his good players instead of buying good ones and building up his team.
 Chicngo Teams He-pIess
 Nothing much can be expected from the White Sox or Cubs in 1922. The Sox, nopelessly wrecked by crooked ball players. cannot be re- built for several years. at the very least. The Cubs, as now constituted. are poor ball club. Too many old timers. No speed, not much pep and a lack of aggressiveness. The en- tire team must be rebuilt before anything delightful can happen for OuD TOOterS.
 So the Cub owners have big job out for them this winter in their ef forts to give to Chicago once again a real ball club.
 The other teams in the circuit all must be made over. And, with the ether owners, they'll Indulge in the merry scramble this winter for tal- ent--and more talent All of the clubs go into the business of rebuild Ing this winter with the hope of do- ing it thoroughly. But there isn't enough new blood to go around. And that means that many of the teams will have to content themselves with making trades of old players for old players.
 But no matter what transpires. 1t seems certain that the feverish re- building process will help the game of 1922.