The New York herald., 1922-04-09
ringer when he learns to depend on h'a

finger when he learns to depend on h;s
big asset in the proper way.
McGraw is particularly well equipped
in catching, with Frank Snyder. Earl
Smith and Aleck CASTOR. There ISM:
o better staff in the league.
The Giants have been Handicapped !
lately by injuries, but these are aot
serious. The men are coming along AMI
will be in there fighting hard from che
start. They play the pesky hood 70
I,odgers rather often at the start, but
ought to overcome that jinx, as they are
truly q great combination.
Should Overcome Handicap.
Now let us consider the situation on
New York,s American League club. Mil
Ter Huggins just now is confronted with
a variety Of problems, but none Of these
appears to be formidable enough to pre-
vent the retention OF the league cham
pionship. Huggins must devise some
system whereby the absence Of Ruth
and Meusel until May 20 will not build
an insurmountable barrier. On any
other club this situation without Ques-
ton would be fatal. But the Yankees
seem to possess sufficient inherent power
and residence to come through anyway.
The Yankees big asset as they face
pitching staff. Were they to confront
the issue with the corps which they had
at, this time last year their chances
would be mighty slim. But, fortunately
for New York, the off season saw Col.
Rupert and Col. Huston acquire two
remarkable fingers from the Red Sox-
Sam Jones and Joe Bush, both right
handlers. Add these to Carl Mays, Waite
Hoyt. Bob Shawkey, Harry Harper,
Lefty O'Doul and George Murray and
you have a pitching defense which to
our mind Is impregnable.
Mays, it win be recollected, won
twenty-seven and lost only nine last
season. and worked in forty-nine games.
q record uapproached by any Yankee
pitcher since the halcyon days of Jack
Chesbro. Hoyt won nineteen and Shaw
key won eighteen. This Is q formidable
array in itself, but when you add Jones,
who was able to win twenty-three games
for a club no better than were the Red
Sox last year. and Bush, who accounted
for sixteen victories in 1921. you find
stone wall of pitching against which
neither the Indians nor any other con-
tenders are likely to gain winning ad-
vatage.
The Yankees, even without Ruth and
Meusel. ought to be able to sit hard
enough to keep one. two until the big
fellows are reinstated. And then, after
May 90, with Ruth and Meusel In the
lineup and that galaxy Of pitchers, the
Yankees ought to prove superior to the
field.
The outfieId Problem.
The outfield problem is not likely to
be solved by any new entries on the
Huggins roster. The Yankee manager
has about decided that he can tackle the
matter with the material at hand. Many
outfielders have been offered In trade
for the much coveted Mitchell, but un-
less Ty Cobb <hanges his mind about
Bob veach. Johnny will stay with the
New Yorks. Until May 20 Huggins will
have two outfieiders for right--Camp
Skinner. a left handed hitter. who will
be used against right hand pitchers. and
Norman Mcmillan, a right handed bat
ter who will be used against southpaws.
This sort Of arrangement Is an entirely
new one for the Huggins regime in New
York.
Chick Fewster who Is going great
guns, both In the field and at the bat.
will patrol left, while Elmer Miller will
be in center When Ruth and Meusel
return there will be a grand old scram-
BILE for the third position. and don't be
surprised II Miller finds himself out In
the cold. The competition IL going to
be mighty torrid.
| Let us tackle the infieid. Just now
Hugglns stands between the devil and
the deep blue sea in regard to the third
base situation. We cannot dodge the
indisputabie fact that Frank Baker is
not covering the ground that he used
TO cover. He went TO his left pretty
we'll last season but this spring has
fund It extremely difficult to get started
on sharply hit balls.
| As a result many hits have been
driven past him This condition has
thrown Scott Off his game a bit. Hug
gins faces the alternative OF putting
| Ward at his natural position at third
base and sending McNaliy to second.
which Is his natural position. or keeping
/, Baker at the hot corner In the hope
that he will get going.
Huggins. without question feels that
until that well known date, May 20. he
will need the beneficial effects OF Bakers
bat. However. after the big busters