The evening world., 1922-05-18
GIANTS WILL SOON
HAVE TO BOLSTER
PITCHING STAFF
Douglas, Nehf, Jess Barnes
and Toney Doing Well
Enough, but They're Vet
Grams.
By Robert Boyd.


PITTSBURGH, Pa, May 1S.-The
pitching problem Is bound sooner or
later to be one of greater concern to
Manager McGraw in guiding his team
to another National League pennant.
Much Of his past efforts have been
concentrated in the fortifying of his
defense and increasing the offense OF
his well moulded and evenly balanced
worlds champions.
Very little has been done in the way
of acquiring new pitching talent that
might be able to jump in and fill the
shoes Of Douglas, Nehf. Jesse Barnes
and Toney. These four hurlers are
among the oldest in the senior organi-
zation and have seen their best days
and before long will be passing out Of
the big league picture.
Just now all four pitchers ara
doing we'll enough to hold steady
berth with the New York club, not
so much that they are twirling the
great ball, the records and the box
scores from day to day might reveal,
but because they have a team behind
them that with the possible excep-
tion OF Ralph SINNERS compares
favorably with Frank Chances great
Cub machine; Fielder Joness hitless
White Sox; Fred clarke's Pirates, or
the once great Athletics team that
Connie Mack whipped into shape and
then tore to pieces. There were
games this season when the Giants
never needed any pitching despite
the ancient theory that good pitching
enty per cent. of the defensive
strength OF a club,
There is no other team in either
| major league that can get along
with less pitching than the present
worlds champions. Every man on
the team is practically a three hum
| dred hitter with the exception of
SINNERS. Greater than any major
| league team to-day on the defense
and all endowed with baseball brains.
| inspired and handled by baseball's
greatest strategist, directed not as in
| dividuals but cogs that go and act
as one great and perfect machine. Is
IL any wonder pitching here would
| not be such a potent factor?
Jesse Barnes twirled no hit game
this year. Douglas has been going
along we'll and Nehf's work has been
creditable. Toney has only pitched
in one game. That was against the
| we'll considering 1t was his first start
this season. But sooner or later the
team will be forced to call upon theiR
| pitching resources to win games for
them when the hot summer sun turns
the campaign into a gruelling strug~
| gle. Then the test will come.
Barnes is twenty-eigh years old
He came to the Giants from Boston
in the season of 1917-1918. Before that
he spent three years with the Braves
and nearly five years in the minors.
| Douglas is thirty-two years old. He
came to the Giants in 1920. Before
that he was three years with Chicago.
IN 1915 he was with Cincinnati, Brook
lyn and Chicago and previous to that
he spent five years among the minors
and the American League.
Arthur Nehf came to the Giants
from Boston in 1919. He Is thirty
years old and spent four years in
Boston before coming to New York.
Before that he spent three years in
the minors.
Fred Toney is thirty three. He
came from Cincinnati to New York
in 1918. Before that he was two
years with the Reds and one year
with Brooklyn. He served seven
i years in the minors.
These records reveal that there are
no youngsters on the Giants hurting
staff.
While other big league managers
have been experimenting with raw
material McGraw has stuck to his
veterans and built up an invincible
team around them.
j Billy Ryan of Holy Cross Is thS
only acquisition to the Giant hurting
staff who might be termed young
ster and he in the past has been er'
ratio and ,profited greatly by the
, strong team behind that McGrAw has
: assembled.