The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1922-02-01
PITCHER WITH
WINNING HABIT
IS IN DEMAND
Several Clubs Would
Pay Handsome
Figure.
BY JOHN B. FOSTER.

Copyright, 1922, by The Argus.l
New York, Feb. six or seven
major league clubs want to pay
$50, 900 for a pitcher, not just a
plain pitcher, but one who can turn
in and win ball games on the well
known championship basis of .667
per cent There is not pitcher of
that kind on the market
Fred Mitchell, manager of the
Boston Nationals, has impressed
upon the owner of the club that
Boston needs such a pitcher. Plain
pitchers Boston already has but 1t
need man of the championship
or near championship class, who is
to be reckoned upon as a possible
winner every time that he steps in
the box.
George Grant, owner of the
Braves, says he will pay big money
for such a pitcher, even as much
as $4,000. Five other clubs will
do the same thing. Probably the
Giants wouldn't hesitate two sec
I-onds to pay $500 for a guaran-
teed .667 per cent man because,
just what the Giants haven't got.
The Chicago Nationals would
give that amount for a pitcher who
cam deliver baseball at that ratio.
The Washington club could afford
to spend it to put the man alongside
Walter Johnson. The 5000 would
be back through the turnstiles in
no time, both at home and on the
road. Cincinnati needs such
pitcher. The Reds put out 10000
this winter for players in other
positions and did not get one who
will equal in worth a pitcher with
.667 gait. If the St. Louis Ma
tionals had such pitcher they
would have the Giants fighting the
dust before the middle of May.
There are a few such pitchers left
but the owners of the ball clubs
who are fortunate enough to pos
sesS them are also willing enough
and wise enough to hang on to
them.
Unless there is very radical
necessity for turn-ove rim the out
field of the Giants, it is not likely
that Ross Young will be converted
from a right fielder to a center
fielder this year. That change has
been discussed quite freely by the
hot stove league but the manage
ment is not going to give a thought
to it, except under stress OF condi-
lions. Young is very fast and
covers lot of ground. But he is
better right fielder than ever he
/ will be in centerfield. The sun
| bothers him and he is likely to get
more of it in centerfeld on the
Polo Grounds where the majority Of
| the Giants games are played than
( he is in right field. He can play a
sun field and has done SO but it
tells on his eyes and is none too
good for his batting.
Young is a heaGstrong outfieIder
and If he were in center the out
fielders on both sides of him would
have to keep wire. Once he is IN
motion to get fly hit, he has moth
ing in mind but the ball and IS
likely to bump another player WHO
is also after it He has learned to
play right field well on the Polo
grounds and it would take some
time to break in another man for
d
tricky spot and it takes practice 10
play the bail right. Jack Murray
III days gone by played it better
than any man before his time or
since. His accuracy in judging how
far the bail might rebound is I'M
equailed by any player in the
league.
tor center field the Giants have
Cunningham, Boone and SINNERS
and the three must fight it out,
although none of them ever will be
the equal of George Burns. Cum
bingham was wit hIhe team in 1927.
being acquired from Seattle. Shin
ners played with Indianapolis and
Boone with New Orleans. Shin
ners is probably the fastest of the
three and Cunningham, with the
little experience that he had in
1921, the most likely candidate to
succeed Burns.