The Washington times., 1923-04-16
! .BR|FFS LUCK
dlOB0DY PICKS
EN- TO WIN
3Rush's Men Have Not the Re-
t:6ssponsibiIity That Entails :.
Disappointment. !.
By LOUIS A. BOUCHER.

GtS0pPOUIIUOuhs
By LOUIS A. BOUCHER.
A year ago today the Griffmen
were favored to win the 1929
pennant, and those writer's who
chose the Yankees were agreed
that Washington would be at
. at least as good as second. Now
there is decided change. Most
OF the alleged experts have chosen
DOME Bush's team to battle with
the Boston Red Sox for last
place. That's good.
It is possible that the Griffs
entered the 1922 campaign rather
sure of themselves! They had
heard the glad tidings or had
Tread them in their favorite sport
q sheets. There were other things
which prevented their. ultimate
triumph, but that cock-sureness
may have had its effect.
] Certainly Bush's gang cannot
i claim this alibi if they fail to pro.
duce the goods. They can hardly
: be suffering from large headedness.
almost without fail the writer's
have doped them to finish in the
ruck. Indeed, should they finish in
tie first division, it should surprise
them.
~ A majority of the alleged experts
are picking the Detroit Tigers to
? roll over the line. next October in
first place.
There are some who like the
eilances of the Yankees to repeat.
SIN this number are many players
and former players who know well
the value of capable pitching
staff
These two teams are about the
only ones to suit the prognoStica-
Seeking to cheer up home fans, are
!, picking the Browns, the White Sox
Tor the Cleveland Indians to win
the pennant.
The 1923 Griffs are picked for
"a sure berth in the second
division. Hughey Fullerton, who
''proves it with figgers," thinks
they will finish fifth, but most
writers believe sixth, or even
seventh, place about where they
We hesitate to pick the final
resting place of the Washington
team this season. Were they to
finish as high as third, it would
not surprise us. Nor shall we give
any sudden gulps IL they finish
seventh. So much may happen be-
tween now and next October.
Z -lDonie Bush is an experiment as
g. ,manager. II he shows ability to
handle pitchers, If he can instilI his
- l. Ffw.r
for victory. he may have a sue
cessful season even though his
team doesn't get out Of the second
division. There are eight teams
and only four can make the first
division.
{! Washington is not keyed up this
: epring, expecting pennant. Wash
mgton rather wants a fighting ball
club, one which will play out the
string all the time, though defeat
may be at the end. DOME Bush
stands ready to try the job of max
Ing his team just that kind OF a
ball club.
Bush intends to have his team
play aggressive baseball from the
start of the season Wednesday at
!, play is patterned, after that which
: served Hughey Jennings so well in
Detroit.
Bush's style calls most of all
= Tor batting and the little manager
seems to have that. .GOslin is
expected to provide the long dis
tance stuff, assisted by Joe Judge,
while Rice, Wade, Evans, COnrOy,
- Peck and Charity promise plenty
Of free swatting.
= AT least one new player is found
!. In the infield and another in the
garden. Just how well they fit
into the general scheme of things
remains to be seen. This Won't be
!, known. for some weeks yet.
3 There are some more puzzles in
the box. Johnson is no child any
more. Neither is George Mogridge.
Zachary has done nothing for his
: lame arm save rest it. This treat
ment may have been enough, but
the Moth Ca'lina farmer won't know
=. II yet awhile.
Jack HolIingsworth is showing
up well enough to suit his boss, but
he has yet to make good in fast
company. The same goes for Wal
lace Yarmouth, the chunky south
paw.
1t is because OF these several
doubtful places, perhaps, that the
; alleged experts have failed to see
much in the Griffs OF 1923. In
other words, they must be shown.
= The Griffs are fortunate i'm EN-.
= tering the race carrying no heavy
- load of faYOritism. The athletes will
e. not be laboring under that cause
for nervousness. 1t may do them
Ia lot Of good.
:: Speaking generally, to us it looks
as though the Tigers had plunged
mp a bad place at second base and
I obtained a good pitching staff; the
4 Indians have three experiments, at
third, first and right field; the
white Sox have a new man at
third and, probably, another in the
-Qutfield: Connie Mack has a new
! putfielder and a new thirdsacker;
the Yankees have added only an
Ordinary southpaw pitcher to the
j team that won the flags Of 1921 and
1922; the Browns need a firstsacker,
"a thirdsacker and still that couple
rzpf pitchers; the Criffs have two ex.
3speriments in the lineup, with the
+. whole pitching staff yet to show
rand the Boston Red Sox don't be-
! long in this league.
Ill Personally, we like the chances
/ OF the Detroit Tigers as against
THE Yanks. We might even &c
farther and say that the Yankees
ase11aV finish as low al fourth RIYt