The Washington times., 1923-01-29

boiling off weight at Hot Sprint
visible strings of the diamond er
Instead of vague and unintere
debates over the advisability of {
ball fan will scan the old famili;
understand better than the legal
The army of baseball fans in
Greater New York may now add up
their expectations, for with the
possible exception of a deal that
Yankees, the three clubs are prac.
tically set for the 1928 campaign
Collins or no Collins, the Yam.
kee' figure to run second in no
American league team. The
Giants, proud worlds champions,
are faced with a sterner opposi-
ton in their own league than they
had last year, Manager McGraw is
satisfied to stand pat on his in.
field. In the outfield he receives
a notable recruit in Jimmy O'Con.
nell, the $4,000 beauty from the
Pacific coast. McGraw's problem
u his pitchers-the same problem
a
Prospects are not SO pleasing
In Brooklyn. No steps have
been taken to rebuild the Dodg-
erS, who are now mere faIter-
ing survivors of the champions
of 1920. There are rumblings of
discomfort among the players.
Manager Robinson has not been
fortunate enough to close any
important deals. Several of the
veterans are on the market.
Today the Dodgers are rated as
q second-diyision team. Possibly
there will be important changes
made before the opening of the
championship season. Another
source of hope lies in the new play.
ers. Last season Robinson brought
up three players from the Southern
Association who made the grade
He has recruited freely once more
1t is tribute to McGraw's man.
agement that he won a pennant
with an unreliable staff of pitchers
last season and then Unanswered
those boxmen so cleverly that the
hard-hitting Yankees were, unable
to win a game in the world series.
His prospects are better this sea-
son. In place of the Grant Douglas
he has Jack Scott, who leaped
from obscurity to fame in one
world series game.
He has Hugh McQuillan, a mid
season purchase from the Boston
Club, and a flock of left and right
handed pitchers carefully culled
from minor league clubs. The men
he needs to replace are Toney and
Douglas.
Nehf. Barnes, Scott, McQuiTlan,
JOnnard and Ryan form the back
bone of McGraw pitching. PTomi-
nent among the secOnd-string men
and recruits are Virgil Barnes,
Carmen Hill and Mike Cvengres.
The latter is a left-hander.
That McGraw is alive to the nee
e0sity for developing new pitching
talent is demonstrated by his early
training plans. Nearly twenty
pitchers will be sent to Marlin next
month for inspection.
The Yankees apparently have lit
tie to worry about as far as slab
bists are concerned. Higgins still
lacks a left-hander capable of TAX
ing his regular turn, but is well
stocked with right-handers.
The Five Star" collection of
right-handers may remain intact
II one of these men is split out to
be used in a trade with the Chicago
club he will be replaced by young
ster of ability.
There is possibility of Waite
Hoyt going to the White Sox, but
IL that happens the Yankees will
cit
ship.
Provided with an offensive in
batting equal to that of last sea
son. the Yankees should make a
fight of it all the way. Carl Mays,
the big winner of 1921, cannot be
figured TO lose as many games as
ne did last season, nor can Sam
Jones. who failed with the Yam
KEGS after being a consistent win
ner for the Red Sox.
or Reliable Bob Shawkey and
the rejuvenated Joe Bush continue
10 defy Father Time. Hoyt, now
rated as a veteran, is only twenty
five.
In place of O'DouI is Suggs,
who will pass in review before
Higgins at New Orleans there
may be one or two men who will
attain a high rank before the end
of the season.
If the Yankees begin the season
with Collins at second base and
Dugan at third, their infield will be
30 per cent better than ii was a
year ago Scott and Pipp are both
ageing, but both were splendid per
formers last year.
Much depends on the rehabilita-
ton of Babe Ruth. With Ruth in
good shape physically at the be
ginning of the season, the Yankee
outfieId will he vast improve
ment over the combination with
which Higgins was forced to open
his campaign last year.
Losing two-thirds Of his outfield
for forty days at the beginning of
the season handicapped the Yam
kee leader badly.
In place of ruin and Meusel he
had to struggle along with Miller,
Fewster, Mcmillan and Skinner.
Whitley Witt jumped into that
breach and did splendid work.
Assuming. that Meusel is not
traded, Higgins will open with
MeuseI i'm right, Witt in center
and Ruth i'm Ieft-nOt a great
fielding combination, but a passa.
BILE one and a menace to any
pitcher.
Behind the hat Higgins can