New Britain herald., 1925-02-06
WASHINGTON AND
 NEW YORK LEADERS
On Paper, These Two Teams Seem to Have the Edge
By The Associated Press.

New York, Feb. 6. - Washington and New York will fight it out for American league pennant honors in 1925 with Detroit logging the heels Of this pair and Philadelphia, Con- nie Mack's mystery team," looming as the dark horse of the race. This appears to supmmarize the situation as the teams look on paper prepara- tory to departing for their southern training camps
 St. Louis, Boston, Cleveland and Chicago are uncCStain quantities now, all four faclng\the barrier in the experimental stage with green timber in their ranks. Barring an upset, none of the quartet figures 10 be more than threatening pros pect.
 The senators will find the way to their second pcnnant barricaded principally by the Yankees, Tigers and Athletics, all of which will like ly figure prominently in the seasons high ranking And despite the ad- vantage of several beneficial trades which Washington has made during the winter season. the Yankees ap- pear to be the choice of the league at this early stage.
 But Stanly Harris, youthful pilot of the worlds champions, has not been idle He has traded wisely with his contemporaries. He has called to his aid that element which he lacked last season-veteran pitching assistance. The acquisition of the trio of twirlng veterans, Dutch Ruether, obtained from the Brook lyn Nationals; Stanley Coyeloskie, -.Jm the Cleveland Indians and Nean Gregg, purchased from the Seattle Pacific coast team, should bolster up the defatcd staff which has dwindled to a trusty quartet headed by Walter Johnson and in- cluding George Mogridge, "lirpo" Marberry and Tom Zachary.
 Outside of his twirling staff, liar ris will stand pat on his team this year with the possible exception Of centerfield where Earl McNealy, who made the "$5O,000" hit in the final game of the 1924 worlds series, may find competition keen with Carlyle, leading Southern association hitter last season, in line for tryout.
 Like Harris, Huggins will stand pat except for the veteran Urban Shocker, who came to the Yankees in exchange for three pitchers, Joe Bush, Girard and Castor. Also like Washington a shift may be made in centerfield if Earl Combs finds his ankle fit for pastiming. Combs broke his ankle sliding into home plate early last season and was a total loss to the team but reports from his home are that he is fit again and ready to step into the shoes occupied by Whitey Witt last year.
 "Ty' Cobbs' fighting team of Ben lTlls will take the field this season similar in every respect to the 1924 edition with the exception of second base where new face is sure to be seen. Derrill Pratt. veteran outfield- CT, has been giEcn his unconditional release The keystone sack will be Q problem for the Tigers. O'Rourle, former Boston and Toronto player; Gehringer, product of the Michigan Ontario league and Burke, will be the leading candidates for this po- sition but O'Rourke seems to have had the most experience of the trio and will likely get the assignmesnt despite weak throwing arm.
 Down in Philadelphia Connie Mack is silently building up a for midable outfit. The veteran pilot made loud ballyhoo about paying S1O0,O00 for Lefty" Groves. Balti- more southpaw, but aside from this he has been working rather than talking. Groves will bolster up a weakened pitching staff while youthful catcher in the form of Cor don s. Cochrane, Boston university star, who was obtained from the Portland club of the Pacific Coast league, will be big aid although "Cy' Perkins will serve as the main- stay in the receiving department
 George Sisler at St. Louis, Eddie Collins at Chicago, Lee Fohl at Bos- ton and Iris Speaker at Cleveland have gone in for youngsters and will experiment with several cCmbina- tions. The deal which sent Bush, Giard and Gaston 10 the Browns aided the St. Louis club fully as much as it did the Tanks. Of thc quartet, the Browns look the best of the four teams which do not fig ure to be in the running.
 Eddie Collins will take the helm of the White Sox 10 build up team which was shattered by the scandal of 1919 and which has never fully recovered from that disastrous shock. Speaker at Cleveland will try out several college youths. Joe Se- well at short, Jamieson in left and Myatt behind inc bat are the only ones sure of their jobs with the h. dians this. coming season.
 FohI has the Red SoX considerably strengthened by winter trades but for the most part the Red Sox will build up for the future with an ear to the ground for further strength ening.