The Washington times., 1925-09-05

BOttOmleyS 1eaQ WOulu lHCTSdSS.
The Cardinal player has been up
among the first five batters all
season and right now is on the
heels Of Rogers Hornsby for the
batting championship. And he is
considered a dangerous batter in
pinch. The writer's were telling
me about a recent series with the
Cubs.
Chicago pitchers twice walked
HOTnsby Intentionally and on one
occasion BOttomIey who follows,
crashed a triple with two men on
base; the next time he hit home
run with all sacks occupied.
From a defensive standpoint the
comparison is closer. You can't
Judge rival players so well from
fielding figures. It's generally adj
mitted that Sisler has an advantage
over Bottomley in throwing. par
ticularly with a pitcher covering
first. Both men are very fast and
there is little to choose between
them in fielding their positions and
handling throws.
Bottomley is a great target for
his infielders to shoot at although
you can't beat George Sisler at res
cuing wild heaves, Bottomley is
younger and perhaps has more pep.
He has a big lead in home runs
which nets him about 80 extra
points in the extra-base column.
That is a big point in his favor.
At second base, Rogers Hornsby is
the outstanding favorite, not Only
with the fans but with all on the
sport writers committee. excepting
H. 7 <R.Se 20 oe,f1 fV7cy Iry1
names Eddie Collins. Hornsby, by
the way, is the only player who mas
been on the All American Team
every year since 1t started in 1922.
HOrnsby is picked principally
because of his great hitting, al
though he isn't weak in any de-
partment AS for Eddie Collins,
/ think he is still the best field
ing second baseman in the game
and what he has done with the
White SOx, as manager, proves
that when il comes to the old
''bean," Eddie deserves all the
praise for intelligence and smart
thinking he has received in the
past twenty years.
At short the best claims lie be-
tween Wright, the Pittsburgh
ycungster. and Bancroft, veteran
manager Of the Boston Braves. In
either case the National League has
the best shortstop talent. I'd
sooner go into a hard campaign
with Wright. He's a big husky
boy, in fact about the tallest short
stop now in the business.
But Wright is plenty fast and
sIugger with a habit of busting up
ball games. I remember reading
John McGraw's. articles on the little
and Baltimore in 1928. He was
pretty sweet on Wright at that
time but I've got a bunch Mac
wishes Wright was still with Kan
sas City.
Bluege at third base, is one Of
the most improved players of the
past five years, and if I'm any
Judge. he's the best third baseman
in either league today. Bluege has
held up that Washington infield
this year and he's as dangerous as
Wright, in a hating pinch.
Moving to the outfield We run
into lot Of trouble because we run
into much difference of opinion.
But figuring fielding and physical
condition and not batting alone
l think Speaker, Cuyfer and Goslln
are the pick of the two big leagues.
Speaker is getting slow but his
nearest competitor in centerfield is
Cobb and / think in all fairness
the honors go to Speaker. Cobb
in his twentieth year is playing
| marvellous baseball and doing things
I certainly never expect to be doing,
seven years from today, which
| would make me twenty years in the
game. Cobb is a wonder but figur-
| ing 1925 performance alone, Speaker
| gets the centerfield position.
Behind the bat we have one Of
| the real finds" of the season.
! Cochrane is the best looking catch
| er I have seen come into the Amer
! lean League since I broke in my
self And he bats .445.-Connie
Mack made q great pickup in this
Boston College lad, and If the Ath-
letics are noosed out-of the pen
nant you can count on this much
they'll be in there next year, and
Cchrane will be the leader.
had three pitchers i'm mind,
finally taking ROmmei over Cove
IesIxie. Dazzy Vance doing his best,
with q weak ball club, lbs shown
the great stuff he did in 1924.
With Brooklyn in the money"