Evening star., 1926-03-24

enough T. ~ thrust into big league
1t 5 different now. Ruel. who
gives no indication OF having recove
How much SEVERED now count:
may be figured from the fact that ht
is TO go directly from Tampa to Wash
b inston next week instead of barn
storminc norihWand with The club
Ostensibly Hank is to go TO the Cap
ital City 20 assist Walter Johnson who
also will escape the tedious exhibition
iour. in final grooming for the flag
race.
That leaves Benny Tate as the only
aole bodied receiver to toll on the road
20 Washington and probably the best
bet of the CLUB for the start of the
championship season. And last year
benny was thonSht too inexperienced
3 10 get into the game regularly. Per
maps the dozen contests in which he
vas behind the bat in 1925, however
htted him for regular service this sea.
son. FOR q time ii Was thought that
AlfonSo Lopez, a local product, might
he taken as It catcher. lie did some
pretty good work as an assistant to
The regular National receivers i'm con.
b
Youth of Cuban extraction quickly
faded out of the picture He may be
, q diamond III the rough. but the Ma.
t1onaiS are looking for a nicely cut
gem.
R"el Now Far Below Par.
While ever. effort now is being
made 10 round Ruel into form. il does
not seem likely that he will be able
= TO approach the standard he set as a
ratcher two seasons back So fan. his
thro~inG arm has failed 10 function
properly. Where he formerly was able
to snap the bah 20 second base with
precision ana speed he row lifts il
'onsiceratlN and his direction is none
: TOO certart
-nertHiiN. he proba bly, is the same
"ier. catcher he was. despite couple
OF S.arin" mistakes made bv him in
~ recent exhibition contests. Mechani-
"a!N. though. he has gone back. and
unless he reSains = great measure of
his one-ttlne effectiveness within the
next three weeks the American
l.easue champions are going to enter
me 1870 campaign somewhat shor, :
handed behind the bat.
fortunately. Tate seems 10 he
much better catcher than he ever
nad been given credit for being. lie
~ not so slow on his feet aS wac
reared. Tie has revealed .,lenty Of
. sneed In dashin@ f;er foul flies ON
. these Spring ira ming fields. where
> Iilere IS an abundance Of space back
. or the home plate. lie can hea,e
the pail to the bases well. and ac-
tcrdlnS TO Man;t"er Harris handle,
MS pitchers with keen Judgment.
A great thing in Tate's favor is his
little chap gauges pitches we'll aul
; puts plenty of force INTO his s,singr.
100. tie Is frequent hitter and
usually 2 rather dependa ble bat
ter in Il pinch. If Benn-- GETS The
regular call behind the bat this sea
son there is every likelihood that he
will make good both - Il receiver
and hitter.
Manager Harris Is Concerned.
That this condition of his catch
ing staff is causing Manager Harris
some concern is evident. even though
ne ls saying nothing about il. Tho
ooss OF the champions Is watching
carefully the development of Tate
and also RuelS progress. He an
pears to he enthusia site in so far as
ates prospects are concerned. but
IS very guarded in his comments con
tSfTI1iR fluei.
Now. frst-class catchers are scarce
articles. at least marketable ones are
Clubs are not giving up such play
ers these days unless they get heavy
price. There probably is no club in
either of the big leagues with which
the Nationals could dicker for a back
stop OF worth, and according to Scout
ioe Engel, there is little promising ma
ferlal in the minors. But should it
happen that club has something
worth while in this line. it prota blv
could do business with the American
League champions
Or the 36 players who have been in
the training camp here but % re
main. The squad was reduced to that
number by the departure of Hal
smith, right-hand pitcher. picked up
late last season when the Nationals
we're on their last visit to st. Louis,
Smith has been turned over to the
New Haven club of the Eastern
League, under option. and reports to
lis training camp at Suffolk. Va.
Smith had had little professional ey.
nerience when he joined the club. but
had earned some fame while pitching
Tor the nine at Iowa State College
lie has more than ordinary mound
ability and should be helped greatly
ny a term in the minors.
Batting Order Is Shifted.
The substitution of Joe Harris for
Johnny Tobin as regular right fielder
of the Nationals has caused a shift in
he batting order of the club. Sam
Rice. who often has been used as lead
of hitter. Will be moved TO that posi-
ton from third place. Goose GoSlin
VIII advance from the cleanup notch
10 that fornaerly occupied by Rice and
.loe Harris assigned to the fourth posi-
ton.
This will give a good mixture of left
and right hand hitters. Manager Har
ris believes. With d portsder leading
off, the two brands of swingers vii
alternate through the first six batters
Then will follow the righthandel
Roger Peckinpaugh and the battery
men.
Although there still are five young
sters remaining in the Nationals
pitching corps. probably only one o
theC will be used in the games will
fhe Dodgers 10 be played today an(
tomorrow. Plans call for the employ
ment OF Curly Ogden. Walter RuetheI
and Fred Marberry. all veterans. here
this afternoon, while Stan Coveleskit
and Joe Bush very likely will get slal
turns at Clearwater tomorrow.
The present pitching program call:
Willard Morrell, recruit. to share The
Clearwater pitching with the old
timers. Morrell, who had been some
what slow in rounding into form
hurled impressively against the Phil
lies at Bradenton last Friday, ant
Manager Harris is anxious to get an
other look at the big blond New
Highlander under fire. Rain fell herr
Yesterday for the first time in mor'
than thrae weeks during the daX. bu