Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1927-04-02

'\aMFA, II Ia, Apru l.-Oi the
nine hurlers manager Stanley
Harris will depend upon to
i keep the Nationals in the
American League champion
sship race until his staff is reinforced
tby the return of Walter Johnson, now
nursing a broken foot, and Alvin
Crowder, who is being treated for a
stomach ailment; Garland BraXton
made by far the best showing, in
Florida grapefruit league engage
ments.
This southpaw slabman procured
from the Yankees, in the deal that
put New York uniform on Walter
Ruether last August, allowed an aver
age of 6 of an earned run per nine
innings to top the effectiveness rating
of Harris mound corps for the Spring
exhibitions.
Participating in four games, Brax-
ton was credited with two victories
and had no defeats charged against
him. In all, he pitched Is innings and
was found for only one earned
marker.
Next to Braxton in effectiveness in
the exhibition in Florida is Fred Mar
berry, premier relief hurler of big
league base ball. In his 2-3 innings
of work. the rangy Texan allowed
but one earned run to get an average
of LII runs per nine innings. Fred s
pitching was spread over FIVE games
in which he gave five hits, walked
four batters and struck out four.
Thurston and Convey Next.
Hollis Thurston and Stanley Covel-
eskie, who are slated to be starting
pitchers for the Nationals season. are
right behind Marberry in the rating
list. Each has yielded 2.25 earned
runs per nine innings. The former
White Sox moundsman, however, has
made his record in is innings, while
the veteran spit-baller has pitched but
innings.
Bob Burke. young left handler
drafted from Little Rock, also has
done some good pitching in his 10 %
rounds on the hill. His earned run
average for regulation game is 2.53.
Following Burke are Deacon Jones,
VINO was with the Nationals a short
time last Fall. and Horace Lisenbee,
expensive purchase from Memphis.
Jones' earned run yield per nine
innings is AZ and Lisenbee's ABB
Although somewhat far behind the
leading Braxton in the rating, Lisen-
bee has improved considerably in re-
cent efforts. Incidentally, he is the
only one of the National moundsmen
game, and very likely he will con-
tinue to have that distinction until
the championship campaign gets
under way. Manager Harris does not
seem to care to send his pitchers the
full rounte in the exhibitions.
George Murray and Irving Hadley
have been hammered fairly hard by
the opposition. Murray's earned run
rating per nine innings is 514 and
Hadley's $40. Murray, by the way,
has been hit freely and has been off
in control. In his II innings he has
given up % hits and passed IL bat
tiers.
Crowder's Mark Is 5.l4.
Crowder, who is not apt to be of
much service to the Nationals before
May /, ii then, pitched to a rating of
b.14 earned runs per nine innings
during his IA innings of toll in Florida.
He was reached for Is hits issued 10
passes and famed batters. AL took
part in 4 games for victories and
no defeats.
Dick Coffman. 19-year-old right-hand-
err, has rating of 14.40 earned runs
per nine innings, but he got that in
enc game, seven runs were scored
against him in the two innings he
pitched agaist the Phillies here, and
Dick has been in only innings.
Clayton Van Alstyne and Leo Mum
grurn, who have been sent from the
club. rated, respectively, 900 and 7.20
earned runs per nine innings. Curley
Ogden. who also has gone back to the
minors, was poorest of all, with rat