The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1927-10-04
MINIMIZE
SLIJGGERS,
HIS AIM
Hn
By Owen j.. Bush
Manager of Pittsburgh Baseball Club,
1927 National League Champions,
and Former Pilot of the
Washington Griffmen

and Former Pilot of the
Washington Griffmen
PITTSBURGH, Oct. 4.--Naturally,
the hitters on the New York club
who will give US most concern, and
who will be the most dangerous to
our pitchers, are Ruth, Gehrig and
Meusel Three remarkable batsmen,
there can be no denying that, ana
no pitcher Is safe when any member
of that trio Is at the plate.
But there are more ways than one
Of stopping smuggling batter like
any of the three named from break
ing up a ball game, and am going
to look a little ahead of those game
wreckers and try another plan Of
keeping them from doing their best
or their worst, whatever it may be
called.
Look back over the box scores Of
the American League season and
you will find that Ruth and Gehrig
in particular have done their
greatest damage by coming up and
knocking out long hits while other
Yankees were on the bases ahead OF
them. That practically won the PEN
nant for New York-long hits by
Ruth and Gehrig, the home-run
champions Of the year, when the
bases we're occupied.
Well, we are going to try to
avoid that situation by centering
our pitchers strongest efforts
upon the batters ahead Of them.
Instead Of figuring what we
shall do when Ruth Gehrig and
Meusel come up, we are going to
bear down against the men
ahead Of them, and wait until
later to figure on the big slug.
gers. Our plan win be to try our
hardest to keep Combs and
Koenig off the bases.
II we can succeed in that the table
will not be set, or, in other words,
the bases will not be- occupied when
the Babe or Lou or Bob comes
along. There will be no runners for
them to knock in. and consequently,
q single or even an extra-base hit,
unless It is a home run, will not do
much damage to us, provided we can
get the slugger Following.
think that If we can keep the
men ahead of them from getting
on the bases, the timely game win
ming hits that featured the batting
of the fellows during the season
will be reduced considerably. You
can't knock in runs when there are
no runners on the bases, so 1t will
be our plan to try to stop Combs
and Koenig instead of looking
ahead to the sluggers. Combs and
Koenig will find themselves facing
some extraordinary careful pitching.
Maybe we won't succeed and they
will fool us, but that viii be our
plan of battle anyway.
Besides Ruth, Gehrig and Meusel
will not be the only hitters In the
games. Don't overlook the fact
that we have few hitters Of our
own.
Ruth and Gehrig have been
prominent names in the baseball
news for . long time, but the
Pirates have a double threat
Of their own in the Waner
brothers. American League
fans have not seen those boys
vet, and the brothers are like
" to cause them many . pang
In this series.
Paul may not hit the ball az
hard as Ruth or Gehrig, but | feel
safe in predicting that he viii hit
1t safe just as often, II not oftener.
and If he continues to show the
same form he has displayed con.
sistently since he entered the big
leagues in 1926 he will prove just
az timely a hitter az the big boys
when there are runs to be driven
in. The ''Waner &C" In which
Lloyd gets on the bases and Paul
brings him home has been the
sensation Of the National League
season and I'll be surprised IL IL
doesn't feature more than one Of
the games In the series.
Lloyd Waner is not only won
derful fielder, but he has been
hitting at a clip that gives him
place among the National Leagues
leading five hitters. The Yankee
pitchers win have time Of It
trying to stop either OF them.
In addition we have some other
hitters in Joe Harris, Grantham,.
Wright, Traynor, Barnhart, and
Smith, who have given many a
pitcher a headache. New York will
have no corner on the betting or
run.betting honors. The Pirates
will do their share in both depart.
ments.
copyright, 1927. By christy walsh
Syndicate. Incl
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