Evening star., 1927-05-18

and given considerable trouble III
Brooklyn. Philadelphia and way sta
tions.
II was the initial Eastern trip of
the Cardinals year ago which first
oDnned the eyes Of the fans to the
possibilities of the Cardinals. The
Cards went through that expedition
with the loss Of only one game,
dropped in Brooklyn. They made a
con1plete sweep in New York, Boston
and Philadelphia.
The pitching of the Cardinal staff
this Spring was TOO good to last, eS-
neciallv the phenomenal hurting oi
Jesse IfaiueS Haines is a good man,
but not good enough to pitch a TWO
or three hit game every time out.
Iasse got If good and plenty when
tho Storm broke. as the Giants cuffed
him for seven earned runs in three
innings last week before Bob Otar-
rell lifted him.
Unless O'Farrell can work regular
1v hehind the bat it is bound to slow
1Ip his team. Bob's catching was con
sidered one Of the big assets OF Inc
club. hut a lame arm has kept MN
on The side lines a good part OF the
time. Big Frank Snyder. McGraW :
former catching mainstay, has peeh
doing the bulk of the work. FRANK
still il a fairly good catcher, but $40"
asa truck horse. while his batting has
fallen away to nothing.
Pirates Pitching Weak.
Weak pitching continues TO hold
hack the Pirates. though rain mas
raised havoc with their schedule IN
the East Even Kremer now IS run
ming into difficulties. In the oniy
game played in Philadelphia, Ray had
Ia J1ac zx-h
ont in the ninth, old Cy NIillams
marked one, with two mates on the
bag. and pulled it out for the Phil
lies, to 5. ,,,..-
DOME Bush's move of shifting
George Grantham TO second, his posi-
lion with the cubs, and employing ola
.Joe Harris at first base has been
watched with interest. Joe could poke
'en. but in recent years he has peef
a first baseman on the Jack Fournier
model. Still, shall play along with
Pittsburgh at the top of my NatlonaI
League pennant chances percentage
table for another week.
The Giants still are hitting the pan
and their pitching has been mucn pet
ter. This especially has been true OIL
! Burleigh Grimes, the former Dodger,
who now is pitching the kind of ball
WhiGn
vel of the Giants winning squirt has
been the phenomenal hitting of little
Eddie Farrell, the utility shortstop.
While Eddie hit .2S6 in 67 games last
season he was considered rather a
weak sister with the mace. But he
has been crashing them out with
Hornsby. and crashing them in the
pinches.
Uncle Robbie finally is getting some
results with his Brooklyn crew. his
team still is a bad last in Nauonal
League club hitting, but little Par
ridge. Babe Herman and Gus Felix
are managing to bunch their hits.
with the result that all of the good
pitching of the Dodger moundmen no
longer is being wasted. DaZZy vance
again is doing little dazzling. ana az
a result I have boosted Brooklyn on
my National League pennant ex-
change from .1S0 last week to 200.
The Cubs are experiencing a fairly
successful Eastern trip, despite the
uncertainty on the left side of their
infield. With Freigau hitting only :230
and nothing in the pinches, Joe Nc
Carthy is trying out Harry Nllke, a
youngster last year with AsheVlile AT
third base. Jimmy Cooney is back at
shortstop. after the expensive Elwood
English hit only 1863 in 10 games.
The Reds continue to bump the
bumps, and Jack Hendricks is trying
10 whistle to keep up courage. Crltz
hit so badly that it was necessary 10
bench him. Christensen, a $50 hltter
last year, also was Jerked out OF the
Iine-up after he showed only .l84 for
IA games. Cincinnati's pitching has
been fair but it has received no bat
ting support. Donohue has dropped
three 2-to-1 games, and other pltcneFs
have had similar luck.
Phils Still Surprising.
The Phillies keep up their remark
able work. and no matter Wnere
SbufTy McInnis finishes, he must be
congratulated for the Spring KICK
which he has given Phliiy NauonaI
LEAGUE fans It is a long time since
thew saw their team in the first dlvi'
aion at any season Of the year The
Braves are sinking fast. The team
was pretty strong in the box the last
+xvo wears, but so far 'Bannys pltch'
ing has been feeble.
THE Yankees are having pleasa nj
time of it in the West and are bowling
nyer the Western teams with the same
regularity with which they ran thelf
Stesm.roller over the same cluos WheH
thew reeled OH tnelF 1V-SIAo'5hA@ w.
ming streak year ago.
After a brief pitching lapse, the Fet
~ran nitchers again are delivering. a
week ago | expressed the opinion tna'
chicago and the Browns would be
nucn tougher for the Yanks this sea
sor but Howley's team was swept on
i,s feet in four straight games. Lol
Gahrir is the new slugging nero OF
the team. and threatens TO take tht
spotlight from Ruth as the outstald
ing inauler of the club.
Toe Duqan is not hitting anything
and his fielding also has suffered, bu'
Huggins has a splendid man TO rusl
into Joe place in Mike GaZella shouio
he need 20 prop up his inf1eld at tha'
corner.
The suspension Of Cobb and Sim
mons on the early part OF this uIl
look much Of the kick out of the Ath
letics' lineup and they started theii
Western invasion with three uneX
nected defeats at the hands of the In
dams. With Ty and Al back on the
firing line, victories again are rolling
into the Athletics basket. The pitch
ing of the Mackmen also is starting tt
show some Improvement.
II is still my belief that there vii
he only Two real contenders IN tht
American League, the Aafiks ahe
Athletics. BY another month these
TWO clubs should be well in front o
The rest Of the fold. Both again are
given the same pennant chances per
centage, .525, az / consider either clut
an even bet
The White SoX took two bad beat
ings from the Yankees, 8 TO . ant
9 TO Q, in successive games, but tina
failed to check them. They bounded
right back and are doing their bes
10 give the Eastern contenders some
Western opposition, Moriarty con
1inues TO get such unreliable pitching
that it is apparent his club can hardly
finish better than $50. RIP" Col
Inns. former Yankee, is winning fol
hin, auH the veteran DausS NAV hell