Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-09-24
L|SKA, MCCULLOUGH
]. AND SHIRLEY BEST
Majority of Players Lined Up
for 1929 Not Impressive
on Their Records.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

has won % of its last 35 games
vet still Is fighting for fourth
place in the American League
That is the plight of the Nationals to-
day.
Really the club under Bucky Harris
guidance is playing about the best base
ball in the circuit at present, but II
isn't going to get anywhere this season
And unless it is bolstered in several
places it doesn't appear likely 1t Will
get anywhere next year.
This may be thought somewhat early
to discuss preparations for the 1923
diamond campaign, but one who has
followed the fortunes of the Nationals
for some time cannot refrain from
wondering whether much of the array
of talent recently added to the clubs
roster that will report for training next
Spring will prove worthwhile. and, Won
dering. one concludes that not so much
of it will.
The Nationals need bolstering In their
pitching staff more than in any other
department. They have good Slabnien
now, but not enough of them. Thus
far the club has announced as having
In reserve several hurlers other than
those now at hand. They are Adolph
1iska and Paul Mccullough, bought
from Minneapolis; Guy Cantrell, pur-
chase from Baltimore: Charles Glazner,
acquired from Mobile, and Horace
LiSenbee, Clayton Van Alstyne and Paul
Hopkins, recalled from minor clubs
whence they were farmed. On past
performances, not an impressive lot.
But Two Look Promising.
Liska and Mccullough did we'll enough
this year with Minneapolis to make one
holi 1ai mil hayanGf
Nationals. They are young fellows and
with the Millers seemed to have much
more than average pitching ability.
Cantrell, though, did nothing remark
able as an Oriole. He was just minor
league hurler. and Glazner is an old
timer-well up in his thirties, in fact
who passed out of the big show some
years ago.
Of the recalled hurlers, not one was
b success in the minors. Lisenbee, last
year a star with the Nationals, was
anything but such this season. He
lost the fast ball he had in 1927, and
without it was failure. After being
shipped to Minneapolis, he continued to
perform weakly. Van Alstyne never
measured up to big league caliber from
Elittering success with Minneapolis.
Hopkins, thought to be promising
youngster when sent to Montreal, failed
to perform Up to expectation.
Consider the six inf1elderS who are
to report neXt Spring. Pete Voter has
played a fair third base for Minneapolis
end has hit WELL Jimmy Partridge
has been a good second-sacker at At
1anta. Voter may be better now than
when he had a big league trial several
years ago. He's no young fellow as
base ball goes, though. Partridge
wasn't a big Lacquer by any means with
the Dodgers last Spring. He may have
improved a great deal while with the
Crackers. however.
Jack Hayes starred around second
base for the Millers. but even though
an earnest player. Jack did not seem
quite q major Lacquer while. With the
Nationals this year. nor did he promise
to become one within the year. The
came goes for Grant ellis, too, who
was tried around the Washington in
held before he was sold to Minneapolis.
Stuffy Stewart, bought from Birming-
ham, is hustling ball player, but
uffy was no marvel when he was
with the Washington club through two
seasons and he is about in his thirties
now.
Shirley Likeliest Of Infielders.
Ernest Shirley, coming back from
Birmingham for third trial as f1rst
baSeman, seems the likelieSt OF the lot.
He hit well in the Southern Association
and always has been a clever fielder.
OF the two outfielders on the roster,
but not yet with the club, Elliot Bigelow
probably will have better chance to
stick than will Melburn SimonS. But
Bigelow probably will be kept to provide
the Nationals with something they have
lacked for some seasons, a long hitter
for emergency USE Bibelow is too slow
and too weak a fly chaser to be re-
garded as big league outfield timber,
but he can sock the ball. With Blrm-
ingham this year. he topped the South
ern League batters. SimonS, also with
Birmingham this year, is said TO be
much better outfielder than he was at
the Nationals training camp in the
Spring. He would have to be TO deserve
major league consideration.
Of the two catchers added to the club
recently little is known. Al Bool has
been with the Nationals since they
came West, but has done nothing more
than bull pen and batting practice
work. He has the ideal build for q
catcher and apparently can throw wen.
Bool is 26 years old and has been
around the minors for several years,
but that's all known OF him. Bottom,
bought from High Point Of the Pied
mont League, is a boy still in his teens.
What he may be able to do, no one
seems TO know.
It doesn't seem likely that all OF these
men added to the roster will get to the
Tampa camp. Minneapolis must be
paid for Liska, Mccullough and voter.
Atlanta probably will want something
h the way of player for Partridge
and Baltimore will be looking Tor some
thing besides cash in payment for Can
trell Perhaps, Ed Crowley, an mfleioer
the Nationals had out under option,
already has gone to the Orioles. Ana
Birmingham must be paid for Blgelow
and Simons. Ernie Smith, short stop,
was turned over to the Barons some
time ago and lately Fred Sheridan, a
pitcher, was handed them.
Then there's such thing as pro-
tecting a player subject to draft. 1t is
not uncommon for major league CLUB
to buy" a star, keep him out OF the
draft, then let the minor club from
which he was bought exercise Its option
when the player doesn't make good at
training camp. Merely a deal on the
books. Some of the deals announced
NAV be "coverup" deals.
But what benefit will the Nationals
derive from the extensive purchasing
recently announced? Only the 1929
S;+;o,, oF thu cluh will fell