Evening star., 1928-03-23
TEAM IS STRONG,
BUT NEEDS POLISH
Cohen Is Proving Acceptable
Second BaSeman--Burden
Is on Young Pitchers.
RY JOHN b. FOSTER,

FT. MEYERS. Fla. March 2S,-The
Giants are like diamond in the rough.
They need the careful hand of the gem
cutter. More than last year, or the
year before. John McGraw VIII have
an opportunity TO prove. as he has in
the past. how much of base ball lapi-
6arist ne is
Some of the facets Of the team shine;
some Of them are dull. Those that
shine glitter in the light and make
rainbovs when the sun is out, Others
need the careful attention of the master
hand as well as the master mind,
The Giants now are transforming
around Florida, although their actual
training camp is at Augusta, Ga. They
have Just left here after playing series
of games with the Philadelphia Ath-
leticS. who also are doing little galll-
wanting around the State.
Prom sheer necessity this New York
team is a growing team. II has its spots
Of fervent hrilliancy and il has Others
not so fervent. II is not what might
be called a championship team; yet
Il may be rounded into something that
will cause trouble for the leaders. 1t
Goes not lock as fit for the coming
National League fight as Pittsburgh,
Chicago or ST. Louis and no one eX-
pected that it would
Team Possesses Ambition.
The Giants will take advantage of
openings and when the batters are
working in harmony the tesm will
bother the pitchers of opposing teams,
Give the team foot in a race and it
viii take two. Look out for that as its
nf ta
At shortStop the Giants have a player
whose skill is displayed 10 greater ef-
feet than it was last year because his
base ball existence is impressed with
the fact that he is captain of the team. !
and hence that 1t is his duty 10 be
strong as player Travis Jackson
makes double plays so fast this Spring
that the umpires have their troubles
following them. and the un1pires admit
it, which IS an unusual trait on their
part
Lindstrom at third base is travelling
about as he always has. Terry at first
should be no worse. unless the hook
worm catches him unawares. The spot
On which attention centers is second
base the position left vacant by Horns
hy's departure for Boston. Andy Cohen
has been playing at second down here.
In the games against the Athletics
Cohen PLAYED well and not so well. He
Is faster ball player than the same
young man who reported TO New York
some seasons ago. His year of eXperi-
ence at Buffalo helped him nightly.
The principal fact in connection with
Cohen's work is that he shows more
acquaintance with second base than
he did when he began &C play that
position. His speed is better. He
handles himself very much better In
double plays He viii bat well. although
he is not likely 10 bat as well as he did
for Buffalo last year He is what may
be termed al acceptable second base
man
OrDoul Improved Outfieider.
The oue6eld Is no worse than some
outheids that New York has had in
the past and-no better The Giants !
often have had great individual out
fseiGerS. but they have not always been
successful IN getting together COM
pieteiy great outfeid oDoul is more
active with the Giants than he was
when he was tried for place on the
Chicago Cubs two years ago. Perhaps
he realizes that it is about the last
time he viii be called TO go up.
Edd Roash q no whit slower than
be wss last year or the year before. but
Is taxing II easy. His underpinning is
valuable and must not be affected by
cver work On the sands Of the orange
country.
Harper and WEIGH are average OUT
heiders and Harper is better batter
than he Is an outfelder. There are other
outfel6ers 10 supplant any Of these,
but II appears this combination viii
be used 70 start the season.
Behind the bat the team is not great,
but good. Young Hogan is good re-
ceiyer and so is Cummings. and they
vii! get the bulk Of the work
II Is out Of the question TO tell what
the pitching STAFF viii be. Benton Is as
much Ia form as he was In 1927. Other
pitchers Of the team are no better and
no worse Walker may develop into
winner Faulkner has vide curve
which needs schooling The younger
pitchers will have 10 work zealougiy II
they are to.carry the Giants into
championship.
lcopyYiFhi 1921