Evening star., 1928-02-29
LOOMS AS LEADER
OF PITCHING CORPS
Lisenbee, CASTOR Also Held
FirSt-String Fingers
for Nationals.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.
Saorts Editor of The star.


NAV be ventured with any degree OF
authority on the complexion Of the stan
as il Will be constituted when the II
nov on the roster have been pruned TO
the lot who will be carried through the
campaign.
The manner in which thcv react to
instructions of the coaches N the pre-
lirlnary work now being lndulSeo IN.
the measure 10 which they develop
during the batting drills soon 10 be
started and the showing they make
under fire when the exhibitions with
National League clubs are inaugurated
all will have a bearing on the ultimate
selections Of the sheep from the goats.
AS a result of these tests some of the
hurlers now exceedingly we'll thought
Of may slump in the estimation OF the
Nationals board of strategy, while
others. lightly regarded at this time
may forge 10 the front and earn an
assured place on the pay roll.
Dope Last Year Weak
But even with nothing definitely de-
cided or due TO be Tor at least a couple
OF weeks more. the mound aspirantS,
ssueed By their known ability or what
they already nave indicated, naturally
fall into distinct group claSSlflcatlons.
Nc official announcement on the SUBJ
ject has been forthcoming and none
will be until Manager Bucky Harris
has had the opportunity OF Thoroughly
inspecting all the fingers in camp, fol-
lowing his arrival here tomorrow with
the other regulars. Basis for a pro-
vis;onal rating Of the hurlers exists.
however. and We will present 1t here
with. but with the precaution of again
directing attention 10 the fact that II
Is subject TO alteration due to eventual
iiies that cannot be foreSeen.
The advisibility of esSaying such a
task with a due regard for the CAPRI
ciousneSs of Dame Fortune and respect
ful consideration for the frailities OF
human Judgment. may be gathered from
the fact that a year ago at this time
some of the hurlers most prominently
mentioned in camp dispatches included
Walter johnson. Hollis Thurston, Stan
Coveleskie. George Murray. Alvin
Crowder and Decatur Jones, all now
separated from the service for one
cause or another.
All right. then. here goes. Most teams
have big four" whose especial duty
It is 10 inaugurate battles in rotation
In which scheme Of things there is pro-
vided usually three days Of rest between
efforts. Assuming the Griffs follow this
custom. We nominate Irving Hadley,
leading pitcher of the team last season
both in the matter of games won and
lost and percentage Of earned runs al
lowed. for the first position: Horace
Lisenbee. runner-up to Hadley in the
average of wins last season. and Milton
CASTOR. the veteran obtained from ST
Louis in exchange for Eearl McNeely
and Dick CotIman. whose 1927 record
with the sorry Browns entities him TO a
high rating.
Picking Fourth Not Easy.
Picking a hurler to round out the
quartet gives us pause for a couple OF
reasons. and their names are Fred Mar
berry and Sam Jones. Here Is the way
1t dopes at this juncsture. Marberry Is
anxious 20 forsake the role of relief
pitcher in which he has earned such
we'll deserved fame and he is TO be
gwen every chance to demonstrate that
he can prove of more value 10 the team
BY Initiating combats rather than finish
Ing them for some faltering mate. We
don't know whether he will succeed.
AS 10 Jones. ii Is a well recognized
fact that for at least four or five innings
he can put as much bafling stuff on the
ball as any finger in the business.
which would make Il seem he was Just
wha. the doctor ordered for rescue roles.
But whether Jones will be able TO fash
al his stuff. even in for but a few
Innings a. time. when forced TO warm
up practically every day. as relief pitch
ers nave TO. is q question that Is yet 10
be answered
Next We viii deal with the rescue
squad. Garland Braxton, who enjoyed
a notable degree OF success in this ca
pacity last season and led all rivals In
the matter Of games participated In
with So, although he failed TO ofticiate
in single complete combat, is a cinch
bet. and the equally left-handed, but
considerably younger Bob Burke can be
pairec with him, as he also has demon
Strated ability along this line. The
ihiro should prove 70 be either Mar
berry or Jones. whichever fails 70 make
the big four"
Three Not Ready.
A., this point We will skip 10 the bot
tom ot 'ne list and eliminate a tril
VINO are the least likely OF any 10 sur
yiYe the roSter-reducing process. They
are Charley Lane. the Juvenile Texan
Joe Domingo. Tampa fat boy. who alSG
IS q southpaw. and Columbus Sans
Washington sandlotter. and likewise
youthful. This is not " indicate thai
these three have no future In base ball
but merely that they are a couple o.
years Or 81 away.
And now 10 where the figuring be-
comes involved. In the next group are
found three pitchers Of experience if
Tom ZACHARY, Ia Wells and Clayton
Var AIStyne xho must be conceded
earnest consideration tor regular jobs
j. Is more than possible that any or al
~ them may land IN the first fight O
FINGERS, thereby cispIacing those gratu
iUJsiSiy aIcDFdeG "a shade On them d
this writing.
Tnen there is still another equat
whose Numbers may play hoo with al
ADVANCE calculations and shoulder In
more experienced nioundsfneu rj2ht OH
If their JON IncHe comprise South
paws Ciafcnce Grimm and Lloyd Brow,
afic Elgh,-hanfers Paul Hopkins an
I.31Yer Ray fl! tolf established spieu
C3c records III tnc minors last keahJi
END being mere kicS, have ysL ~ iaI
the !iLDia NJ their capabilities, Wnll
hpfne u ene older men nave passed th
tresl anc are on The down grade.
Es Was carefully explained a. the out
ttt ~ li3Jh communication, dsptiopplfHt
~ tie t5tlft may kIlock all This doI
tnlG Il tDeTec nat, bDt H. IL ine b"Sl "D
talnab!r a. tills ptTlrd and p;oFid"a
fp4Acat.ou siJsoept!ble ~ alteration b
wfa1 happens ~ tiie real Spring l!ain
ii3Y nov ciJak ~ nai4d
lt4e ptaIiiee sess!nna WIZ G,hllhu
win i.lilr chsUge today aUd b}fnDtfp7
but on Friday. when Hlrat ~ itis ia1'
sba.-s.t players get ili1p uniform fof "a
tfst tln.s. there Nlli be !tyishjn ~ III
Dr1gIant 'or Drills, with batting pral,tit
o,eiDYing sH ln4pDttaHt spot.
IlpyT Brown Was the nfst III ~
tlfrjstfa ~ Complain ~ Idmt WIZ!
bIt ile .JfobaDIy VIII bf abie W "ofs VI
Sitei.eAh Ill III b DJJpls ~ 6hjs, sn
81 TIE pthefs ste progressing favor
s.ly ia iiJtlr Nork. including Mafbeu
EaatDn and itoy, who are hu1Yihk
Ineit Z few p.,IiIGs ~ th"if ifatnck.
Jones i1uajly kbked III blttI tsit
Efstn ~ fiae si!fct fhai ilr @lii gel hFi