Evening star., 1928-03-10
BY DENMAN THOMPSON.

no intimation has been forth
coming from official sources
i snent plans for the inevitable
reduction Of the Washington
squad it is apparent from the relative
showing of various contenderS for the
different positions that some are doomed
TO be cut adrift, never to return. while
Others will be farmed out for additional
seasoning and probably recalled Tor
further inspection in the Fall or next
Spring.
This is true to greater degree OF
pitchers and infielders than of candi-
dates for the other jobs, probably be-
cause there arc more of them. Readers
Of this column already have been ap-
priSed Of the identity of number who
have no chance 10 make the grade. at
least this year. but thus far little has
been yentured here regarding the prob
able winner of the duel between Hugh
McAIullen and Pete Cooper for the posi-
ton of assistant to Ruel and Tate, III
the backstop department.
These matters are the especial con-
Germ of Stanley Harris. As manager OF
the team he decides upon which ath-
leteS will be retained and which will be
let GO. with or without the advice OF
President Griffith. Coach Milan or any
OF the other older heads available for
conference purposes.
Can Wait Until June Is.
1t may be many days vet before the
frst release is announced. There are
only about a dozen of the close TO 40
performers on the roster who must be
disposed of and plenty of time remains.
fc- r>cre III. the minor leagues which are
yawning for the surplus material opens
before the big show gets under way and
If the pilot sees fit he may defer final
action until June Is. the time set for
getting down 10 the legal limit of 25
PLAYERS.
What Harris may think of the rela-
tive qualifications of McMullen and
Cooper can't be recorded at this time.
Tor he has been noncommittal on the
subject. due doubtless to the fact that
he wants more time to look them over
but from what this correspondent has
seen OF the pair he is inclined strongly
TO the opinion that the award will go
60 McMullen.
Cooper has quite an edge on his rival
IN one important respect. that of bat
ting. He appears TO be a naturally good
hitter. but is of the phlegmatic type.
lacking In color and pep. and there are
good reasons for questioning the
strength of his throwing arm His peg
eing in practice here has been far from
impressive.
Cooper's Arm Weak.
! This might be accounted for by the
fact that his wing has been lame ever
since he started drilling here and If he
succeeds in working the soreness out he
may disclose a lot of throwing power.
but players who saw him perform in
the Southern League assert it appeared
that way all last season. which leads 10
the inference that the trouble. Is
chronic.
McMullen hasn't been pegging with
any too much gusto. either. for the rea-
son that his usually sturdy right arm
also has a kink in it. but with the tall
chap from Los Angeles this is a purely
temporary condition. for those familiar
with his work at Louisville last year
assert that he had no superiors in the
American Association in whipping the
ball around the bases.
Mac probably is not so good a hit
ter as Cooper by some 20 points or So
but he is OF the earnest. plugging type.
wiio is on his toes. trying every minute
and there is some basis for the belief
that he viii improve as a swatsmith
under the new method OF procedure he
has adopted.
McMuilen Changes Swing.
Up until this Spring Hugh has been
o turn-about hitter. swinging in SOUTH
paw fashion against the right-handers
and switching TO the other side when
opposed by portside fingers. He admits
that hitting right-handed is his natural
style, and that he has had more sur
cess that way. so. on the advice OF the
Harrisian board of strategy. he has de-
cided 10 forego left-handed hitting hence
forth. Since devoting all his time in
the wand drills TO hitting in the ortho-
dox manner he is getting better results.
and hopes 10 effect still further i'm
proTement By constant application.
Rain alone could be figured TO pre-
vent the opening this afternoon OF the
Nationals Spring exhibition series at
their training base here from being an
entirely satisfactory affair The team
that was 10 be entertained was the BoS-
ton Braves. led by the redoubtabie
Rogers Hornsby. and the interest in the
battle manifested about town indicated
an attendance Of generous proportions.
For the early birds. band music was
~ bs provided With the usual antics by
Aitrock and Schacht 10 entertain them.
while big-leaSue touch was scheduled
IN the assurance that Mayor Mckay Of
this thriving municipality would toss
out the FIRST ball.
Braves Seem Stronger
With Hornsby ss the keystone, the
Beaneaters' new manager. Jack Sia.-
teYy. has assembled what seems On