The Washington times., 1929-07-02
I AL s
To FILL
BILL
By Kirk Miller

Ira Flagstead's days as a
member of the Washington
clubs outfield corps are num-
bered.
He has failed to prove the
answer to the local need of q
ripht-hand hitting outfielder.
TOO. his fielding has cost the
Washington team 9 couple OF bah
games during the five or. six weeks
he has been a member OF the Grill
men and you can expect word from
the local headquarters almost any
dav now that Ira, the former Red
Sox and Tiger gardener, Is on his
way. SO far as Washington is con-
cerned.
This much was gathered during
q talk with President Clark Griffith
over the local baseball situation
this morning. OF course, Grin
didn't actually climb out on limb
and say Flagstead Is going. but he
did say Flaggy hasn't filled the
bill, eli Of which Is equivalent to
''notice" Of his early removal from
the local scenery.
'I'm still on the hunt for
couple Of young right-hand hit
ting Outfielders," said Griff in
cOmmiserating with your boy
scout anent the predicanent In
which Walter johnson and
Company find themselves todey.
What's the matter with the net
so.young right-hand. hitting out
fielder you recently acquired from
Boston," we parried in our typical
Sherlock Holmes fashion?
He just hasn't been the answer
to our needs. His hitting against
ieft-hand pitchers recently hasn't
been worth a dime and his feeling
cost us a couple of games since
he's been here" Griff said with
that genuine frankness for which
he is noted when trying to conceal
the fact players job is in
jeopardy.
Furthermore, Griffith has his own
ideas as to what's ailing his team
Despite Washinston's outfield
shortcomings including the failure of
Goslin to hit, Griff believes the pitch.
ing staff is mainly at fault.
"0ur trouble has been that our
pitchers have been unable to hold
the leads that have been given them
in the early part Of the games. Time
and time again the club has gone
out and piled up fair leads for
pitchers which were unable to hold.
There is the diagnosis Of our
troubles, and what with the other
contributing causes the team h a 8
lohed badly and nobody knows that
any better than do l."
In the meantime Griffith Is
not quitting ON the job. He Is
searching every waiver list that
comes to his Office for available
material, but he wants young
material, not wOrn.Out ma.
chinery.
His opinion Is that for the moment
the. best bet the team has is to try
to neVelope the young pitchers such
as Brown, Burke and Liska, as well
ass Mccullough when he gets in
shape to work.
In the meantime, he will import
q young outfielder or two who hits
from the orthodox side OF the platter,
in hopes Of pushing the team UP
int first division.
u COuGSC, ID 44SS '.S~SN-NS%NS
pennant, but, wherever there Ia a
mathematical chance for his team to
finish up there. you viii never hear
him cry quits"
Griff has seen a lot Of baseball
and he knows the vagaries OF the
game, and a team of his can never
be counted out of the race until the
undertakers are already on the
ecene-and that hasn't happened
yet
Meanwhile. the club president has
admitted the last acquisition from
Boston, Ira Flagstead. wasn't quite
yslfat he wanted, which IL nothing
over which Griff need hang his
head, Ira didn't set the club back
yerv much, as baseball money goes,
and, in the meantime, Griff was in
there trying, for which you can't
take him out at sunrise and shoot
him.