New Britain herald. [microfilm reel] (New Britain, Conn.) 1890-1976, 1929-01-26
TEAMS !
in front RANK
Eypas Divided IN Opinions on
Likely PuDtnt Winners

New York, Jan. IS R-On the
basis Of mid winter calculations. the
only baseball fuel available now. tho
National league divides itself into
two parts for 1888.
Advance opinions Of experts show
. deposition to place the Chicago
Cubs. New York Giants, Pittsburgh
Pirates and 1t. Louis Cardinals In
the frant rank with the Cincinnati
Reds. Brooklyn Robins. Philadelphia
Nationals and Boston Braves bring
ing up the rear.
Such 4 development in strength
would md baseball history repeating
itself for the first division clubs last
year were St. Louis. New York. Chi
caso and Pittsburgh.
The big bat Of Hornsby. added to
the Cubs offensive, may be powerful
enough to lift Chicago above it's
third place standing OF 1928. With
the exception Of adding the former
st. Louis and Boston manager to his
infield Manager Mccarthy will stand
pat.
The GiantA will enter the next
campaign with few changes. one Inn
portant move being the addition Of
Fred Leach, former Phillie. to the
outfeld. Information from Toledo Is
that Pat Crawford. South Carolina
jack Of all American trades. will be
heard from.
The Cardinals propose to gamble
on 4 wholesale scale In the infield
sending Charley Gilbert and Carey
Selph. two sensational minor league
recruits to shortstop and second base
with frankie Frisch moving to third
leaving only Jim Bottomley as 4
holdover in the first line Of defense.
Billy 6outhworth, prominent figure
in the 1926 world series and last
year highly successful as manager Of
Rochester, will manage the Cards
and appear occasionally In his old
stamping ground. right field.
Long without capable left hand
er pitcher. the Pirates traded Glenn
Wright. their shortstop, for jess Pet
ty. star southpaw OF Brooklyn. q
successor must be found for Wright
and he may be located by moving
, Pie Traynor from third base. This
doubtless will depend on the ability
of Jim Stroner, Wichita recruit to
take care OF third.
The second division clubs Of last
season look with eager anticipation
at a full crop of talent from the
minors. They will have more
youngsters than their more favored
fellows, and will need them more.
The Phillies were lucky in the
draw last season and have more to
build about than was the case when
Burt shotton took tis club south
last spring. Don Hurst, Pinky
Whitney. inhelders, Chuck Klein.
outhelder and two promising catch
er, Davis and Lerian. made good
last year. Thompson and Thevenow
complete an able infeld combina-
ton. II the Phillies get an improved
brand Of pitching they should get
out Of the cellar lin 1929.
The Reds have been on the look
out for additional hitting strength
and Jack Hendricks thinks he has
arranged for some extra base hits
from Joe Strip. third baseman. The
outneld may be tinkered too before
the season gets under way, az therA
arc several men in tho new crop who
hit minor league pitching to good
advantage.
Brooklyn will depend on Glenn
Wright to boost the infield and Billy
Rhiel should be about due for infield
or outfieid assignment after a sea-
soning period at Atlanta. Manager
Wilbert Robinson has declared the
outheld wide open with . free-for.
all battle at Clearwater to decide the
winners Of positions.
Boston faces 4 difficult task. The
Braves will have to draw heavily on
their reinforcements to assemble 4
cast strong enough to make a dent
in the armor Of rival clubs. Rabbit
Maranville. who never grows old,
will play short and bring a lot OF
enthusiasm to one OF his many Alma
Mater clubs. and George Harper may
do some hitting. The outheld will
be built around Lance Richbourg,
one OF the great players of the game.
President Manager Emil Fuchs, his
first lieutenant, Johnny Evcrs and
Hank Gowdy. second assistant. will
have plenty OF players to inspect At
the st. Petersburg. Fla, training
camp.