Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-03-03
bLUEGE At SECOND
MAY SETTLE ISSUE
Could Replace Stewart or
Hayes, With Cronin at
Short for Griffs.
BY DENMAN THOMPSON,
Sports Editor, The Star.
-M ANTDA I1lo NGarct, y AetL,

bilS uncertainty WHICH always
exists regarding pitching staff,
Il no matter how formidable it
may loom on paper, Walter
johnson would appear to have but one
major problem to solve in the training
here for his big league debut as leader
of the Nationals. 1t has to do with the
infleld.
With Muddy Ruel apparently headed
for a genuine comeback as a result of
an active Winter in a st. Louis GYM
nasium and a special course OF sprouts
for his questionable throwing arm here,
and with such seasoned receivers avail
able as Benny Tate and Ed Kenna, not
10 mention pair of promising young
sters like AL Bool and Cliff Bolton, the
catching department looks to be ade-
ouately cared for and this seems to be
true to an even greater degree Of the
cutfeld.
For picket duty, with the leagues
champion batsman. Goose GoSlin, in
left field, the feet and accurate-pegging
Sam West in center and either sam
Rice, the veteran, or Emile Barnes. the
youngster, in right-.300 hitters all
the prospect is for one of the best pal
anced and most effective garden COM
binetions in the circuit. This is with
out even taking into account the qualifl-
cations of Spencer Harris, who with
Minneapolis proved the 1928 champion
home-run slugger of the American Asso-
citation or Melbern Simons, the younger
and even more agile f1yhawk requisi-
toned from the Birmingham Barons.
Only Infield Questionable.
This leaves the inner Gordon alone
as questionable and not all OF II, at
that. merely the center section, for the
flank positions apparently are to be
satisfactorily manned. j. 1gnatiuS
Judge, on the basis of his showing last
year when he failed to participate III
but 2 of the 1855 games played by the
Griffmen, is growing Sturdier instead OF
more brittle with the passing years.
In only one other campaign, that OF
1921, did he cavort in as many as 153
contests and in several others since he
became & regular in 1916 his fragility
kept him out Of approximately a third
of the tits.
Although he will be IS years old next
MAY and prior to last season usually
was one Of Old Man Jinx's favorites in
the matter of dealing out injuries, Joe
seems to have found a specific for the
charleyhorses that formerly put his
UNDERMINING on the bum through the
simple expedient of warming up" his
legs much as pitcher does his arm be-
fore going into game. 1t thus would
seem that he Is capable OF carrying on
for quite spell yet, especially in view
of the fact that his consistency as
300 hitter is pretty well established BY
the record book, which shows him as
failing to exceed that mark but twice
in the last nine years and on each OF
those two occasions by only few
points.
Furthermore, in the event Josephus
should experience a slump in effective
ness, there are more than fanciful rea-
sons for believing that the youthful
Harley Boss, also a Southpaw both in
hitting and throwing, could produce
satisfactory job of substituting at the
initial station. Boss, who has not yet
attained his majority and has the dis
tinction of being the youngest player
on the roster, displayed marked signs
of class in the few games he got into
with the Nationals last season, and al
though his batting mark of .270, COM
piled during two complete contests and
parts of 10 others, is far from impress
sive, he more than held up his end on
attack with the Little Rock club of
the Southern Association, from which
he was purchased.
Myer Seems Strong.
diamond, one is confronted with the
sturdy tlgure of C. Solomon Myer. for
title to whom five athletes estimated
as having a cash value of $4,000, were
shifted TO. the Boston club. During
Myers FIRST full season with the Ma
tionals, in 1926, he gave unmistakable
evidence of ability to hit, as his .304 for
1872 games atteStS, but he left much TO
be desired in defensive way at short.
stop and 1t was not until after the Red
Sox obtained him in exchange for Top
per Rigney in the Summer of 1927 and
he was tried in several positions, includ-
ing the outfield, that it was determined
his natural position was at the FAR
corner.
Then, given the benefit of pointers
from Bill Carrigan and that master
coach OF infielders, Heinie Wagner,
Myer developed rapidly as third base
man until at the close of last season he
was rated as being one of the best
three in the circuit, everything con-
sidered. And that the original estimate
of his punching proclivities was accu-
rate, despite his slump to .281 while be-
ing shifted about between clubs as well
as positions in 1927, is shown by the
fact that he achieved $40 rating last
season, when he also distinguished him.
rivals in the matter of stealing bases.
This brings us down TO the middle Of
the infleld, where it is found that OSS
Bluege is scheduled to perform as a
shortstopper, which he was before he
entered the big show and was converted
into third baseman, with Stuffy Stew
art and Jack Hayes, both familiar
figures to patrons of the paStime in
the Capital, slated to fight it out for
the job Of second base left vacant by
the departure of Bucky Harris to man
age the Detroit Tigers.
Second Base Doubtful.
Stewart is fast, demon on the base
lines and an average hitter, but in
clined to be cratic defensively, and
Hayes, while possessing the proverbial
fine pair of hands," is handicapped by
slowness afoot in covering ground and
is about so percentage points shy OF
desirable class as an attacking force.
OF course, it is within the realm of
possibility that either Pete Voter or
Charley Gooch may demonstrate their
right to consideration as keystone cam
didates, particularly the latter. who. at
%, is five years the junior of Voter and
whose batting average Of 1857 with
Little Rock of the Southern Association
is accorded more respect than the 1922
figure compiled by Voter with Mime
apolis In the higher classified American
Association. 1t is likely, however. that
the chances of these minor leaguers.
both of whom are coming up as third
basemen, properly should be classified
as of the outside" variety.
There Is only one other infelder on
the roster of the club, Joe Cronin, a
lad of % years who, over a stretch OF
ABOUT half the season at short made
n highly favorable impression on fol-
lowers of the Nationals last year and
it occurs TO this observer that he may
be the means Of furnishing the answer