Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-12-01

ture, too. Yes, the WASH
ington ball club still is after
an outfelder who is a sound slammer
OF orthodox style. And Clark Grifith.
the clubs prexy, will be ready to talk
turkey with any one having such a
player to offer at the gathering of the
base ball magnates in New York next
week.
Too long have the Nationals had a
left-hand swinging outfield. their bosses
believe, and every effort will be made to
vary its batting style. Not since the
season of 1927, when Earl McNeely
held forth In the right garden, has the
Washington club had a right-hand
hitting regular outfielder
Those In charge. of the Nationals
have tried for two years to land an
MISUNDERSTANDING flyhawk who could
make the grade, without success. Those
tested were too weak with the fail or
too ineffective defensively. SO the
search is still on.
: OF course, the Nationals will carry to
camp next Spring a player of the type
sought in George Loepp, purchased from
the Baltimore 1nternationals during the
past Summer In the International
League, over long stretch of games,
Loepp socked the apple for rating of
$40. But seeking the apple in the
international League isn't seeking 1t in
the American League.
LOepp May Fill Bill.
Loepp may prove Just the plaver
wanted by the Nationals. He stood up
well in comparison with other out
nelders OF his circuit last season, both
at bat and af1eld. He did not prove a
particularly long hitter, but he was a
timely hitter. And 1t seems Loepp was
pretty good hyhawk, too. He fieaves
as well as hits from the right-hand side.
Unless Loepp goes from the Nationals
In Winter deal, he will surely be given
q careful looking over in the South
next Spring. -
Other than .Loepp. there are on the
Nationals roster but two outfelders
other than those who were with the
club. last season. They are Arthur
Freeman and Alvin Powell. and neither
is likely to mean much to the club.
Both are Sandlot products without ex-
per1ence IN the organized ranks. Free
man performed for the st. Mary's Gel
tics Of Alexandria and Powell for the
Takoma Park Tigers. Certainly looks
as though Loepp is the only hope the
Nationals have around at present.
The four veteran gardeners with the
Nationals swing from the port side, and
but one OF the four swung with any sue
the lot, and the clubs oldest player as
well. hit respectfully enough to be among
the circuits batting leaders. He was by
lar the Nationals best batter in the past
campaign. Goose Goslin had the poor
est season OF his career as a regular,
while neither Sam West nor Emile
Barnes revealed any worth with the
f1ail.
GOslin Apt to Come Back.
Gosltn, of course, is quite likely to
come back as batter It seems that all
the big fellows suffer q season slump
every once in while and that it SIM
ply was Goslin's turn to lose his power
at bat for year. Whether Rice can. or
will, carry on is somewhat doubtful.
Sam is growing young no faster" as
Nick Altrock would say. and the game
has not the hold on him it once had.
The oldtimer cannot be expected to
keep going forever. And Sam several
times in the past few years has threat
ened to retire from the game During
his long service Rice has been thrifty,
and It's said he. is sufficiently endowed
with worldly goods to retire.
1t looks as though West never will
make the grade as a big league batter.
Ever shy of left-hand pitching since
he came up to the big show, Sam has
not been particularly good against the
right-handerS for some time. Perhaps
his weakness against the portside fling
ers has so unbalanced him as to make
him unsuccessful against any style of
pitching. Sammy has had thorough
trial He has been given every. chance
since coming up to Washington. Too
bad he has been unable TO develop into
q hitter, for there's not a better fly
hawk around and he has one of the
best throwing arms in the business. d.
Barnes, after some flashes of hitting
early in his big league career, lost all
his cunning at the plate. Last season
he was as poor against right-hand as
against left-hand pitchers. And Red
never has measured up to big league
standard in the outfield He has never
overcome weakness of Judgment Of
low lofts in front of him.
Outlook Gloomy Now.
Yet the Nationals will have to depend
upon the return of Goslin to batting
form, Rice's ability to fight off the raw
ages Of time and two younger players
who have failed to produce in long
trials when the next season rolls around
unless Loepp develops into good big
league hitter and fielder or something
worth while is picked up this Winter.
One thing seems sure. The Nationals
cannot be expected to get much of of-
fensiye value from the present lot of
outfield veterans they have at hand.
Top-neavy with southpaw swingers the
club would have to face too much
southpaw pitching for its own good.
All last season. it was felt good right
hand swinger in the garden trio would
change the Nationals from a mediocre
to good club, And the bosses still
think So
That's why Grifith still is casting
about for a right-hanG swinger who
can sock the old apple and chase it
about the pasture, too.