Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-05-02
RED AGAIN IS DUE
TO SUPPLANT RICE
Johnson Regards Youngster,
When Fit, More Formi-
dabIe Than Veteran.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

n IEW YORK, May Soon the
N Nationals again will be taking
the field as they did at the
4 outset of the American League
campaign. Sam West, deposed
for a time because of weakness at bat,
already has been restored to the center
field post and before very long Red
Barnes. forced to the bench partly by
an injured knee and partly by failure to
hit well. once more will be taking care
Of the right garden.
The knee hurt Barnes suffered during
the exhibition engagement with the
Giants at Augusta, Ga, eight days be-
fore the Nationals opened the cham
pionship season has been SO relieved
that the young outf1elder could return to
the game now in an emergency and
within a week he should be fully At for
duty. and once Barnes is ready he'll
get back from the veteran Sam Rice the
right-field position. There's no doubt
about It,
From the outset of the Nationals
training period Manager Walter john
son was impressed by this recruits
garden patrolling ability and before the
club had been doing its conditioning
work many days the pilot came TO re-
gard Barnes as hitter of worth. Two
weeks before the league race began it
was no secret that Barnes had won
the job held so many years by Rice,
even though johnson made no definite
announcement of the fact at the time
and 1t appears johnson still considers
Barnes. when the player is in good
physical trim. the man for the job.
Rice hit at a 1928 clip last season
and has back of him years of experience
as a major league gardener. but past
r0aTfnrnNdnPac T1rinn
with the Nationals these days. It's the
player who produces at the moment
who gets the call and Mr.. johnson be-
lieves Barnes. when fit, more likely
player than Rice.
Barnes Is Good Fielder.
There's no question as to Barnes
ability to field. He is feet, an excellent
judge of lofts and good thrower. De-
fensively he leaves little to be desired.
At bat he has not always been so bril-
liant, but he is powerful enough to
drive the ball far and johnson thinks
Barnes will get his hits often, too.
What's more. the manager considers
Barnes q good man in a pinch, one
who more likely than not will hit when
there are runners to be driven home,
and that's the kind of hitter the Ma
tionals need these days. They get
plenty Of safeties. Their hit column,
In so far as the total is concerned,
generally compares favorably with the
hit column of the opponent, but it's the
hit in the pinch that tells, and the club
cannot afford to have idle any player
who promises to deliver in a crisis.
For that reason more than any other
Barnes will be rushed into the game
as a regular at the earliest moment
possible.
Indictment weather is shattering the
Nationals schedule this Spring. To
date the club should have played is
games 1t had played but 10, rain pre-
venting contest here yesterday. That
means much work for the pitchers
within a few weeks but they should
be ready for it. Most Of the members
of the Washington hurting corps are
in trim for extra work now and should
improve when the warmer weather
arrives.
After winding up the series with the
Yankees here this afternoon, if the
weather permits, the Nationals will
board a train for Cleveland, where on
Saturday they will begin their first
invasion of the Western sector of the
league this year. The West has had all
the good breaks in weather this Spring.
Maybe the Nationals will get their
share Of 1t soon.