New Britain herald., 1929-03-20
GIANTS EXPECT ID HEAD LEAGUE
McGraW Has Reasons br Pre-
 dieting Another Pennant

San Antonio, Texas, March 20 LF The New York Giants believe they will live up to their names in the approaching National league race. The players confidently expect to be the head men in the baseball show. and there seems to be some ground for their confidence.
 Manager John McGraw's outfit seems definitely stronger than the 1928 cast, which was good enough to finish up to the champion St. Louis Cardinals. Perhaps the most en- couragine single item in the Giants new prospectus is a greatly im- proved Andy Reese. Last season the Tupelo flash hit well while serving as outfelder. third baseman and second baseman, but his defensive status was undetermined at the end of the season.
 Overnight Reese has developed into a capable and possibly great second baseman and is hitting hard er than ever. His almost phenom- en-l improvement rounds out an ef- fective infeld combination for Bill Terry, Travis Jackson and Fred Lindstrom have been tried and proven, Standing by for emergen- cles will be Andy Cohen and Pat Crawford. and possibly Baxter Jor- dan. Crawford and Jordan, gradu- ates of Toledo, can play anywhere and hit any time.
 McGraw has his 1928 pitching staff intact and expects Carl Hub bell. who joined the Giants late in the season, to declare dividends on his experience gained under major league fire. Hubbell will be a start ing pitcher with Larry Benton, Fred Fitzsimmons, Joe GeneWich and Dutch Henry, southpaw who seems 10 have regained his earlier form. Carl Mays, the veteran underhand performer, may join the group as his arm has recovered at least part of its old cunning. John Scott, another veteran, will be a. valuable man in relief roles and Curly ogden has shown well in the spring. A merry battle is being fought out by the recruits with the end not yet in sight.
 Final outheld assignments are be- ing held in abeyance, with a possi- hle arrangement calling for shifts against right and left hand pitch ing. Fred Leach obtained by trade from the Phillles. is expected to add strength and Ed Roush. who had an indifferent season last year and was finally forced out by sickness, ap- pears 10 have completely recovered. Jimmy Welsh, the former Brave. picked up this spring where he left off last autumn. Melvin Ott, rna- jor league veteran at 20 years of age has shown to better advantage at San Antonio than ever before and may convince the boss of the Giants that he can punish sou'hpaws as we'll as the orthodox pitchers. Tony Kaufman, former pitcher, and Art Eeltman, s youngster from Spring. field III. and Chuck Tullis, who has been up for a trial before, have the advantage Of right hand batting to commend them for further consid- eration. Six Of the seven outfelders , in camp may be retained.
 The hard hitting Frank Hogan will be the main reliance behind the bat Bob O'Farrell seems to have the call as first assistant with John | Cummings. who has more weight than he can conveniently carry and young Joe Witry, shy on experience. candidates for the third place. Ray Schalk, former manager of the Chi cago White Sox and now McGraw' s ! first assistant, has been doing some active catching in exhibition games. Schalk was forced to the bench by a weak arm and if it has regained it's strength it is difficult to see how he can spend the summer on the coaching lines if a situation should arise demanding expert handling o! pitchers.
 Bert Niehoff. one Of the great minor league manager Of his day and Q former major league infielder has returned to the big time as coach, giving McGraw an entirely new staff at the field generalship end of the game.
 The Giants will be in shape at the opening and expect to have some. thing 10 say about awarding the championship. Manager McCrau N does not go so far as some of hi: players in claiming a pennant, but { certainly the pilot, to whom cham.
 pionships are no novelty, is not 1 downhearted.