The Washington times., 1929-08-09

SYRACUSE, N. I. EN
ROUTE FOR ST. LOUIS)
Aug. 9.-Left-hand hitters are
carrying the brunt Of the
Washington clubs attack
against southpaw pitching.
This fact may surprise many who
have blamed q top-heavy portside
batting order for the inability OF
the 1929 Griffmen to click.
There is no question but what
the Griffs have fallen down mis-
erably before sidewinders his sea-
son. but a close study will reveal
II is the right hand swingers who
are mainly responsible for this sit.
uation.
with the lone exception of Out
fielder Sam West; who frankly
seems lost when bucking un-
/. orthodox slants, the remaining left
hand swatsmen have delivered.
Time after time Joe Judge,
Sammy Rice, Goose GOslin and
Buddy Myer have provided
whatever punch the Griffs have
shOwn again the left.handers.
The inability of Goslin to come
up to par against any kind OF
pitching, of course, has hurt con-
siderabIy, but at that the Goose
has slammed the southpaws as
huskily as anyone else.
Myer, Rice ard Judge. an In.
vetigation proved. have made good
while facing forkhanders more con-
sistentIy than have any of their
mates, And, without exception,
they swing from the south side.
In a recent start against Earl
whitei1iIl something like eight hits
were collected by the Griffmen.
seven of this number were divided
among the four mentioned.
Again in the second game of the
New York Yankee double-header
Tuesday, Fred Heimach allowed only
three safeties. None Of these fell to
the lot of an orthodox man.
The big right-hand sock of the
club was lost several weeks ago
when Third Baseman Ossie Bluege
was forced to retire from action with
his bad left knee. Since his depart
ure no one has taken his place.
Joe CrONIH, odCh haScS dhu
Roy Spencer. the three regular
right hand cutters, are really
supposed to furnish the power
against sOuthpaWS, And not one
of this trio is even crOwding 800.
Charley Gooch, the Little Rock
rookie, has shown promise while
facing the left.handers in pinch hit
ting assignments. Since he has not
vet been awarded regular trial,
however, his status on a day-in-and-
day-out basis Is still doubtful.
Probably the nearest approach to
Bluege's wallop is that of Catcher
Harold Ruel. But, for some un.
known reason, the little veteran has
been given little work this season
and consequently has remained more
or less in the background.
Therefore the Griffs have been
humping into the sopthpaws from
time to time without the semblance
of a right.hand walloper to help
them along.
The men who really should be
stepping out and wading into these
shoots remain strangely silent with
the fail while the un-orthodox hit
ters continue holding up their end
and a little bit more.
Once the batting order passes
the first four. Judge, Rice. Cos
lin and Myer, the opposing left
handler has few troubles. With
no healthy right hand sock to y
unbaIance him he is rarely
forced to extend himself against
the rest.
And since no four men can be
expected to hold up the punch of
any combination the Griffmen con-
sequently remain in their rut pow
erless to snap out of d trying
situation.
Therefore, it seems that the pres
ent need of the Washington club
is to discover right hand hitters
who can hit rather than to replace
those lefthand wallopers who al.
ready are doing their part. /.
For, 1t seems reasonable to pre-
sumo, stout orthodox puncher to
alternate with West and another
to make himself useful generally,
would be ably flanked by the flour
horsemen" previously. mentioned
Judge, Rice, GosIin and Myer.
II