Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-01-26
CLUB CAN Co ONLY
AS ITS HURLERS co
SIabmen to Make or Break
GriffS, Unlikely to Be
Sturdy at Bat.
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

ruary IS, the array of pitchers
the Nationals have in reserve art
to start conditioning work at thu
clubs new training camp and M
less an authority than Clark Grit.
fifth, president of the Capitals
professional diamond organiZa-
ton. states it will be strictly uI
to. this bunch of pitchers to put
his club across this year--if it il
to be put across.
st don't think well have to bother
about hitting, limited as it has been
and fielding during the coming season
II our pitchers are there" says Grit
nth. eve have some good hitters and
some who should be better hitters than
they were last season. We also ougnl
to have better fielding than we had IN
the past campaign and then 1t wasn't
so poor. But we must get much better
pitching than we got last year. That's
all there Is to It,"
Right now the Nationals have on their
roster an even dozen of pitchers. Eight
Of them are right-handerS. At least
10 of these are likely to 80 into training
At Biloxi. GrifIith has limited recently
he NAV dispose Of Don Savidge and Eo
Wineapple, youngsters picked up last
season and who need a deal Of polishing
in the minors before they are ready for
thorough big league tests. But he in
sists he will keep all the others around
Building Stan No Easy Task.
Digging a fair hurting staff out of the
lot of mound material available may
prove q tough task. The only members
Of the Washington hill corps who
flashed real worth last season are Fred
Marberry and Garland Braxton, and
the latter was q bit too much of an In
and-outer in 1929. It certainly looks as
though the washington club VIII have
to make something OF Irving Hadley,
Ad Liska, Lloyd Brown and Bob Burke
IL IL would get anywhere. Hadley,
Brown and Burke have been around the
club for several seasons now without
showing much, while LiSka, after a
great ballyhoo, failed to set the league
afire In the past pennant race.
whether Sam Jones and Myles
Thomas win mean anything to the Ma
ttenals is doubtful right now. Jones,
following, fair 1928 campaign, was
not only, was out Of action most OF the
time, but the little time he was in serV-
ice he was far from being q red-hot
ringer. It is no secret that Grifnth
was not at all pleased by Jones showing
last year and Sam Is apt to have this
fact pressed home every time ne gazes
upon his new contract.
Grifhth plans to work Jones on
bonus basis this year-eo much Tor SO
many games won and so much more
for each extra victory. The washington
president figures that in this way lie
may be able to get fairly fun season :,
toll out of Sam. SO far it appears this
plan does not appeal to Jones. At least
he has not sent information from his
home in woodsfeld. Ohio, to the club
headquarters here that 1t does.
Bonus Clause Satisfies Bump.
As far as known, Hadley is the only
Washington pitcher other than Jones
whose contract for this season includes
a bonus clause. Hadley wasn't much OF
q worker the past season, but ne DID not
kick over the traces when onered con-
tract with extraordinary conditions Tor
1880. Instead, Bump promptly accepted
terms and moved southwark to get an
early start in training.
Thomas already has signed HIS con-
tract, but neither Grifi1th nor any one
else seems able to figure whether Myles
will prove particularly helpful to the
Nationals Grabbed from the Yankees
around midseason in 1929, Thomas
pitched right we'll in his firSt two OF
three appearances in his new uniform
Then he slipped back into the weak
form that had handicapped him during
the latter part of his sojourn in the
New York establishment. Myles would
Cart well. turn. in few good innings
then blow up with terrific roar.
As a matter of fact, all other Wash
1ngton pitchers excepting Marberry were
. too prone to perform as Thomas did in
1929 AS Griffith expresses 1t. they just
didn't seem to have the stuff in them to
carry on" Well. they'll have to have Il
this year or it will be just too bad for
the Nationals. The club has not stepped
out to acquire much new material
Really 1t couldn't. for there was little
will have to shoulder the burden again
Others IN Same Boat.
In this respect the Nationals seem
no worse of than their rivals in the
American League. Right through the
circuit the clubs are just about stand.
ing pat on their 1929 mound corps. Not
as matter of choice in some instances
true, but there was no help in sight
Nor Is there any now. Likely young
pitchers are about as scarce in the
minors as feathers on a fish.
There were no new developments ir
the contract situation over the week
end. With only nine players in line fol
the 1880 campaign, % remain to be
signed. With many of these Griffith
anticipates no trouble. But he'll have
to do a deal of talking with some be.
fore they swing into the ranks.
II Is likely Goose Goslin will be hare
TO convince that a salary cut Is connins
to him, as the Washington prexy size.
UP matters. The Goose was no marve
at bat last year after highly success
termined to reduce the fat sum he paiC
the South Jersey athlete. After some
brief correspondence early this Winter
Thus far, however, Goslin has not ever
acknowledged receipt Of the paper.
Some Arguments Due.
Nor has anything at all been hearC
from Buddy MTer and Jack Hayes, thu
young fellows who are expected to fgh
it out To- the second place berth I
has been intimated that Myer value:
his services at a much greater figure
than does Grifiith. This probably mean
a hot argument for a time, for Mye
Is not one to give in easily. Neither 4
Grinith, though. and as the Washing
ton president has all the power on hi
be picked without difficulty.
Hayes, It's said. feels he has NOR
coming to him than has been offered
although he has not so informed tn
clubs boss But, after ALL Jack is
reasonable chap and soon may be ex
pected to get into step with the prexy