The Washington times., 1930-04-03
BABE SAYS
CUBS ARE
BEST.
By BABE RUTH

By BABE RUTH
WICHITA FALLS, Tex, April s.
Doping the teams in the two
leagues is getting to be tougher
proposition each year. Competi-
ton is SO keen, and all the clubs
are building UP so rapidly that
there's all the chances in the
world to go wrong.
Personally think the National
League is easier to figure than
the American. Probably that's be-
cause L figure the Cubs to repeat
rather handily. this year. The way
I size the thing up there isn't
any club in the National League.
with the possible exception of
Pittsburgh, that is capable of max
ing the Cubs battle for the
honorS.
The Chicagoans are still a com.
ing ball club. They started to
develop two years ago and
they're still on the upgrade.
They look to be stronger and
better this year than they were
last season and barring accident
I look for them to run away With
the pennant.
Pittsburgh should finish Sec
Ond. The Pirates have plenty
of punch, they have speed
and fielding fineSSe and they
have pitching that stands up
pretty well in season OF
what looks like mediocre
pitching.
Jewel Ems, of course, is new at
the managing business, and it's
hard to tell just what he will
do, but from all can learn he's
very popular with the players and
he certainly knows his club from
past experience. And those are
the two most important things
managing a ball club.
A lot of fans probably will laugh
at my third place selection. but l
think I'm pretty close. I pick the
Cincinnati Reds to finish third
and at the same time I want to
say that here consider the most
improved club in the league.
Added punch, plus the managerial
genius of Dan Howley, are the two
things I count on to put the Reds
up there in the pennant fight.
When you come to analyze the
teams, Cincinnati has a mighty
good infield, a good hitting out
field, and pitching that rates
about as we'll as any club in the
league except the Cubs. But the
big thing is Dan Howley. I've
known Dan a long time and con-
slider him a genius at managing
players. I don't know any other
man in baseball who can get more
out of his players. You'll see the
Reds in there battling for every
game this year. and you'll see
some of those fellows under How
legs inspiration playing better
ball than they ever played.
Finishing up the first division
should be the Gia1ntS-not as
strong this year as last In one way,
but stronger in spirit and in
punch. I don't think Mac has a
great team-but he has one that
can battle to first division berth,
just ahead of the st. Louis Car
dinals, who ought to finish fifth.
In sixth place we should see
the PhiIS-and there's q
chance that they might even
make it fifth or fourth. Bert
ShOttOn has a good club-and
given some real pitching he
could be a contender. But he
hasn't got the pitching. and
in this modern game of base
ball you've got to have pitch
ing to win.
I .pick Brooklyn for seventh
place, not because they are weak
but because the other clubs ap-
pear stronger. A lot of fans will
disagree with me on this one.
and let me say here and now 1
hope I'm wrong. There's no one
I'd rather see finish UP there well
than Uncle Robbie. But, this
year. he hasn't the pitching he
had last year, and the club has
weak spots afield and at bat.
The return Of Glenn Wright to
shortStop will help them a lot.
When he's right. Glenn is one of
the best in the business. and Rob
bic tells me that this year he has
been going great guns. But, even
so, can't see how Robbie can do
much better than seventh. for he
has too much competition from
the other clubs. His best hope is
that the Giants or Cardinals
break. The others are too strong.
And. in last place. the Boston
Braves. Try as he will, Bill Nc.
Kechnie can't seem to find players
who can fill the bill. He has i'm,
proved this year over last. His
infield is better, and Berger and
Moore and Billy Rhiel have given
him q punch that the club didn't
have last season. But. taken as a
whole, the club is still too weak
to be considered for anything but
last place. Maybe I'm wrong. !
hope for McKechnie's and Judge
Fuchs sake that am. But, from
where I'm sitting, it looks as if
I have them pegged right.
Next time I'll discuss the
American League race, which
promises to be q humdinger.
(ConvriRht 1890. hy The ChriRty