The Washington times., 1932-04-09
SEES GRIFFS
. IN SECOND
PLACE
By BABE RUTH

NEW YORK, April 81 nOClCe
that most of the dopesters are
picking Connie Mack's Athletics
to make it four straight by win
ming the pennant again this
year. I must disagree with those
who hold to this view because ]
believe the run of Athletic SUI,
premacy is about ended. 1 am
picking the New York Yankees to
be in first place when they ring
down the curtain on the 1882
penant race.
My idea of the finish of the
race is as follows:
!. New, York 5. St. Louis
2, Washington 6. Chicago.
3. Philadelphia. !. Boston
4. Cleveland 8. Detroit
The above selections show only
two clubs in the position which
they occupied at the close of the
1881 campaign. They are the
Cleveland Indians and the St
Louis Browns have picked
every other club in the league to
rise or fall.
Sees Strength
Some say that 1 am prejudiced
in picking the Yankees. Well,
perhaps I am close enough to see
signs of strength which are not
apparent to the fellow who has
not the opportunity to see them
as I have this year. But you
know the Yankees were the best
team in the American League
during the closing weeks of last
season, and I think you will see
a greatly improved team this
year.
For two years the Yankees have
have been the most powerful run
scoring machine that the big
leagues have seen in many a
year. 1t was defensive weakness
which kept them back. Now they
have some young pitchers coming
along and the club is sure to get
better pitching this year from
George Pipgras and Charley Ruff
fling, two veterans who were held
back by illness last year. Gomez
showed enough in his first year
as regular to make us look for
another brilliant season, and
Chapman did not find himself as
a big Lacquer until last year. I
think Crosetti is one of the best
young ballplayers to come into
the majors in years, and he is
sure to be sensation. Other new
players are sure to help.
Griffs Improving
I am picking Washington for
second place, because I think the
AS are bound to skid, and I think
the addition of Reynolds will add
a lot of hitting strength to the
Senators. Then, again, Brown
and Fischer are improving all the
time, and Kuhel looks the part
of a coming star. Cronin is one
Of the games's greatest players,
and West is still young and i'm
proving. When such players as
Judge and Rice are kept on the
the bench the team has some
thing.
The AS still have several great
ball players, but I believe the
team will find it more difficult to
keep up the winning spirit as the
weeks go on. That is the history
of pennant-wirning ball clubs
after a long period of success.
Even great players sometimes lose
their zest for victory. I admire
the great playing skill of Sim
mons, Cochrane, Foxx, Grove and
Earnshaw, but still I think the
team will be handicapped by it's
past successes.
The Indians were all by them
selves last year, IA games out of
third place and Is games ahead
Of the Browns. I think fourth
place is again their spot. I look
for VoSmik to improve, and Fer
rell is likely to have a better year.
But there is an uncertainty in the
infield arrangement and the
weakness around Shortstop hurts.
The infield is not up to the stand.
ard defenSively.
Browns Fifth
I figure the Browns to finish
fifth, as they did last year, and
the White Sox, because of added
pitching strength, moving up
ahead of the Red Sox and Tigers.
The White Sox are weak on the
attack, but that is true of all four
second-division teams. I believe
Jones, Hadley and CASTOR will
make quite a difference, enough,
IN fact, to put the Sox higher IN
the race.
I pick the Red Sox for seventh
because I think the White SoX
have added sufficient strength to
displace the Boston entry. I will
get many an argument in placing
the Tigers eighth, and I under.
stand no Detroit team ever fin.
ished there in the American
League, but they were seventh
and Skidding badly last year, and
other teams have added more
strength during the off-season.