Evening star., 1933-03-31
STALENESS FACING
ALL SAVE !!I|'| HURLERS.
SIabmen Declared Just Far
Enough Advanced to Be
Fit at Right Time.
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

A TLANTA, Ga, March 31.--No
~ one connected with the Ma
/ \ tionals privileged to speak
authoritatively will admit
4. but among all hands there Is
. feeling that the ball club is
somewhat overtrained.
Conditioning this year has been
a severe grind, much more severe
Shan usual, and an undercurrent
q opinion has 1t that the Wash
ington outfit could well afford to
taper of in its efforts for two or
three days.
Those In charge had hoped to bring
the Nationals along to peak shortly
after their arrival IN Washington next
week, then have them ease a tribe
that they might jump into the cham
pionship season on April IL well poised
to tackle the. serious business ahead
SO gruelins has been the drive, though,
that the. club IS q bit ahead OF its
schedule sss..s
Fortunately this nneness hasn't hit
the pitching staff., The Washington
hurlers are coming down to the line
steadily and should not be ripe for
heavy duty until shortly before the
start Of the nag fight They're progress
sing In their training according to care
fully laid plans.
RUT the strain of arduous training is
~ noticeable in the catchers and
the helders. They're pressing
plenty In their defensive play and to
q greater extent In their batting. The
past few days there has not been the
smoothness In their efforts that might
reasonably be expected of them. They
plainly are too ta,it, too much on edge.
as they 60 about their work in the
exhibition engagements.
No one is complaining. It's hustle
every minute of the practice periods
and the games with the Nationals. But
it appears forced activity Too un-
natural to be helpful It's q straining
liancy, reduces them to mere machines.
They battle doggedly, yet appear unable
to give their best.
This staleness was not noticeable
until after the club had been Ia
Birmingham two days. It revealed It
self slightly in Tuesdays games with
the Barons. The Nationals took that
clash, but were generally sluggish afield
and on the bases. They made a flock
of hits, but at that their batting was
not so impressive. In Wednesdays
game, which they lost. the Nationals
were faulty e es and :.ssd sni15 Y. sions sVs4s
simply eoaldn't spter IN the spirit OF
AS they took d beating from the
Crackers here Yesterday in the opener
OF a three-game series, the Nationals
were more on color than ever. They
were spaanodic ii their offensive, shAky
in their defense and displayed no heads
up base hail. The Washington club
was nothing more than ball club
going through the motions OF playing
q game. Unless the Nationals snap out
Of this depression that has them groggy
within the next day Or two, most OF the
their terms In the daily tussles short
ened for time.
AS has been said, ofhcial confirma-
IA ton Of this seemingly too-finely
drawn condition Of the players Is
not to be had. It has been gathered,
however, that those In charge do not
consider the situation particularly
alarming. II such q state OF affairs has
to be, TINS Is the tlulc 1of 1ts tAASy 0aJ.
Enough Of the training period remains
to permit change in the conditioning
regime that should bring the club down
10 the line In the pink. A bit OF taper.
ing on now, followed by . short period
Of heavier work, then . general relax,
alton for . day or two before the bell
ring for the American League pennant
chase. ,..-...
they do-that wll Be the program Tor
the little less than two weeks before
the campaign begins. The washington
clubs prospects this year are too bright
10 permit driving Of the players right
down to the end Of the training period.
The Nationals came out OF their Biloxi
camp In fine fettle and with careful
grooming from now on they'll enter the
BIC battle Just that way
In the meanwhile, q day or TWO OF
rain during their homeward trek might
benefit the Nationals greatly. Anyway,
the enforced idleness couldn't hurt any
tttng but the club treasury. The way
the fans down this way haven't been
turning out for the exhibitions. maybe
, that wouldn't be hurt much.