Evening star., 1933-06-02

tn ENNANT hopes Stlll surge III
- their hearts, the Nationals
4 say, but they are not apt
to be realized unless their
pitchers manage to reduce their
earned-run yield. The members
of the Washington clubs curving
CORPS are pitching far from cham
riohship ball, so far from that
class it is remarkable the Ma
tionalS are as good as third IN the
race.
AL Crowder is the lone regular
starter to have given up to the
opposition an average of less than
four earned runs per nine innings.
The other starters have been
heavily hammered for runs in
which erratic fielding played no
part.
Crowder has been the "truckhorse" of
The hill hands, working In many more
innings than any other OF the Washing
ION fingers. He has participated In IA
Sf the Nationals last % games. Yet
he has yielded an average of only 1888
earned runs per nine innings, which Is
tust .05 higher than his average yield
last season, when he was the fourth
best hurler In the American League by
the earned-run reckoning.
Earl Whitehill, next to Crowder in
effectiveness on this basis, has been
found for an average of 4.66 earned
gums per nine innings this season. That
cannot be accounted high-class pitch
5ng in any way.
Afphonse Thomas with q SGT rating,
Monte Weaver with one of 5.33 and
walter Stewart, whose mark Is 5.53,
have not done much so Tar TO help
their club toward nag.
COLLECTIVELY, the five recognized
~ starting pitchers Of the Nationals
staff have yielded an average OF
N.61 runs for the regulation route. That
looks good, but such a low yield for a
group Of five pitchers is brought about
only by the splendid record Crowder has
built. Pitching so effectively in so
many innings, he alone has given the
washings-.c staff a fairly respectable
How poor the efforts of the other
starters have been may be better
realized in noting that last season the
American League had 29 pitchers that
finished with earned-run ratings petter
than $50 and A all told managed 10
8SCp uaaSA VIC @NAAS ~
class.
Pitching last season as they have this,
Thomas, weaver and Stewart would
have been outcIasSed by two-thtrds OF
the moundsmen Of the circuit.
NF the reserve hurlers Bob Burke
~ has the best record IN this cam
paign. He has been reached for
an average of only LIST earned runs over
a full course. But the stringbean SOUTH
paw has been employed sparingly. He
has been in only IL innings.
Jack Russell shows rating OF AIT
for his hurting with the Nationals. That
IS better than his last years record with
the Red Sox and the Indians. Then he
WAS 5.24 pitcher. Russell, like Burke,
has not seen much service in his new
Uniform is, actually on the firing
line He has warmed up so often,
bnough, he probably has done as much
khrowing as some Of the washington
etarters.
BIZ McAfee has been knocked for an
Average of $50 earned runs per nine
Innings, but Bill has had rough time
khis season. He has been thrust into a
Hozen games and usually when the op-
position was in great hitting mood.
Despite his heavy yield OF earned runs
lA1cAfee has been a helpful hurler. He
has managed to stop number Of rallies
Ind against the better clubs, too.
1 To their starters, though, the Ma
Gonals must look for considerable re-
Ikuction In the allowance Of earned runs
before seriously entertaining ideas OF a
championship.