The Washington times., 1934-12-28


dough-" we asked.
"NO, it isn't that; it's play.
ers," came the answer. Now
there was the case of the
Browns. They didn't ask so
much money, all things con-
sidered, but they did ask for
a pitcher whom we could i'll
afford to trade"
WHITEHILL SOUGHT!
"Must have been Whitehill," J"
your correspondent snapped at
Harris.
ut was a pitcher we could
i'll afford to trade" he said,
ignoring the thrust.
"The impression has gotten
around that the Yawkey influ-
ence has stopped trading; that
every manager thinks his ball
players are worth twice their
true value" said Harris. "But
it's lack of man power. You
can't play a certified check in
left field, and . dollar won't
make double in the ninth
with the bases loaded and two
runs needed to win"
ISSUE SHARPLY DIVIDED
If it is a matter of money
that is holding up the trades,
this writer must confess short
patience with the local man
agement. 1t seems to me that
the issue IS sharply divided.
Here is an overcharge on one
side, with ample funds to meet
it if the pitcher or other ball
player justifieS expending
money. On the other hand
there are II days of empty
seats and second division rat
ing that might be avoided.
Let's suppose that the Browns
wanted $500 for ball player
that Griffith believed to be
worth $4,000. Let us further
suppose that the ball player
would mean the difference OF
five or 10 ball games. Or let's
amend the figures. Make the
asking price $4,000 for a $1O,-
900 product. But that ball
player alone will draw his over
charge through the gates by
winning enough ball games to
establish him with local fans.
Were that to happen, what
might appear to be an over
charge would develop into a
sound investment.
Griffith will have to establish
the cunning for which he is
renowned. He has one pitcher
who is worth his hire, and that
pitcher is Earle Whitehill. Prot.
Monte Weaver may come back
if his digestive system can be
restored. Bob Burke may or
may not get out Of the even
break class and the rest OF
them could be passed along to
the Three Eye League. There
isn't a flag in a car load OF
that caliber pitcher.
Many Seek Bluege
His trading material, when
YOU come down to brass tacks,
consists of OSSie Bluege, the one
man who was really sought by
other clubs at the last meeting.
Then he has Luke Seweu. II
he trades Manush, he IS giving
up hitting power at small cost
in fielding skill. If he trades
Schultz he is disposing OF speed,
some intelligence in the tle!o
and mediocre power. The woods
are full of Schultes.
He can't trade his intielders'
except on a player-tor-player
basis with little to gain, and ne
is not likely to do anything OF
the sort.
He is limited in trading mate
rial. to be sure. Wherefore, he
may have to submit to more or
less gouging to acquire player
strength. If he can pick out a
player or two who can win
games, he may have to put a
few more oughts on the check
and take a chance on a few
more games in the winning COL
umn.
The Last Straw
Christmas morning dawned to
the joyous cries of excited chill
dren over the gifts OF Santa
Claus. But the master OF the
house, having dallied with spirl.
tus fermenti until the Sma
hours, Slumbered on. Finally
he made the dinner table, but
the food was not a success. The