The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1936-07-23
Scream
Through With
Regularity
By FRANK BUCK" ONEML

Nd4OA0Os July IS.-Iue mes
capable mandate Of the Washing
ton baseball club In 1897 is build
up Q team or shoulder the respon-
sibility for failure 20 Dr. 20. what
ever the fate Of e. CENT outfit
IL cannot be sent OlI l:<s field next
year with assurance 70 the public
that Il can win. Or even make a
formidable fight for high rank
among its contemporaries. Play
erS must be drafted, bought or
obtained in trade.
The rubber band must be taken
off the bank roll.
The screaming need Of the
Griffs this year is for infielders.
Hits are rushing through the Sec
ond' base terrain as water rushes
through a Sluice gate. Balls that
should be converted into double
plays go as run-producing singles.
Pitchers who might be rescued by
ordinary dizziness in defense are
plunged into untenable positions.
Not that the pitching is any
too good, goodness knows, but the
fact remains that good or bad,
the gunners have reasonable
grounds for complaint at the sup
port they have received, especi-
ally during the heat wave that
gripped Washington during the
last home stand.
The infielderS available for
duty around second base are Red
KreSs, Ossie Bluege, Buddy Myer
and Cecil Travis. The last
named is a sort Of a bloomin
coSmopolite outfielder and in
fielder, too. Myer, Of course, is
regular second Sacker and field
captain. But he has been lost
most of the year due to illness.
Whether Myers inactivity will
have any effect upon his play
when he does return Is purely a
matter Of conjecture.
Kress Played Out
Kress is one Of the dramatic
characters on the Washington
club. His courageous refusal to
recognize the end Of the trail
when he came to it a year ago,
has endeared him to fans in
Washington. Kress is slowing
down under the hammering Of
heat and constant play. Bluege
is the best all-around infielder in
baseball, but right now the wear
and tear Of regular play might
prove too much for him.
Travis flashes and fails on the
infields. At times he breaks on
the ball as Sweetly as one could
ask. At other times he boys
down, and grounders pass him
as a limited train passes a tank
town station.
Well, there are the assets in
players, and their general quail
ificationS. Now suppose we see
what talent is most readily avail
able. First we call to your at
tention the fact that the Wash
ington club has no scout. This
penny wise policy may or may
not be pound foolish. But it is
an everlasting cinch that the
way to find young ball players
is to go looking for them. .Oc-
casionaIy you may find a Buddy
Lewis, but a blind hog will find
an occasional acorn.
The best infielder diately
available to the GriffS is Johnny
Mihalic of the Chattanooga Look
outs. Mihallic is listed as q Sec
ond base man, but he looks just
as good at short stop. Perhaps
little better. Mihalic is hitting
BIT, which is sufficient to war
rant his recall to Washington,
if for nothing more than inspec'
ton this fall.
In the flotsam and jetsam Of
the minors we find Allen Strange,
now with Albany and hitting all
Of ali, or Whereabouts. Bobby ES-
talella, the smiling Cuban with his
chirruping "Okay, Okay," is hit
ting .299 for Albany, which, in
view Of Estalella's obvious short
comings afield, is not enough. Dee
Miles is doing well in the outfield
with Albany, but he can wait
year. The need is not in the
patrols.
Lanahan Going Good
And what Of the young pitchers?
Most promising of the Griffith re-
serves is Dick Lanahan, with Chat
tanooga, who, according to the last
averages this writer saw, had won
II games and lost 8. PeticolaS has
done pretty well with the Look
outs. Chase has been something
of a disappointment, if you take
the averages, but this youth should
be recalled on the strength Of his
showing at Orlando last spring.
He is worth another close nspec-
ton.
There is just one course open
to the Griffs If they hope to re-
tain their position in the league
| and with washington fans -. The
time Is here to go out and spend
money, bring in players, and cut
loose some Of the men who are on
their way over the hill. Baseball
knows no other way.