| Show CLEVELAND HAS SLIM CHANCE OF GETTING HIGHER I THAN THIRD PLACE IN 1913 RACE SAYS FULLERTON BY HUGH S. S FULLERTON CLEVELAND C LAND for years ears has ha possessed an to ought-to-be but Isn't Int ball bali bat club and this s season ason appears appers to ha have hamade made madea maden a n final effort to escape from that category cat cat- egory and present a team that will wil look fairly well on the field no matter mater how weak It i m y appear ol on oti paper For five the years Cleveland's Cle teams on paper have from first to fifth nh and generally Io possessed sos ested ed strength enough to be close Iosa to the top if It the best beet best could be gotten out of or the tie players This Thi season senon the team figures fourth or fifth on paper with wih a possibility of or going third and an outside chance of ot second Some Somo of ot th the elements that have h prevented preVented pre pre- I I vented the club from giving its is best to its patrons still exist but their force torce has been minimized and the owners owners own own- ers era and the manager understand the difficulties Cleveland's past troubles ha have been First the annual attempt at serving ser two masters because e certain influences have interfered at 1 times Ures with the actIng actIng act- act Ing lag manager which Is I sufficient in It Itself itself It- It IH self lt to wreck a a. n team tc second ond the tendency to individual pla play Instead of team team play which has baa b been en Indulged ot In by the best of ot the Individual players and third discontent and Indifference ce following spells of ot losing The fact that Laj le himself ono One of ot tho the greatest players of ot all al times has failed to get got Into th the spirit of ot the club and has hn bc been n the tho leader among tIre in In- In th different ones 11 hurt butt more than an anything any any- thin thing else timed Ill It changes of management management also have damaged ed th the alfo t team m. m It h no now presents a club that that at least lest wilt Will wit have enthusiasm for a a. time time a a tm a strong If It Uncertain uncertain un un- certain pitching staff taff tatt a fair infield a spotty poly outfield weak eak it in one spot a rather poor catchine staff and a whole I lot of 01 material that cann cannot bo be u Used ed Advantageously S I S S V I Birmingham showed himself a capable ca C- ca- ca pablo pable and enthusiastic manager last fa has haa the lie tlc respect of or his players and the liking of ot the lie very Yen elements clements that I have been Indifferent In the past I believe beUc the tho club cub will wU give the lead leaders rs strong resistance during the first f four ur months of or tho the s season a on anti and finish h with an improved percentage If Ir not a higher standing standing Makeup Uncertain The he makeup o of tho the team is at pros pros- ont t uncertain According to the mcCleveland rec- rec Tue Cleveland Cle ow owns owns owns' one tt-one one fifty bal bap bal players and has two thirty on th the ac active ae- ae tive lve list for tor the spring training trip Among rong those thoMe arts are seven of ot scarcely class AA iA caliber an and three of or unknown strength Remember however howe that the Cleveland team finished strong last lat t fall tl l nn and showed a lot of or Improved pitching right Ish at tho tall tail tal end of ot tho the season I am nm figuring that the regular team will wU be made mado up of or J Jackson Jckson rl right tear ht field Lajoie second baso base Turner third base bas Birmingham r am center field Liebold or loft Ion field Chapman shortstop Johnston first t ba base e Carisch Land and ONeill O'Neill ONel c catchers Gregg Blan Blanding Fal- Fal kenberg kerberg Cullop Kahler an and pitchers Tho The oth others rs I have conI considered con con- I only a. a as a possibilities tes I That makes maltes a n spotty and uncertain ball LaB club with a Q batting bating or order cr that J is Ia enough to give an any manager the willies whiles s sto to figure out Th The batting order wilt will wi have havo a 0 very Important bearing upon tho the strength of ot tho team as tho the hitting strength Is so BO unequal unequally distributed and th the speed the thc same ame wa way Liebold may beat Beau out of or a JobIn job jobIn jobin In the outfield merely because he would wOUld be bettor better betor to lea lead off oU Chapman Clapman probably probably ably bly will wi hit second and he cannot hit hitup hitup hitup up to the thc gait gRit he hc showed last fall when he batted batel In thirty one games gamen If I Chapman could hold that gait gall with Jackson and Lajoie to follow him they would U up ui a lot of pitchers I Cleveland was third In batting in tho league last season which I believe beleve was waa a bit bi above e bo Its It Is real real hitting strength being being- lifted b by tho the Individual work of ot Jackson and LaJoie Johnston Johnton ot Not Winner Inn r. r Studying the tha team team Individually Johnston Johnston Johnston John John- ston at first Is I not a 0 winning ball bal player He is a a whirlwind In brief spells but lacks tho the class clas for tor an entire seaon season This teto fellow Is la bone bonc and I believe e bele th that t if It Cleveland tais falls fails this his season sea sea- son son Eon it can car be attributed as CS as much to lack of ot brain work worle as to la lack lak k of In Individual Indi l- l I vidual merit Two years ago aJO Johnston was touted strongly D oy Dy several major leagues league in including In- In eluding Manager Evers of ot the tho thc Cubs Cub as asa asa asa a great player but it was discovered that he could not hit much except In brief streaks an and that his brain work was vas very slow John Anderson Clove- Clove land took took him over O tried him and last fall brought him back Mechanically he hA hm is 15 T-r T Un t I. I a oot t makes the p plays y t to ec second d o and a a like lightning comes In well wen on slow bounders and fields the tho ba bag baS well except except ex ox- dept for tor a some Borne me weaknesses on low throws fo Will Wi ilI play second secord and a a great cleat nl dep depends upon whether or not his s heart Js Is In ln tho the game Karc ame If ho Is Inclined to m make k an effort to I hustle he will willm wl m ke the team at least huste one P sUlon higher I have few v hopes hope hopel has haa haan haH grown n accustomed to lo tho tito careless ss sya- sya s- s tc tern of ot ball and Is 18 indifferent bal playing nt at Mme rt heart It I looks looks Jook i to me as If It there thero Is little 1 hope ope ever aver wilt will pIa play good hail 1 ball bal for tor r Cleveland an and that tho hO h hoPe n ot Of his hi ever CYer being great eat except at bat at is beng that tha he be bc traded There rhora 81 short short- ort ort- was quit quite a fight for the stop foft Position la last fall and und it it- t looks asIf as asIf asi If fal Cleveland leveland eland has ha Picked licked up ono one t of ot the i best ef yo yoUng Infielders ciders In the tho business s In Chapman who was sent to- to Toledo Toldo Under un- un dc der an l wa agreement and and recalled to replace l Captain Olson and anI paugh nu h who had shown an weaknesses weaknesseS- e r H He hit viciously although probably above his gait and d fielded ed fairly well wel after a U ragged start He lie looks s a comer corner Turner In all 01 probability will wn bet he at third a man of ot brains and long experience ex ex- ox- ox ami an earnest earlest worker who will bo ho of ot value In steadying Chapman Jackson JackMon In Too Joe Jackson of ot course will wIn pla pt right He Is ono no of or the greatest In Inthe inthe the business a marvelous hitter hiter a good fielder and anti thrower an and a 0 fast man without great Intelligence although he ha has shown Improvement sinco entering the tho American league and seems able to toe learn e rn at least Birmingham is a good outfielder and and as he believes In hi a field manager he probably will wn retain his berth especially as not ono one of or his mon can beat him him at tho the gamo game He Is a 0 heady beady and clever clover ball ban player and a a run getter geter In spite of or the thc seem 1 lag Ing s of or his hitting avora average o. o Tho third position left lef Is la in doubt who vho Js ls a a n fast Cast and promising man ma may set ct It on i speed but 1 give PI n i Y Y v i u j L in HI a gool a ball bal Player Ho has has' been a i leen up couple of or times once with the White wih Sox and his failure to make mako good was sas due to In part and ill luck tuck In 1 the other part The They tell telle Inc II he is Ig an improved player lIe cnn can tel hit and ha haf late spec speed e le Reaching tho the catchers we wc strike an interesting study Cleveland oland hasn't had u a year hal competent I t catcher In years and hn has hns three now Grover Lund rn has hs the strength everything but ho he failed once Just hen ho was commencIng ing inK to tn improve and promised to become a good man man Failure to condition properly SOTS SOTS' std d arid a n gh t with an E put h him him m Into the tho minors Last season he took tho pledge pled e au anti and had a aso corking ear at Tol co so he hc nw may y b bc be a expected again ONeill O'Neill I I dont don't think will wi do 10 anti while IS find much tou touted d he ho needs a aKi lot more to tobo v bo be a top too In Jus- Jus Ice to lr Ki him ht ho han handled rt Cleveland's Cle wild nn and wid erratic pitchers last season better than any ana aw one ono cV ever t. t had done and much of or tho credit for the strong strong- showing sho of tho team tem was due to him him anti and ho can hit hi hard and and In timely fashion Venn Tenn Gregg the Best Beat The pitching pitching- pitching has I believe beleve een much I nf affected tc by bud catching catchIng Vean Yean Gr Is Js of or course the IC star of ot the tho r i Lion lie He Is a a rat grene man and with better beter catching catchin and proper encouragement encourage encourage- m ment nt would woul he be a wonder Mitchell another I strong possibility failed ml 11 last Jast after aCol promising t. t ti be great reat i If I I ad n American league club with a hea heads heads' catcher this would lie ho m my first bid Is Blanding a winner r and a nl nie who ought t to improve Im- Im prove pro BI Big Big- Jim Is a puzzle In fact a lot of at the Naps showing Ile- Ile ponds upon upun the thc behaviour of ot some of ot th the tho 01 men is js you young rig and a fr fire eater cater and durin during tho the winter took more moro than c mouthful of ot Cl lire fire re and an carved c UI up In a a. knife knie battle down south got cot I How much this will affect wi his work or 1 Is is Is of oC course hard to tell Personally I like Ho He was s unsteady at times last year ear and de- de a nice spit ball Ho is bal a lo glutton for work wok and while his docs not fn show I looks T. T 1 record Steen fn 1 51 De n JI surprise sur- sur prise if Cy I the tall taI l vetera vet vet- era fl came cam bock back and anti won steadily and almost too much to expect but his work In the association last year vear promised I much H b better ter than haul haiE promises he ha has in four tour years ears Cf cr the tle new men I et ret tho the best et re reports reports rePorts re- re ports from tram Cullop who v Is red conkli-red considered a wonder wonder another another nother Nap lap Rucker T. T by- by some gomo of ol the scouts who looked over or tho tim Appalachian league Hallop Halop a n giant rJ right ht Ian et and anti Wilson Wilsona a southpaw arc are from th the tho Appalachian I rom an an 1 only experiments Olson anti p will b bo c wIl the sub infielders Olson probably rotting retting plenty of or work h ro Ryan Ran Jool looks a a fair outfielder r and Clancy Chancy from coin New ew OrJans ans has hs a chance to sta stay The The h s chos chosen n an n excellent training ground and will wUl try tryout out a it whole raft raC of youngsters oun including two or three l kid d catchers The They do not promise to help tho the team strength to any ext extent nt |
