Show II I 1 NATIONAL A T ION ALL LEAGUE E A G U E J I NEW YORK Tho The New ew York Nationals enter tho the 1918 1915 pennant r race ce with excellent prospects of oC being in the of oC tho the lag flag struggle struggle gb gle from Crom the opening of the season 1 Failure Fail Fail- ure nrc to repeat repeal the feat Ceat of winning the championship a o the senior league a again ain would be due not so much to loss of oC playing play play- In big ing strength as the greater opposition offered b by other clubs which have built up weak weal departments since the tho close doso of the tho 1917 campal campaign n Several of oC the best of the Giants' Giants squad of oC a year ar ago aso will be missing due lue to de defections de- de trades and the possible operation operation operation opera opera- tion of oC tho the draft hut but by deals and other methods of skilful recruiting Manager Manager Man Man- a ager er McGraw will be bo able abla to fill till any breaks In his lineup and expects to lo enter the tho pennant race raco with a combination fully as stron strong as that which won Its way Into the worlds world's t series last autumn Charley harle Buck will be missing at second base having been traded tradell to the Boston Nationals and Lan Larry Doyle Dole formerly formerly for for- or- or merly a member of the New York and later of oC tho the Chicago Cubs will again hold down the midway sack for or the tho Giants CHants Dave Da Robertson has apparently made madu up his hig mind not to play with tho the thoI I team this season which will undoubtedly pave tho the Wa way for the Introduction of floss Young foun one ono o of the finds of oC recent years earH in the te team m outfield Should Benny Ben I Kauff Kauer h bo he called to service earl early In lii tho the baseball campaign however the Giants' Giants outfield will ihl riot not be ho equal to that of last I bu minor The rhe infield 1 will be he pla played cd b by Holke first Ir t base Doyle DorIc second Zimmerman third and aud Fletcher r. r shortstop With Ith tho exception of Doyle for 01 om this la is the this last list and same combination as season while it Is possible that It Is not unite as I Impressive c as us thin former quartette It Is liI likely S elY to work worle with greater harmony I i S I Any Any Jy weakness which may develop In two departments i la Ig likely to be bemore bemore bemore more than counterbalanced by hy the strength of th pitching staff Manager McGraw has a high class group fOUp of twirl twirl- enl cis In lii Sallee Sauce chupp and Benton all left blinders of tried merit Perritt TI Ter- real Anderson Anderton on Demarco Demareo and Barnes Barncs secured from time the Boston Braves 11 right might ht- ht handers In addition to several promising promis lug ing youngsters McCarty and W will I be he called upon to do rho the tho majority of oC tho the catching and unless injured should stand tand up under the tho strain of ot receiving as aswell aswell well ivell as aa twelve months n ago o. o Gibson willbe will willbe willbe be held as reserve catch catcher r If It Kauff Is able ahle to play out the season Heason with the Giants the tho chief point of ot weakness weakness weak weak- ness neso visible vif at this time Is the tho lack of l utility 11 It infielders but this is likely to Lo be ie c corrected at any time lime for McGraw It If ho decides decideR that thal the younger youn er recruits recruit of the squad do not hold hoM forth sufficient promise e. e is likely to lo arrange e a tm trade c whereby any defect In this direction will willbe willbe be o overcome PHILADELPHIA In the tho opinion of oC a number of ba baseball base base- e- e ball 1811 experts expert the sale of Alexander and to the Chicago O Cuba Cubis has hall put Jut the Philadelphia Nationals out out of or the running run run- ning for or tho the 1918 pennant Conceded to havo have been th the mainstay of the club In Its winning of oC tho the championship 0 ship in tn an and In its drives for COI similar honors In I 1916 and 1917 Alexander and arid have left a big hiS hole holo in the Phillies that thai can cannot not he filled a at t this time tinie I Besides losing this great batter battery th the enlistment in the military service of oC Eppa Rixey and the failure of Chief Bender Bentler to lo I report Manager 1 Pat Moran loran has bc beer been n troubled with a number of holdouts and his team is now only rounding Into Inlo shape shapo I for or the tile opening of ot tho the championship season season season sea sea- son this week I Moran has haH combed the countr country for or pitching talent but has thus far been unable to mako make up for lor an any of the tho loss losa sustained In the sale salo of Alexander and Killifer Mayer layer a and are re the most reliable of or the pitching staff which alto also Includes Ben TIncup the tho Indian The catch catchers rs will Include Burn Burns Adams and the latt latter I a newcomer from thin tho Chicago o Nationals Tho The Phillies' Phillies manager has picked up several eral good youngsters to replace Dode Dodo who was wae sent to tho the Cubs ann and others missing from Crom the team this year I Luderus will be at first as usual Mc- Mc a youngster oun will probably cover second bas basu In Iii place of Bert should the latter fall fail to don a uniform Bancroft will be bo at short and Stock at third In Jn tho the outfield thero there will m h bo hen Cravath Williams and Fitzgerald the tho J hatter lat latter hat hat- t- t ter tel a heavy hitter from the ho Pacific Coast league Jeas ST. ST LOUIS Under the tho management of oC Jack Jt lIon Hon dricks who appears for the thc first time as asa asa asa a major league pilot this season the tho St. St Louis Nationals with Its club chub personnel practically ca II 10 Intact from last year car have havo entered the baseball Pennant race determined deter deter- mined to better belter their record of last Jast sea sea- reason son third son third place In En the National league gonfalon The enlistment In the marines of oC Jack Miller who had been chosen to succeed Miller as manager when the time lat latter latter latter lat lat- ter assumed the tho leadership o of oC tho the New NewYork NewYork NewYork York Americans caused President Branch Rickey e to cast about for or a new mana man maim a ager cr He Ire settled upon Jack hendricks who had an aim 11 enviable r record cord in minor league baseball arid and who was wag under contract contract con- con tract with in the American association and finally secured his ices Jack Miller s second cond and Marvin Marini Mar Mar- vin ini Goodwin pitcher pitcher time the former In the marines and the tho latter in an aviation camp camp camp-arti are tho the only regulars now In military mill mili tar tary service Betzel who has hali been on the club payroll for sc several ral years cars has been selected to fill WI Millers Miller's and al although his work Is not riot equal to that of oC the star hendricks pronounces It sat satisfactory To bolster U up the tho pitching staff Sherdell was secured from In tho the American association as was Continued on pa rage pago o 4 4 II A AMERICAN IVi- IVi IViE E R I CAN LEA LEAGUE QUE I AMERICAN LEAGUE I I Iular Continued from page pase 3 ular lineup Sam Crawford the tho mighty might slugger of or pennant days has played placed his I last game s-ame with Detroit Georgo Burns I first baseman went to the Philadelphia i Americans In a three-cornered three teal deal I Howard Ehmke the promising right hand pitcher is in tho the na navy ansi and Shortstop Owen Bush has been placed In class A b by his local draft board but probably will I not be bo called cabled until late bate in tho the season Hack Hack Spencer pencer bias baa declined to come como back to D Detroit Harr Harry once a 1 great southpaw southpaw southpaw south south- paw is the doubtful man among the veteran veteran vet vel- eran twirlers Ho lie was released last sason season season sea sea- son son but Jennings took him south this spring because Co Insisted that his arm aria yielded to medical treatment and had regained Its former strength I At the tho spring camp at Waxahachie T Tex x Jennings tried out a largo large squad of ot battery men but had comparatively few fow I i recruit fielders fielder Of or tho the pitchers Erickson Erick Erick- son sen sn formerly with Detroit and the leadIn leadIng lead- lead I In tug Ing twirler In the Pacific Coast league last Jast year has made mado the most e I showing FInneran from St. St Paul and Kallio from Des Dea Moines have great records rec- rec I orda and Jennings had been Impressed by lIy their spring performances The Tho rest of I the tho recruit twIrlers with the possible exception of or Hall from Joplin Mo fo probably probably ably will see Bee further service ser in the tho minors I All of or Jennings Jennings' regulars seem seeni to have rounded Into shape James who had hod an erratic season In In 1917 and Dauss Dausa who was vms in poor health part of the lie campaign went vent south early and have done dona a lot of hard work Boland Boband Cunningham ham Mitchell Mitch Mitch- ell elI and Jones also scorn seem to be In for for Stanage will probably be the first string catcher with Yelle as his understudy Joe Cobb a little fellow from the Blue Ridge league and Clary a Cornell star are aro the for tor emergency backstop back back- stop and thus far tar Cobb seems to have havethe tho the call First base may prove pro something of a problem If Dres Dressen en the fleet Infielder from St. St Paul fails falls to live up to his minor millor league record Burns was let out partly because Jennings was certain that Dressen would make good and In spring practice Dressen hit well and fielded mi- Ina- The Tile rest of ot the Infield Youn Young Bush Buah and VItt Vilt have havo shown old- old time activity Bobby Jones and Ben Den Dyer utility men noon who were ere with the club last season will have havo to fight for their Jobs JIB as Bert Ellison a former TI Tiger er Is back in the fold after serving a season son at St. St Paul who needed only a little seasoning to reach major league quality went through a hard campaign In 1917 thile hIle Jones and Dyer Der were doing odd Jobs for tor Jennings Until Bush Is lost I to the club Jennings probably will use I two of or this thin utility trio and It I II IK Is I I Imen expected that Ellison will bo one ono of the themen themen men men retained Tho The outfield again will be lie j i composed compose of Veach Cobb ami athi Hellmann B BOSTON 0 STO N The Tho enlistment en of players and tho the trades made during the tho past winter leave the Boston American league team cain teama caina a n more or less unc uncertain quantity at the tue beginning cs of the 1918 1913 pennant lennant season Much depends s upon the ability of ot Manager Man Ian tiger ager Ed Barrow Darrow the new field general to build up a smooth working machine particularly in the Infield The Red fled Sox have two Infield stars Stuffy Melanie and Johnn Johnny Evens Evers but Is being heln tried out at third base bae in III place of his regular position at the Initial sack s. and there Is li doubt regarding Evens Evera ability to I regain the tho form which made him tho the I best Known of ot all second basemen a few fow I years ears ago ao Dave Shean formerly of the i Cincinnati team will wili bo be available however however how how- ever as a n result of the trade which sent I George GeorgO Foster to Cincinnati The club officials apparently are not sure suro of the tho outcome of at these experiments and are both loth to make an any son ion predictions re regarding the pIn play of ot tho ho team during the lie six months' months chase chas of or the pennant The problems are not however how how- ever over confined to the infield entirely for George and Paul Smith outfielders outfielders out out- fielders from tho the International league new members 0 of the Red Sox squad are being tried out In Lewis' Lewis place at left field Lewis along with Pennock Gainer Shore Barry McNally Janvrin Bader and Jones have enter entered d war service NEW YORK The prospects of or a n successful year r for forthe forthe forthe the New w York Americans from the standpoint of or a pennant factor hinges tip ap- upon the ability of or the pitching staff start In In- pr e every evry other department the he Yankees ees appear far stronger than was the tho case caso one year ago no Both the Infield and outfield eld should be more effective In fielding and batting than last Jast se season son and the catching end nd of ot the batteries is full fully up to the tho standard of the lie past The new manager er of ot the club Miller Hu realizes that the tho hurling corps Is not as formidable as the other sections of or the team but If It the pitchers can be developed In steadiness and effectiveness effective effective- ness it is possible lo that the offensive and defensive strength of the tho team as a whole will offset tin nn any weakness eaknes In this tion During the i 1917 campaign much high class twirling on tho the part pant of ot Yankee Yankee Yan Tan kee went for naught owing to tho the Inability of or the team to score even one ome or two runs The Thc determination of or Bob Shawkey to enlist proved a n severe setback to the pitching prospects as the former lormer Athletic Ath- Ath letle letic player was one of or the most reliable of the Now New York teams team pitchers Caldwell Cald- Cald well when he hc is rl right ht is Js the best twirlIng twirling twirl twirl- Ing Ins prospect at the present time with Love and Russell next In line Monroe McGraw and have shown n well In tn spring practice and may maywin maywin win TIn a a. place for lor themselves among tho ho thore re regulars ulars At the receiving end the team has three catchers of or promise In Walters Ruel and ond Hannah The Tho trio aro are com comparatively comparatively para para- I young joung but their work In both tho the major and minor leagues stamps the backstops as catchers catcher of or real caliber With the infield of Pratt Peck- Peck and Baker aker the Yankees will have a ft combination of or extremely hard hitters and excellent fielders which should show to advantage antaJe under all con con- The Tho outfield will m prove stronger than twelve months ago o with the heavy hitting Ping Bodle ran ranging In the outer outer out out- er or garden with Marsans and and there are arc re plenty Plent of substitute and utility men mentor for Cor all these positions ST. ST LOUIS A rejuvenated club will be St St. Louiss Louis's In the tho American league baseball race this season Among Amons- the several contributing causes to this condition tire are the tho lack back of harmony harmon among amon the pla players ers last Jast season which made Imperative e a rearrangement of personal demands upon the players for arm army service and a disposition by the management manas-ement to see seo what new timber it might find timid through the medium of or trades Business Manager Jana er Q Quinn is credited with nc negotiating the several trades which brought new faces facea Into many American league leas camps Early In the year ho announced announced announced an an- I that Pratt second baseman and Plank veteran pitcher had been traded to the New York Americans In InI return for whom the tho locals local received MaIsel Shocker Cullop and I Gedeon Another trade sent Shotton outfielder and Lavan shortstop to the tho Wa Washington ton Americans ns with Gallia pitcher and a cash consideration given i en In return tot for them A three cornered deal sent Lee Leo In ee upon whom waivers have been asked from St. St Louis to the Cincinnati Nationals who in turn gave a a. player to the New York Americans Hendryx outfielder was given gl to tho the Browns b by the Yankees Peter Ieter Johns Johna was purchased outright from Irom the Columbus American Association |