OCR Text |
Show WHY GOOD PITCHERS TAKE TO THE FIELD Many of the most prominent outfielders In basoball today In tho past formorly wero pitchers, says tho Denver Post, j Every outfielder on the Cincinnati team today was onco a pitcher, thrco of them 8cymour, Donlin and Dolln having worked on tho rubber in tho big league, whllo Odwcll and Kerwln, who has been sent bade to Louisville, wero minor leaguo twlrlers of somo note before they finally took to tho outfield for regular work. Manager Kclloy Is another pitcher who developed into an outfielder, and one might go down the lino of othor teams and find any number of players who gavo up the work on tho slab for tho steadier and moro lasting position of guardian of the outer gardens. This evolution from tho pitcher's box to a position in tho outfield Is easily explained. In tho Reds' dally practlco, for Instance, thero Is comparatively compara-tively llttlo work for tho pitchers In their particular line. Naturally they want aa much work as the other members of tho team, anr so they turn to tho outfield for the nocesaary development to get them Into proper condition. Chasing fly balls and relaying throws from tho other outfielders Into tho diamond dia-mond constltuto a largo portion of all tho pitchers' practlco before thoy got their arms in sufficiently good shape to allow them to work properly in tho pitcher's box. Naturally any good work that thoy may do In tho outllold In practlco will be noticed by the manager, and later, when the season is on, ho will remembed the good fielding work of tho spring. In caso ho needs an outfielder In an emergency, and tho pitcher will bo called upon to do utility work. If ho develops Into a good hitter ho will be played In tho outfield at .every opportunity, and eventually will bo called upon to forsake pitching ontlrclv, because ho has developed Into a mofo valuable man as outlleldor. |