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Show I ICKf - J0I5 WILL IKE GOOD AT THIRD BASE In tho following .wrltoup, which was published in tho Detroit Free Press April 1, a summary is given on Bob ("Ducky") Jonos, tho classy Ogden third baseman, who is trying to land a regular borth with tho Detroit Americans. Amer-icans. Last year Bobby was the class of the third sackers In tho Coast league, leading lead-ing in batting and fielding. His work was so promising that Hughie Jennings Jen-nings signed him for tho Tlgors. In tho article that Is devoted to "Ducky" he is regarded as weak, but since the time of publication Jones has played a wonderful gamo of ball against tho Giants for the Tigers. His batting av-prngo av-prngo in tho series so far is higher than tho renowned Tyrus Cobb and his fielding has boon way above par. By this showing Bob is sure to make good. Present indications aro that tho Tigers Ti-gers are going to be just a little weak at third base unless Vitt reports. Jones ia a good ball player, but so far has not shown any signs of being a great one. It is entirely possible that the Detroit players do not do him full justice, because their standards in thlrd-sackers are unusually high. With Vitt, a wonderful fielder, as a pattern and guide, probably they are expecting too much from Bobby. It seems to the writer, however, that the former Coast leaguer Is too stiff for a star hot corner custodian. Ho makes too many blind stabs and lets the ball play him too much. It must bo .admitted that ho comes up with a lot of hard ones, though, and that, after all, Is what counts. Stylo amounts to nothing if the play is made. Moriarity, for Instance, In-stance, seldom played a ball right, but he used to nail his man most of the time and was regarded as a satisfactory satisfac-tory third baseman until his last season, sea-son, asido from his weak hitting. There is now an excellent chance that Ben Dyer will beat out Bobby Jones for the third base job. Ben is just about as good a fielder as the Cal-ifornian, Cal-ifornian, probably a little better on what ho has shown here, and looks Hko the stronger hitter of the two. It Is said by men that have watched Jones perform in California that he Is weak against left-hand pitchers. As the Tigers see more southpaws than any other club in the world during the championship season, this will be a serious drawback if it proves to be true. Dyer Bats Other Way. Dyer bats right hand is a free swinger of the Marty Kavanaugh type, apt to como through with a long one at any time. All other things being equal, tho Jungaleers would do well to get a right hand hitter on the hot corner. cor-ner. Dyer's work in the first few games against Now York will go a long way toward deciding Jennings which of tho two candidates gets the call Whcn tho season opens. Possibly Jones has not had time to get thoroughly limbered up, though it would seem that a fielder ought to be performing somewhere near top form after two weeks of work. He may como along very fast and provo a star performer before the club gets back home. His hands have been bothering him somo lately and that may have prevented pre-vented his showing all his wares. One thing in his favor is that he has a wonderful arm. He gets the ball away fast and throws with tremendous power pow-er and accuracy. Judgment on Jones' ability to hit should be withheld for the present. He hasn't had time to get his eye on the ball. For that matter, he ought to have no great difficulty in getting an average as good as Vitt's of 3916, so tho club will not suffer in this department. depart-ment. Unless Bobby is better than an average sticksmlth, however, he is going go-ing to find the way rough and stormy. He is a loft-hand batter and doesn't turn around, which means that he will be facing southpaw pitching from the off side of tho plate about half the time, as the Tigers never see anything else if the opposing managers can possibly pos-sibly dig up a crooked arm that is ready. Jones is a player that probably prob-ably will be slow to reach tho top of his form. He is backward and diffident diffi-dent and so far does not seem to feel at home. i i i t - . ran mr-n i r-rn |