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Show 4 : . a I Griffith's Team, With New Infield, Can Stage Fight for First Division , . Left to right, above: Bob Roth, Clyde Milan, Walter Johnson and below, Joe Leonard. Clark Griffith is counting on a rebuilt infield to better his team's defense this year and give the outfit out-fit the pep needed to give the other clubs a battle for first division di-vision honors. Foster is now with the Red Sox. McBride will spend his time as assistant manager. Shanks is getting old. Left to right, above: Bob Roth, Clyde Milan, Wajter Johnson, and below, Joe Leonard. By NORMAN E. BROWN. Clark Griffith appears to have the best ball club that has represented the national capital in recent years and one which will give the "up there" teams a fight for a first division berth. The Nats always have had a big voice in the pennant race (ask the Cleveland fans) although they haven't been contenders. Griffith, mainly through Walter Johnson, has wrecked the hopes of pennant aspirants in the last months of the campaign very' often. This year the capital team ought to have more than ever to say about it. The -weakest spot on the Washington Washing-ton club last season was its inner defense. de-fense. Griff had good pitching and fair hitting last year. His outfield handled its part of the defense well but his infield was woefully weak. This year, with a new and younger combination around the bags Griff hopes to see that fault rectified. Griff's infield probably will consist of Judge, first base. Ellerbe, second base, O'Neill shortstop, and Joe Leonard, Leon-ard, third base. It may be, though, that the opening day will find O'Neill and Ellerbe switched. Judge is a sure thing at first. He has been playing the initial bag for four or five seasons. He has developed devel-oped Into a first-class man at that station. At second last year Griff used Grover and Hal Janvrin but neither filled the bill Janvrin was' peeved at having to play with the long trampled Nats. Ellerbe. an International Interna-tional league star, was tried mainly at shortstop last fall by Griff but the old Fox has decided that he can be converted con-verted into a second baseman. Eller-be's Eller-be's one weakness, Inability to hit low balls, has been remedied by the simple sim-ple expedient Griff employed of tipping tip-ping of opposing pitchers to that weakness last fall. Ellerbe got enough practice hitting at them after that to( cure the fault. i The veteran Shanks played short! most of the time last season. He showed his years, however, and his hitting was woefully weak. Jimmy j O'Neill, brother of Steve, Indian catoher, is a green man in the majors' but he is a clever fielder, fast on his' feet and has a good head. Joe Leon- ard is almost a veteran at third. When Griff obtained Maurice Shannon Shan-non with Bobby Roth from the Red' Sox it was with the intention of mak-j ing Maurice his second baseman, butl the showing O'Neill and Ellerbe have made means tlyit Shannon will have! to fight to obtain a regular job in Die infield. He will, however, be valuable valu-able as a reserve man for either berth If he doesn't break into the first line-up. line-up. Walt Johnson's presence in his usual form gives Griff a fair-sized pitching staff, as always. In addition to Walt Griff has Erlckson and Sliaw as vets and three or four likely looking look-ing greepies. Courtney, one of the newcomers, won three straight games as a starter for the Fox last fall. Al Schacht, International league bearcat for several seasons, ought to become a regular. The outfield stacks up as the best Griff has had in many moons. Who would want a better hitting or a speedier outfit than Milan, Roth and Rice? Sam Rice slugged away at a .321 gadt last season. Roth, shifted about the league, grabbed off an average av-erage of 289, Milan tieing him with the bat. Although the last season records don't prove it Roth will add to the Nats' attack. Mike Menoskey hit within two points of Roth last season but Roth, going good, is a timelier hitter hit-ter than Mike. If Griff's infield keeps glue in its I mitts and hits at a fair average the Nats ought to look good although a I bit shy of pennant material. |
