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SLIM PICKINGS MARK THIS YEAR’S DRAFT CLASS
Clubs Confront Scarcity of Ready Talent — Cubs Hold First Selection
By George F. Winthrop, Sporting Times
December 13th 1917
The yearly draft combine has concluded, and with it comes a sober assessment of the game’s immediate future. Once again, the lack of fresh talent advancing through the system has made itself plainly felt. This year’s draft class numbers but 96 players — a modest gathering that has left many club officials privately concerned.
Of that limited company, few display the polish or prowess expected of a man ready to assume a starting role from the outset. Indeed, only one prospect has drawn widespread agreement as possessing clear day-one potential: shortstop Charlie Hollocher. His name stands alone among those widely regarded as capable of stepping directly into the breach.
There are, to be sure, a handful who may yet force their way into a starting berth should fortune and circumstance favor them. Catcher Truck Hannah and pitcher Brad Hogg are counted among those with an outside chance of earning immediate employment.
Even among the longer view — those youngsters who might, with seasoning, blossom into dependable regulars — the cupboard appears thin. At present, only second baseman Jimmy Dykes is spoken of as bearing the signs of a future star, though he is not yet considered ready for the full burden of daily duty.
Holding the coveted first selection in this year’s draft are the Chicago Cubs, now under the guidance of newly appointed manager Bryan Dervisevic. The responsibility before Chicago is no light one, for in a year so lacking in clear-cut standouts, the margin for error is exceedingly narrow.
“We understand the difficulty before us,” Dervisevic remarked when asked about the task. “With a class of this size and so few certain starters, the choice must be made with great care. We shall weigh our needs closely and select the player we believe best suited to grow with this club.”
Thus, as clubs prepare to cast their lots with this year’s modest assembly of hopefuls, the prevailing sentiment is one of caution rather than exuberance. Whether hidden gems lie within the ninety-six remains to be discovered when spring once more calls the game back to life.
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