“They are for us, at any rate,” agreed Jim. “What is it that gets into those birds when they cross bats with us? Other teams can sometimes make them roll over and play dead. And then, after playing like a lot of bushers, they’ll take us on and play like champions.”
“Right you are,” declared Joe. “More than once they’ve fairly wiped up the ground with us. And even when we’ve won, we’ve usually known that we’ve been in a fight. I suppose they’ll put up Rance to pitch for them in the opening game.”
“Likely enough,” assented Jim. “He’s their kingpin without any doubt. Though when it comes to that, all their pitchers are strong. I shouldn’t be surprised if they made a strong bid for the flag this year.”
“Yes, we’ll have to reckon them in as contenders. For that matter, almost all the teams have a chance. I don’t remember a season when there have been so many dark horses that may at any time show up in front.”
“So much the better,” observed Jim. “It’s a good thing for the game. As long as every team has a chance the games are fought for blood and the boys are on their toes all the time. If there’s anything I hate, it’s a baseball procession with one or two up in front and the others straggling far behind.”
“I can scarcely wait for the bell to ring,” said Joe. “I never felt so eager for the fight in my life. I’m out this year for a record that’s worth while.”
“That’s what you were saying to me the other day, and I was rather puzzled to know what you meant,” said Jim. “It seems to me that with your pitching and batting last year you’d got just about as much of a record as it was possible to have. You topped them all in the matter of homers, and as for pitching—well, the whole world knows what you did in the box.”
“There’s always room for improvement, and I’m going to try to set up a mark in every department of the game for the other fellows to shoot at,” was the reply. “I don’t know that I have it in me to do it. But I have at least the determination to do it, and if I fail it won’t be for the lack of trying.”
“You can do it if any one can,” declared Jim, with conviction. “But say you lead the league in pitching and in batting—and I’ve no doubt you can—what else are you aiming for?”
“Just this. Now don’t laugh, old man, or tell me that ‘’twas through ambition that the angels fell’ or any more of those bromides. I want to lead the league in homers. That’s number one. I want to lead the league in general batting. That’s number two. I want to lead the league in base stealing. That’s number three. I want to lead the league in strike-outs. That’s number four. I want to lead the league in the percentage of earned runs I allow opponents. That’s number five. I want to lead the league in consecutive victories. That’s number six. I want, as captain, to have the Giants win more games than they’ve ever won before in a single season. That’s number seven, the lucky number. Let’s hope it brings me luck.”