The Washington times., 1929-02-05
$4,000 ALL
TEAM HAS
Spent

pennant-Wlnnlng st. LOUIS
club last season haven't been
eaten up by the expenses of
slapping together another ball
team for 1929, peek at Sam
Breadon 8 tastefully decorated
roster reveals.
In the first place. the Cardinals
have not plunged for new ivory in
bulk, despite the fact that Rabbit
Maranville, Ray Blades. George
Harper and Tommy Thevenow have
been shipped elsewhere since last
October. Only IS athletes have
been notified to pass in review
before Manager Billy Southworth
in Avon Park next month.
Ten thousand dollars would prob
ably cover all the Cardinals have
spent for new material, and yet
some of their recruits rank among
the most promising in the league.
Charley Colbert and Carey Selph,
their new infielders. have received
much winter publicity and so has
Bill Hallahan. the wild Irish south.
before.
The secret of all the st. Louis
economy, of course, lies in
Branch Rickey's celebrated
"farm system" The club has
gone outside Of its organization
for only two of its new players.
From the st. Louis farm 1t
Rochester, Breadon has recruited
his new manager, who batted o6I
while leading his club to an Inter-
national League pennant; Pitcher
Herman Bell and Charley Colbert,
the highly ballyhooed young short
stop.
Houston, in the Texas League, IS
another member of the st. Louis
chain. This spring Houston sends
Sam Breadon, Bill Hallahan. the
aforementioned strong-armed left
handed pitcher; Catcher Clarence
Jonnard and Second Baseman Selpn.
! Signor Ernesto Orsatti. the sensa.
tional cinema outfielder, and Signor
Gus Mancuso. the catcher. came
back to the Cardinals from Milwau-
kee. where they served under option
for most of the 1928 season. Mill
waukee is not a st. Louis farm,
but Orsatti originally came to st.
Louis from Houston. while Man
cuso previously served at Syracuse.
which held the present Rochester
franchise,
All of those athletes did not
cost the st. Louis club plugged
nickel, so far as their purchase
prices are concerned.
To be sure. they were purchased
last fall But when the Cardinals
purchase a player from Rochester
or from Houston, it resembles a
man shifting his bankroll from his
inside coat pocket to his hip pocket
1t doesn't mean anything.
Only two of the new st. Louis
athletes are not products OF the
sweat of Rickey's brow. Third
Baseman Fred Haney comes from
Indianapolis at the draft price of
$500. A right-handed pitcher
named Harold Elliott was purchased
fran Waco in the Texas League.
Ten ''grand" probably covers the
purchase of both Outsiders"
The Cardinal squad now stands at
10 pitchers. four catchers, six in
fielders and six outfielders for a
total of IS. When the surplus
catcher is disposed of the number
of hands to be managed by Billy
Southworth will have been reduced
to 25 the normal capacity of any
big league team.
Without any official confirmation
on the subject it is believed this Is
the smallest number of players ever
to be taken south by a big league
cll1b-at least of recent years when
the tendency has been to ship an
unwieldy number Of athletes to the
training camp
As a matter of fact the Cardi-
nails expedition to Avon Park
will for the most part be- merely
= conditioning jaunt.
The tryouts OF the youngsters
will be limited to the showings OF
Colbert and Selnh, infielders, and
Elliott, a pitcher.
Hallahan. Herm Bell and Fred
Haney, other new arrivals. have
been accepted as big league ma
terial and are certain to be with the
team at Iue tupenlHS VI the SSdSoit'
The infield is set, although the
combination has yet to be worked
out. Frisch may open at third II
Selph makes the grade as a second
sacker. If not, the Flash returns
to second with Haney or High get.
ting the nod for the other job. Gel
bert, of course. is the shortstopper.
Hafey. Douthit and Roettger have
first call for the outfisld. with
Manager Southworth. Orsatti and
Waite Holm in reserve. That de
partment is as fixed now as it will
be in July
The pitchers and catehers are
likewise assured Of their Jobs.
There Is no competition for the
hurlers.
The 10 on the list are slated e
rVI nOTuS