Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-07-30

41C1p 1AOIII b1lC dSA1lS SoQoU 1Oo6 "
The one player that Engel fan
cies, it is rumored, is a first base
man now with one of the San
Francisco teams of the Coast
League. He is said to be an ex-
cellent fielder and a powerful hit
ter. Other clubs also have had
their eyes on the young man, but
have passed him up thus far.
They say he is a good ball player
only when he wants to be. Not q
nice disposition to carry into the
big show.
Manager johnson feels that En- Ell,
like other scouts, may be looking for
too much in ball player before taking
a chance. According to the pilot, the
scouts still insist minor Lacquer must
be a polished fielder as we'll as a likely
swatter before tagging him Tor the
majors. The manager declares he Will
be well satisfied If there is sent him TWO
or three big. raw-boned young Fellows
who can swing hard against ball II
nothing else.
Hard Swingers Wanted.
"Base ball is nothing more than a
hitting game nowadays" is the way
johnson views it. IT don't care whether
the youngsters they send me can field
or not. I have enough fielders around
now. Hitters are what I Want-plg
boys who can swing from the heels ana
knock the ball hard and far. STICK Two
or three of them on the club, and the
others in the lineup can do suf1cient
fielding to provide fair defense.
I'm willing to take chances with any
youngster who can sock that ball, no
matter how crude a ball player he may
be otherwise. He is likely to drive over
more runs than he will let cross WIN
his errors. They are coming up yearly
now, these boys who can do nothing
much more than hit. and they break
into the regular lineup quickly.
i've been told right along that major
league prospects are extremely scarce
in the minors, but simply can't believe
it is so. Nearly every minor league
must have a lot of youngsters who can
drive the ball. I don't mean clever
batters but boys with lot of strength,
who put power into their swings and
hit 'em out. The Washington club can
use some Of this type" says Walter.
Marberry on SkeIf.
Fred Marberry isn't apt to pitch dur
ing the series with the Browns, Wnlcn
is to get under way this afternoon,
and it may be he will not appear on
the bill at all during the remainder OF
the Nationals home stand. Cranberry
Is willing to work, despite his tonsilltis
attack, but johnson, advised by the
club physician to let the big pitcher rest
a few days, has about decided TO Keep
Fred on the shelf while the Howleymen
are here, and thinks 1t might be well 10
keep him there for q week.
This probably will bring Lloyd Brown
into the st. Louis series as starting
pitcher. along with Garland Braxton,
Eob Burke and Irving Hadley. There
is some chance that Johnson will swing
to Sam Jones during the set. but this
veteran has experienced so much trouble
with his control lately that the man
ager would rather not employ him.
Browns main trouble has been lack
Of control. too. but in recent appear
ances the left-hander was not so Wild
When he is in form Brown Is oarnlng
hurler. He has a fine curve ball ana Is
fast enough to make 1t more than lnter-
esting for the batters of the opposition
But when he is wild he IS very Wild
indeed, and no help to the Nationals at
all.
Spencer to Remain.
It now develops that Roy Spencer.
catcher. who was to have been loaned
to the Newark club Of the international
League, will stick with the Nationals.
It was necessary to procure waivers on
Spencer before he could be sent to the
Bears, and two or three of the Ameri-
can League clubs, among them st.
Louis, claimed the catcher. So the
Nationals withdrew the waiver requests
and will keep Roy on the roster.
Right now the club has four catcners,
for Cliff Bolton, who has resumed con-
ditioning work after idling while
broken arm mended, is as much the
property Of the Nationals as Muddy
Ruel, Benny Tate and Spencer. When
he was hurt New Haven, the club to
which he was sent under option from
the Florida training camp, returned him
to washington, and George Weiss, head
of the Eastern League outfit as well as
business manager Of the Orioles, seems
in no hurry to reclaim Bolton, now
that he Is about ready to play again:
This being Bottoms first time up with
q major league club, the Nationals could
send him to Newark under option with
out the formality of procuring waivers
from the other big league aggregations.
However, it Is not likely Newark would
want Bolton, for he stlll needs much
polishing before he will be ready for
r1nr, haea hoII