Evening star., 1930-03-30

a mighty good break in his selections.
OF 10 rockies that reported to the
first camp of the training season at
Biloxli, Miss, six are likely to be with
the club when it enters the American
League championship race in Washing
ton on April IA.
That's q great break considering the
fact that five of the rockies reporting
had absolutely no experience in pro-
fessional ranks and two others but part
of a season in organized base ball.
johnson long to weed out three OF the
young fellows carried to camp, but six
of the seven remaining are not apt to
be ousted soon If at all. Carlos Moore
and Don Savidge, pitchers; Gordon
Phelps, catcher; Jim Mcleod, mf1elder,
and George Loepp and Jake PoWei,
outfielders, seem destined to hold their
Jobs for some time.
Herbert Pyle, pitcher drafted from
CHATTANOOGA, has not been able to
show much because of neurttis which
has affected his throwing arm and ne
soon may be returned to the Lookouts
If they reclaim him.
Moore has been somewhat an 1n-and-
outer in exhibitions thus far, but john
son sees possibilities in the pltcner
bought from Birmingham. The mama
ger LnlnkS MOOTe, WIFI q 6OOA AoSU HONAA
and control, will be heard from later
Savidge Has Improved.
While Savidge, who joined the club
in nidseason last year, but did little
work, was not regarded highly as q
prospect when the Nationals started
training He has improved steadily ana
now has a chance TO stick.
Phelps, too, who has Sheo many
mounds since starting training and now
is a shifty boy behind the bat as wen
as a free swinger at the plate, IS
bright prospect.
But the likeliest of the rockies are
Mcleod, Loepp and Powell. These
three have displayed startling ability IN
the Spring training engagements aIlo
johnson and his veteran players are
enthusiastic in their comment upon tnls
new talent.
Mcleod is about the best looking
Young infielder to come up to the Ma
tionals in years. He has all the actlon
of a great ball player, whether perform
ing at shortstop or third base. he
covers a lot Of ground, fields the oau
deftly and gets it away fast. HIS arm Is
strong and his throws generally accu-
rate, too. In fact, Jimmy reminds the
veterans of Ossie Bluege as a recruit
PLAYER. Mcleod is the same pollsneo
type of PLAYER Ossie was when ne STEP
ped in from Peoria.
At Little Rock last year, Where tnlS
le-year-o boy had his hrst experience
in professional base ball they Salo ne
was not much of a hitter. Maybe not'
but he is singing the ball these Gays;
In five games up TO To-Day, McneTu eiS
stepped to the plate 10 times ana SOCK
ed 6 hits. Good, clean hits, too. NO
flukes. His last wallop was good ior
two bases. He Is q strong boy WIN
plenty of power In his shoulders ano
though he did not amaSS any nne paC-
ting average while with the Travellers
he looks the goods to johnson.
Powell Looms as SIugger.
Eor sheer strength, though. and abil-
itv to pole the ball far when ne con-
meets with it Powell looms the pest
in the Washington squad. Here's
vo1npster who has not had much sand
lot experience even, yet right now tnose
in charge of the Nationals figure the
Silver Spring boy only year away
from major league grade. In tne nslo
he is fast and a good Judge OF IoIIs.
He has a good arm ana ooeS noV heS-
itate In making throws.
But it is at bat that he Is espe-
cially impressive. He has been IN only
two of the exhibitions up to To-Day ana
at the plate but twice. The t1rst time
he drew a pass. but the second Time ne
slammed a triple to the rignG neIo
corner of the Lookouts' PARK IN Cnatta-
nooga while two mates were waltlng
on the runway.
In batting drills, too, he has sockeo
soundly. Lots of power IN this BOY;
Furthermore, he is r1ght-nano
swinrer. something the club has been
looking for long while.
President Griffith has been trying TO
find a good minor berth for Powell tnat
the youngster might get the benent OF
steady play for a season. However,
Manager Johnson now thinks he might
make good use Of Powell in the big
show and unless a worthwhne post
for the boy can be discovered he'll wear
the uniform of the Nationals In the
championship campaign.
Loepp, although a rookie, Is no
youngster He's been up twice before
with Red Sox, but Loepp never has
been regarded a Spring hitter and
each time he drifted back to the minors
because of batting weakness. This
right-hand swinger has met the ball
with force in the Nationals training
camp though, and it may be he at last
is ready to stick. Johnson thinks so
and that's much in Georges favor.
Burke Due to Shine.
What he has done in training games
thus far indicates Bob Burke may be
in for a fine season on the mound |
This young left-hander, who has had |
little chance to show his stuff in the |
few years he has been with the Ma |
tionals since drafted from the Littlerock |
club. now has a pitching style greatly |
improved over that employed formerly, |
seems stronger and certainly works as |
though he has much more confidence |
in his ability to dispose Of batters.
A perusal of Bob's record for his |
three appearances to date convinces
one that the pitcher is on the verge of |
bloSSoming into a big Lacquer. He has |
faced A batters in IL innings, yielded |
2 runs, allowed 4 hits, walked and
hit three. He has an average of earned
runs allowed per innings of 1.64.
Bob has had pitching turns of 8
innings, S innings and 8 innings in /
order In his first turn he was nicked /
for q run when he issued pass, hit a |
batter and was found for single in |
succession. In his second turn he gave
up no hits and was not scored upon,
although he issued walks and hit q
batter. In his third turn, he allowed
2 hits, a homer at the outset of
round, and displayed fine control. That's
pitching.
In his IL innings of toll, Burke built
up a remarkable Strike-out record. He
registered is whiffs, setting back by
this means in his first 3 innings, bowling
over in the SHINING turn and coming
back to retire in this way in his
3 innings against the Giant second
stringers at Chattanooga Friday. Twice