The Washington times., 1930-12-24
| L|NDSTROM
To PATROL
OUTF|ELD
BY LES CONKLIN

York Giants, is sailing for Cuba
this week happy in the knowledge
that he will be able to play ducks
and brakes with the lineup Of
his ball team next spring.
McGraw, the Luther Burbank
of baseball, is in his element
when he has a chance to change
a third baseman into q catcher
or transpose his players like
pawns in a chess game.
McGraw's latest announced
move is to convert Freddy Lind
strom into a centerfielder. thus
breaking UP the million dollar
infield" which he rounded out by
obtaining Hugh Critz from Gin
cinnati during the 1880 campaign
to plug the hole at second base.
Johnny Vergez, purchased
from the Oakland Pacific
Coast League club, will be
grOOmed to fill LinstrOm's
shoes at third base.
If vergez fails to pan out. Nc
Graw will. try out Pickering, q
third Sacker drafted from the
Birmingham Club of the South
ern Association. And in reserve
there is Eddie Marshall, the grace
full utility infielder who batted
300 last season.
Lacks Polish
While Linstrom has an &C
curate throwing arm and is gen.
orally regarded as one Of the
best third baSemen in the league,
McGraw has declared that the
Chicago Swede is not UP to par
in fielding buntS and that he is
slow in starting for a ball, with
the result that balls he should
get are hit through him.
Lindstrom tried playing the
outfield a few years ago and
was not exactly a bowling sue
cess. Now he has asked McGraw
for another crack at the job. He
worked on the picket line in
practice frequently during the
past season and looked like a
ball hawk, starting quickly for a
ball and covering more ground
than a circus tent, due to his
great speed.
May Add Punch
The real reason for shifting
Lindstrom to center field is that
the doughty leader Of the Giants
has been unable to obtain another
first class outfeilder 20 bolster
his picket line.
II Freddy fills the bill he
will add considerable punch
to the garden trio and also
will be able to prOlO,lg his
playing career for q couple
more years. There is less
wear and tear i'm chasing flies
than in dOdging rifle shots
at the hot corner.
Melvin OFT, the boy benedict,
will be in right field, with Leach
and Allen alternating in left.
Vergez hit 300 on the coast
last season and McGraw has re.
ceived glowing reports Of him,
although there is a suspicion
that night baseball may have
hurt the young mans batting
eye.'
Critics will be quick to roast
McGraW for breaking up his
great infield to make room for q
minor Lacquer, but John the jug.
gler has not gone out on the
end of limb.
McGraw will put LindstrOm
back on third quicker than
you can say StanislauS
ZbyszkO IL Vergez, Pickering
and Marshall all fail to make
the grade: And there Is al
ways the chance that one Of
his rookie Outfielders will fill
the bill in centerfieId, max
ing the LindStrOm switch un.
necessary.
Personally, McGraw would get
a great kick out Of converting
LindStrom into a polished out
fielder. He extracted consider
able enjoyment in past years
from his feats in making OFT over
from q catcher into an outfielder
Bill Terry from a pitcher into O
first basemen, Ross Young from
a third baseman into an out
fielder, Dave Robertson from q
pitcher into an outfie1der and
Hankus Pankus Gowdy from q
first sacker into a catcher.