The Washington times., 1930-03-04
RIGHT FIELD
IS WEAK
SPOT
By JAMES L. KLGALLEN


WEST PALM BEACH, Fla,
March Ar need a punch in
right field and more reserve
strength. Otherwise the ball club
Is pretty good"
Bill Killefer, the ruddy-faced,
hustling manager of the st. Louis
Browns, made these observations
as he sat on the bench at the
ball park here today and watched
his veterans and rockies work out
under a broiling sun. The team
finished fourth in the American
League race last year under the
leadership of Dan Howley. Kille-
fer, however, refused to make any
predictions for 1880 beyond the
assertion that I'VE will be up
there" ....
my club lacks batting punch"
said Killefer, frankly. That Is
why wanted to get Goose Goslin
for right field. am all set in
left field and center field with
Manush and Schultz. Manush
batted 1856 last year and Schultz
.307, which is good enough for
me. But I have got to have
hard.hitting right fielder.
81 figure we acquired bat.
ting power by getting Sammy
Hale from the Athletics In q
trade. He was glad to get
away from Philadelphia, and
i the change will do him good.
"Hale will battle it out with
Frank O'Rourke for the third-base
job. can't tell what Hale will
do, but O'Rourke is q great
player. O'Rourke works so hard
he burns himself out.
'"The other infield jobs are
pretty definitely settled. Blue
will fill the bill at first base.
Oscar Melillo will play second and
Ralph Kress short. KreSs is now
a star. He hit .305 last yeal FOR
.147 games. And he is only %
years old.
S"I am very much satisfied with
my pitching staff. I will carry
ten pitchers. I intend to see
that Sam Gray and Alvin Crow
der are not worked as hard as
last year. when they led the |
league in actual work. Gray
pitched sos innings, more than.
any other pitcher in the league.
I am going to give some OF the
others a chance to show what |
they can do. I mean Blaeholder,
Coffman, KimSey, Stiles and one
or two others. I am banking on
good work from Ogden ana Col
Inns, too"
Killefer, himself one of the
greatest catchers in the game
when he was the battery mate
of Grover Alexander for years
with the Philadelphia Nationals.
praised the ability of Rick" Fer
rell, his 24-year-old backstop. He
classified Ferrell as "the best
catching prospect in years"
''1f Ferrell isn't q star by
next year / miss my guess"
said Killefer. II expect him
TO do most of my catching
this year. Clyde ManiOn will
do n lot Of catching, too.
still need an experienced
catcher, as two is not
enough when you figure the.
chances Of injuries"
The rightfield problem which
is worrying Killefer has developed |
into fight between Ted Gullic
and Fred Bennett. Gullic, a strap
ping fellow, hit 42 home runs last |
year with Tulsa in the Western
League and Wichita Falls in the
Texas circuit and batteG around
.345. Bennett hit 1868 with
Wichita Falls. Either one may
supply the punch" Killefer needs
in right field.
Killefer has one of the small.
est squads of any of the big
league clubs in training. He is
carrying only 90 players. Sam
Gray, the pitching star, was late
in signing and was due to re-
port today. Practically all the
others are on hand. although the
clubs leading slugger, Manush,
still is a holdout. He has been
keeping in trim at the beach
here and is expected to sign soon.
CA:SI l. RN-l NIL