Evening star., 1932-01-10
SOUTHPAW RATED
BRIGHT PROSPECT
Manager Johnson Expects
Carl to Be at Peak as
HurIer This Year.
BY JOHN B. KELLER.

ington base ball club face
" lot of left-hand pitching
this year If Manager Wal
ter Johnson Is right in his sizing
up of mound prospects for the
American League campaign.
The Nationals pilot has said
that he anticipates much excel
lent stuff from the left arms of
Lloyd Brown and Carl Fischer,
particularly from Fischer's, this
year.
Right now johnson figures these two
| young left-handers will be the truck
horses of the Nationals pitching corps.
Brown was something of a truck horse
| for hill work last year and yithStood
the strain well, but Fischer after
fine start wilted and never was able to
regain his pitching stride.
| Brown, according to Johnson, has all
needed to make a consistently good
hurler now. Formerly unsteady II
pinches and lacking control, Lloyd was
very uncertain performer on the slab,
but employed regularly from the outset
OF the campaign last year he showed
great improvement. Brown took many
tough beatings IN 1881, but revealed SO
much ability that there is good reason
for johnson to believe the young fell
| low will be of considerable help again.
Sees Worth I'm Fischer.
That the manager regards Fischer q
fine prospect for this year, however, is
surprising, but johnson makes splen-
did argument in favor OF the hurler
who came up to the Nationals from
Newark OF the International League
| back in $780,
Fischer looked mighty good to me
| last season." Walter said yesterday,
even though he faded toward the fin
ish. He went great guns the first two
months of the season. In fact, Fischer
more than any other Of our pitchers
kept us up in second place during May
and June. Somehow the hot weather
got him and he weakened in July and
August, but managed to do fairly well
| in his last month.
"I have an idea that with slightly
different conditioning this Spring at
Biloxi Carl may fit himself to go
through the entire season in good or
der And hope to make him more
effective by changing his style. He's q
strong boy, but he has worked just q
4
last year Fischer seemed to put every
thing he had into every throw and
consequently his strength was sapped.
Once he gets the knack Of keeping
something in reserve for ptnches he
should go far and all the help he needs
to acquire this knack will be given him
at training camp.
Fischer has a great fast ball and
something Of curve, too, to use In
emergencies. But he must learn that
he cannot pump that fast ball in there
inning after inning. Carl is game, but
he must mix Judgment with his game
ness. He's willing fellow and tries to
do what he is told, although at times
he becomes trif1e temperamental.
Fair 1881 Record. --..
carl had a pretty good record last
season, despite his fading during the
hot months. He won l3 games and
lost but and finished with an average
earned-run yield of 43s runs per nine
innings, according to the official fig
ures. Good pitching for young fellow
who went through 19l innings, I'd say.
He lacked control often, but he
probably was a little more effective
than he might have been because of his
wildness. Fischer gave up 80 passes,
but he also was credited with SO strike
outs. Carl had those batters dizzy
quite often. I'm not worrying about
his control.
Let Fischer round into proper con-
dition, then get off to good start in
the season and believe he'll be one Of
the topnotchers of the American
League. 7 have great faith in Carl and
expect much of him this year"
johnson has said that he looks for
much fine pitching by his staff this
year, for besides Fischer and Brown he
believes Al Crowder will go along well
and that Monte Weaver, the purchase
from Baltimore, will prove of consid-
cradle worth. "Crowder, you know,
went like house afire the last two
months of the 1881 season. He was
wonderfully effective, especially against
the AS" declared johnson. And he
has written the ball club that he is
getting in shape already, which should
mean much to u.s."
Work for Marberry.
Although Walter does not say so, 1t
seems he is not so optimistic where
Fred Marberry is concerned. Fred Is
of the type who puts on weight speedily
when idling and for several years has
reported to training camp with con-
siderably more extra flesh than carried
Ine season DeIore. MarDerry Is nara
man to train down" said johnson,
land expect 1t will be a big job to
get him into proper trim this Spring"
1t is understood that Marberry wants
to go to Hot Springs, Ark, again this
year for preliminary conditioning work,
but very likely he will not do so. At
least. he is not apt to go to the spa at
the Washington clubs expense. Those
in authority have an idea Marberry
does more eating than exercising at
Hot Springs and that his sojourn there
would be merely so much time wasted.
Instead, Marberry, along with Crow
der, probably will report at the Biloxi
training camp In advance of the other
hurle"S and get some rousing workouts
under the careful direction of Trainer
Mike Martin. A strenuous program
would be arranged for Fred, and with