Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1933-04-20
MYER NOW SLATED
TO LEAD OFF AGAIN
Cronin Convinced Shake-up
Needed to Rouse Power
Latent in Club.
BY JOHN b. KELLER.
PHILADELPHIA, April 20.-A

'HlLADELFd1A, April IU.-A
r. shake-up in the Nationals
/ batting order will take
place, it is believed, during
the current base ball series in
Shibe Park. Whether the shake
up was to come today as the
three-game set with the Athletics
was opened was not definitely
known this morning, but it is on
its way.
Convinced that something had
to be done quickly to rouse the
offensive power latent in his clubs
lineup, Manager Joe Cronin came
up here from Washington last
night with plans for a revision of
the Nationals hitting list. The
boy field boss couldn't see his out
fit getting anywhere with a .243
attack that it put on in its half
dozen games at home.
Not a jot Of his plans would Cronin
reveal this morning. In fact, he
wouldn't admit he even contemplated
any batting order shifts Confirmation
Of that, however, dribbled from an au-
thoritative source. From the same
source, too, came word that Buddy
Myer would be restored to the lead-off
position in the hitting list, but DISPOSE
ton of the other batters could not be
ascertained
A WASHINGTON batting order for
"A the start of the championship cam
paign was arranged only after Man
ager Cronin had done much expert
menting with his flock of swingers dur
ing the training period. Four combi-
nations were tested and discarded be-
fore one thought likely to prove salts
factory was settled on.
In all the experimenting Cronin con-
centrated on the choice of the first two
batters. Two were tried in the lead-off
berth and three in the second notch
before the boy field boss decided he had
hit upon an order most likely to get the
best results.
Through four experiments Myer was
assigned to the topmost position, and
his work there was generally satisfac-
tory. Cronin always contended that
Buddy was an ideal lead-of man. He
pointed out that Myer was a canny bat
ter, good waiter, because OF his
lack of height difficult to pitch to, and
hitter with power.
At the last. though. the manager de-
n cided to place Joe Kuhel, who had
steadily risen in the list during the
various experiments, at the top and
drop Myer to second place. Kuhel had
all the batting qualities Myer possessed.
1t was figured, excepting one. Buddy
hit to all fields, while Kuhel hit mostly
to right. Wouldn't it be better to have
the more versatile hitting Myer batting
behind Kuhel? Cronin thought so. and
into the championship season these two
were sent in that order
So far as getting on base is con-
cerned. there has been little to choose
between the two. In 81 trips to the
plate Kuhel has reached first base 10
times. In rs times at the batting post
not all legal times at bat-Myer has
found the initial sack times.
Not so startling, but better results
than the Athletics and the Red Sox
got from their first pairs of batters in
the series in Griffith Stadium
WHETHER batting order shake-up
w will bring about sturdier often
sive is something to be learned.
but it is worth trial. Some means of
making the Nationals busting bunch
must be discovered and quickly, too, If
they are not to slip so in the early
going that getting back in the race will
be a matter of weeks instead of days.
While not f1awless, the Nationals de-
tense has been fairly substantial That
sloppy Tuesday tussle in Washington
may be discounted The best of teams
have those days. Despite the two or
three poor innings they have had, the
pitchers have done well. They have
held the opposition to q .231 batting
salt. Good.
But that Washington hitting to date.
Phooiel