The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-04-16
Braucher Picks Cards And Tanks
By BILL BRAUCHER NEA Service Sports Editor

New York, April IA - Here comes the big guess:
 American League-New York, Washington, Boston, Detroit, St Louis, Cleveland, Philadelphia, Chicago.
 National League-St Louis. Chi cago, New York, Pittsburg, Boston, Cincinnati, Brooklyn, Philadelphia.
 Races in both leagues that promise to be the closest in years seem to be on the program as the baseball season begins. Shifting of players has made the task of se- lection the hardest experienced in many years.
 In the American league, as this observer sees it, the Yankees seem to have everything needed to win pennant. Last year, due to ill., ness and injury. the pitching bog ged down badly. Now, with Ruf- fing in splendid shape. the team appears to be d winner. am ex- pecting a great season also from Lefty Gomez.
 Washington won q perinant last year largely through the super. human pitching of General Alvin Crowder. Another season from the General, who is getting along in years, hardly can be expected. The fact that Clark Griffith has been shopping for q pitcher speaks vol' umes on the weakness of the Washington club.
 In the National league, tho Car. dinals begin the race with strength in every department. Last year. even though tho team led the league in run-making. there Was discord under the management of Gabby Street. With Frisch in the saddle, and with the best reserves club could ask for, the Cards should win 1oo games.
 The St Louis entry will hawe distinct edge on the Giants in punch. Pitching carried the New Workers to a pennant last year With the lively ball that the league has adopted for 1884, Ifd0 not re- gard pitching with the same re- spect that had to be accorded last season.
 The real threat to the Cards supremacy will be the Cubs Strengthened materially in the buldgeoning department with the addition fo Chuck Klein in the outfield, Chicago will have as hard q hitting crew as there is in the National league. If Guy Bush, Lon Karneke and the rest of the pitch ing staff can master the lively ball the Cubs will have what they need to best the Cards.
 The dark horses in both leagues will be the teams have picked for fourth place--Detroit in the American league, and Pittsburgh in the National.
 Cochrane's Tigers loom up on paper as the best young team In the younger circuit. The Mick !s counting heavily on Schoolboy Rowe's arm to round into shape and if 1t does, the pitching will De amply taken care of. Goose Goslln has one more good year in his sys- tenn, and he'll just about make that Tiger outfield of Pete Fox, Goslin and Gerald Walker, one of the best wrecking crews in the, majors. The Pirates, who begged down last year frightfully for want of . first class hurler. seem to have strengthened the pitching stan ma terially in the addition of Red Lu. cas, whom they obtained from the Cincinnati Reds. Lucas, with the possibility that rookie Ralph Birk. ofer will come through, should give
 the Pirates plenty of pitching. The Waners, Lindstrom and Arky Vaughn, the shortstop whc
 has been pounding the lively bal for homers all through the sprinG
 training circuit, should supply plenty of heavy smelling.