The Waterbury Democrat., 1934-08-07
NEW BLOOD FOR PIRATE BATTERY
 CORPS NEEDED
Pitchers Unsteady as Traynor's Team Slides
 Toward Second Group
By BERNARD J. MILES United Press Stan COrrespOndeDt)

United Press Stan CorrespOndeDt) Pittsburg (UP) Two questions heard on almost any street corner where Pittsburg baseball fans stop to chat are:
 What's wrong with the Pi- rates?"
 Has dissension wrecked this potentially strong team?"
 Manager Harold (Pie) Traynor angrily denies dissension. Presi- dent William (BilD Benswanger says its bad breaks"
 A study of the box scores and averages shows: CD Pirate pitch CTS are unsteady; CD the batters are slumping, but still show a bet ter team average than the Giants; (3) the team fielding is the best in the league; (4) base running has improved, but still not up to par.
 The change of managers from George Gibson to Pie Traynor in the middle of, July, when the Pi- rates vert 1-2 games behind the leading Giants, has brought no results.
 In fact, the Pirates have slipped almost completely out of the Ma tional league pennant race. They dropped to 13 1-2 games behind Bill Terrys men when Brooklyn took five straight games.
 Uncomfortably close to second division, Traynor picks the Giants to repeat and his Pirates to end up fourth.
 Worried
 TrHp ently are not resting lightly on the genial Pies shoulders. His batting average shrank from a 1850 to near the 300 mark. Fail ure of his pitchers to show any kind of consistency has added gray to his black thatch of hair.
 The following is an example of freakish twists of the Pirate pitching corps: Ralph Birkofer, sandlotter from Cincinnati, start ed out like a house on fire, his left-handed swifsers baffling the best of batters. Larry French, the No. 1 man, could not win during the first part of the season. When he did swing into stride Birkofer slumped.
 Red Lucas, considered one of the better pitchers of the league when with Cincinnati, has been bought him. Bill Swift and Hal just so-so. Ed Holley, waivered from Philadelphia. cannot win.
 The veteran Waite Hoyt and young Leon Chagnon, relief pitch CTS, have been consistent. But when Hoyt was given a starting assignment he became just an- other thrower. despite his one-hit game against Boston. Chagnon has not started any games.
 Bad Arm
 The Pittsburg outfield has only one worry-Lloyd's Waner's arm. Little Poison" is getting on base regularly, but opponent base runners take liberties with his arm. It is not strong enough to shoot them home from far-away center field.
 Paul Waner still is the best Pi- rate hitter. his arm is A No. l and he has made only one error in S4 games. Fred Lindstrom has hit consistently around .320. but has been handicapped by a crippled hand.
 The infie1d looks good. except for weak hitter at second. Rookie Harry Lavagetto started out fine. but his batting dropped off and the aging Tommy Thevenow took his place. Tommy hits in streaks. Both are good fielders.
 The hitting of Floyd Vaughan, Gus Suhr and Traynor has been consistently above the 300 mark Vaughan is the most improved in the league. Tray nor still makes his great stops at third. Suhr is ever dependable at first.
 Which brings it all down to the fact that the Pirates must: (a) get new. young blood in it's bat tery corps; (b) give the young players more chances to make good when the v&torans fail; (c) get hitter of the Foxx or Berger style, who can hit the ball out of the spacious Forbes Field occa- sionally; (do get a good pinch hitter.