The Washington times., 1934-03-28
ADDTTTON OF LUCAS MAKES BUGS CONT
TEAM STRONG
IN OTHER
"
SPOTS

~
IThis is the last of a series OF
articles dealing tDith the prospects
OF major league ball clubSO
PAsO ROBLES, Cal, March %
UN.S0.-One valuable addition to
the, pitching staff, the weak de-
partment of the 1888 team, Is ex-
pected to make the Pittsburgh
Pirates leading contender again
Tor the National League pennant.
In obtaining RED" Lucas in an
off,season deal with the Cincin-
natl Reds, Manager George Glib
son believes he has bolstered the
weakest point on his club. Lucas,
with a long string of years Of
service with the Reds, has been q
consistent winner on weak club.
with a better hitting club behind
him, most Of the experts believe
he should be good for IS victo-
fies.
There probably will be only one
new face in the regular lineup
when the Pirates open their season
against the st. Louis Cardinals.
Harry ("Cooky") Lavagetto, 49,
year-old Italian purchased from
the Oakland, Pacific Coast League
club, has made a favorable i'm
preston in training camp, and
may become the Bucs' regular sec.
0nd baSeman.
Went to Reds
Tony Piet, who played the
keystone position for the Pirates
during the early stages of the
1888 season, went to Cincinnati
in the Lucas deal. Should Lava
getto fail to live up to expecta-
tons, Manager Gibson still has
Tommy Thevenow, veteran.
Gibson hopes to keep Lava
getto at second so he can use
Thevenow as his chief utility
infielder. The latter can play
second, shortstop or third base
without weakening the clubs de-
1ensive strength noticeably.
Lavagetto is the principal
rookie Of six in the Paso Robles
training camp. Others are Lloyd
johnson, six foot four inch south
paw pitcher, purchased from the
Missions; Cy Blanton, 24-year-
old right-hander, who shattered
the Western League strikeout
record last season; Art Veltman,
catcher, drafted from Oakland;
Nick Etten, an outfielder-first
baseman, who brought a .357
batting average from Mississippi
Valley League, and Elmer Trapp,
a Pittsburgh semipro, who is an
irfielder.
Camp followers believe Lloyd
Waner, who slumped badly last
season, will stage a comback and
give the Pirates three 300 bat
ters in the outfield. Paul Waner
never has hit below the 300
mark since becoming a Pirate
regular, and Freddie Lindstrom
belated the ball for a $40 aver
age last season. The utility out
fielders will be Woody Jensen,
left-hand hitter, and Wally Roett-
ger, who hits right-handed and
was obtained in the trade with
the Reds.
Infield All Set
Outside of second base, the in
field is set with Gus Suhr, vet
eran first baseman, at the initial
sack: pie" Traynor, launching
his fourteenth season in the Ma
tional League, at third base and
'Arky" Vaughan, the leagues
best hitting shortstop. at that
position.
There are three veteran catch
erS in addition to Veltman. Earl
Grace remains the firststring re.
ceiver, while Veltman is trying to
Dust either Hal Finney or Tommy
Padden.
Gibson believes he will get i'm
proved pitching this year, princi-
pally because of the addition of
Lucas, and two SophomoreS he
expects to develop into consistent
winners. Ralph Birkofer, a 200
pound Southpaw, and Hal Smith,
giant right-hander, are being
counted on by the pilot. The
other starting pitchers, according
to Gibson's present plans, will be
BIZ Swift and Larry French, the
latter the clubs leading HEAVIER in
1888.