Evening star., 1935-08-22
GR|FF ROCK GETS
HITS IN P|NCHES
Dee Is Sent Back to Game
That Real Worth May Be
Gauged Quickly.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN,

x1xSA1S, <Au6uob AAS f@~
view proper of Uncle Clark
Grifhth's potential Nationals
~ of 1896 will not be held until
Bucky Harris herds his club home
after this final swing of the West, but
in testing one young hopeful Harris is
going to beat the gun.
Dee Miles plainly has the Washing
ton pilot puzzled. Originally he was
brought up from Chattanooga for two
reasons. The first was to sit Dee on
the bench that he might absorb the
big league background and the second
was because Fred Sington, whom he
replaced, was adjudged inadequate
Is a possible outfleld replacement.
Dee's real testing was not to come
until September, when, along with
Buddy Lewis and Bob Loane of Chat
tanooga, Roberto Estellella of Harris
burg and few more of Griffith's other
more promising bushers, he was to
be thrust in the lineup and kept
there. But for obvious reasons Harris
wants to know definitely whether he
can gamble on Miles as a big-league
outfielder next season, and so for the
remainder of this tour of the West
Miles is going to do all of the right
fielding under present plans.
Has Punch in Clutch"
ITO LOOK at his batting average
= since he joined the Nationals in
an offhand way. Miles chances would
appear doubtful. After all, a mark
of .27l hardly is of the standard for
q major-league gardner. Afleld Miles
plainly is awkward and bit weak on
coming in for fly balls and grounders.
Yet there is an important column
in batting averages that makes any
base ball manager look twice. And
certainly Miles runs -batted-in record
has intrigued Harris, who is not too
heavily blessed with money hitters"
this season.
Batting in the second hole in most
the games he has played, Miles, never
theless, has driven across 20 runs on
his rs hits, only one of which was
for extra bases. At this ratio he is
by far and away the best run-batter-
In on the club.
The big question, of course, is
whether he can keep it up or main
tain a pace close to it. If SO. Miles
need not be $3.50 or $40 hitter to
win his spurs. With ability to hit in
the clutch" plus a natural speed
which would stamp him as the fleetest
base runner q Washington team has
boasted since Clyde Milan, there would
be no worries on Harris part as to
Miles in 1886.
Must Trade for Hurlers.
HARRIS, unspoken reason for an
nouncing that henceforth on
this Western swing Miles will play
right field would seem to be apparent.
II the Nationals hope to get anywhere
next year they will need new blood in
the pitching staff. From the minors
Is likely to come only single recruit
with any chance. and he is Dick Lana
han, the former Eastern High hurler.
Thus, to strengthen the slab staff,
trades must be made in some quarters
of the American League where out
fielders are needed as badly as Wash
1ngton needs pitchers.
Then, too, it is becoming increas-
ingly evident to base ball men that
rockies who blossom in September
often dry up and blow away during
the following Spring and early Sum-
mer. The Griffs had couple of
cases last year on their final Western
swing in September when Reese Diggs.
Orville Armbrust and Syo Cohen each
dragged down at least one pitching
victory and then quickly faded during
the 1885 training camp period.
Connie Mack based his 1885 pitch
Ing hopes on the work turned in by
q flock of rockies in September, and
today, Notwithstanding the fact that
the Athletics generally are rated the
best ball club in the league outside |
of pitching, Connie discovers himself
hopelessly mired in sixth place.
Mats Rout White Sox.
Raising any such similar hopes Only |
TO have them blasted a few months
later is what Harris intends to avoid.
He feels that Miles can be gambled |
upon right now as regular outfielder |
next season, but Bucky isn't quite
sure. But by playing him almost
every day during the remainder of