Evening star., 1936-02-29
MATS NEED POWER
Of GREEN FIELDER
Job in OutfieId May Get
Hard.Hitting Cuban in
Lineup Often.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN,

BY FRANCIS Z. SIAN,
stsn CORRESPONDENT of The Star.
~ RLANDo, Fla, February %
Bobby Estalella probably Is
farther from being big
~ league ball player, defensively.
than any inf1elder or outfielder OF any
account in this Washington ball cluo
training camp.
He is neither fish nor fowl, to put
1t bluntly, although the program
planned by Manager Bucky Harris
embraces thorough trial as an OUT
fielder. But at the same time ROBERTO
still is the most talked about rookie
on Tinker Field and one OF the most
envied.
The stocky little Cuban, easily the
most colorful ball player to wear a
washington uniform since Goose
Goslin jumped from the Sally League
to the Nationals fold, is as certain OF
a lob this season as almost any player
on the squad. Harris, vainly paradlng
such as Red Kress, Fred Sington, Fred
Schultz, Ossie Bluege and Sam Hol-
brook in pinch hitting roles last year,
knows the pinch of not having good
part time batter. And the limited
look he has had at Estalella has con-
yinced him that Washington could do
worse than string along with Senor
Roberto in this capacity.
Hitter From Start.
ESTALELLA gave a rather remark
able performance after coming to
the Griffmen late in the 1885 season
from Harrisburg. He had less than a
full season of organized base ball ex-
perience behind him. the game being
elementary as it was in the sector OF
Cuba from where he hailed. Yet in
Is games he batted .3l4 with 16 hits
in 81 times at bat. Two of his 16
safeties were terifically socked home
runs.
This would indicate that Bobby
packs plenty of power and he does.
But almost equally important is the
boys ability to look over the pitchers
offerings. Cool as cucumber despite
his f1ighty, f1dgety nature. Estalella is
said to have swung for only one bad
ball during his brief term with the
Nationals. As a result he drew II
bases loaded, and in two other games
in the last inning by walking with the
bases loaded and in two other games
drawing four and three free tickets.
Small in stature, Bobby is hard to
pitch to.
There is no denying the value OF
dangerous pinch-hitter. Washington
fans, remembering Joe Harris in 1925
and Dave Harris and Cliff Bolton in
1888. can we'll appreciate the parts
these men played in the winning OF
the pennant races in those years. But
while 1t might pay to keep Estalella
for the sole purpose of stepping up to
the plate in an emergency it Is not the
intention of Harris, if he can help 1t,
to so stunt and confine the young
ster's scope.
Needs Frequent Work.
ROBBY is young enough to flt per-
- fectly into the rebuilding on
youth" policy of the Washington club.
To keep him on the bench for several
years would be. an obvious waste OF
offensive power if he really is as good
at bat as he looks. The necessity OF
laarnessing this power into the lineup
every day is apparent.
But where? That's Harris problem
and it's grave. Bobby can't carry
Buddy Lewis glove as far as third
base is concerned. He isn't fast
enough to warrant a trial as short
stop. even in a minor league. He can't
play second base in Bucky's opinion
and. of course, he is too small Tor
first baseman.
Thus it would seem that the out
field would be the next step, and be-
ginning today Estalella will be given
a trial in the garden. He has the
arm. a rifle whip that would make
base runners think twice about taking
chances. It's question OF how
quickly the boy, can be taught the
fundamentals of outfield play. De-
spite few months of schooling in
the English language, Bobby still fails
to readily understand the plainest talk,
and it's pretty much of sign Ian
euage that is used on him.
In Outfield Today.
ESTALELLA was to have been given
- his outfield trial a couple of days
ago, but he failed to understand Har-
ris' first sign to move to the garden
and insisted on sharing third base in
infield drill with Lewis. Yesterday,
whether it was because Bucky still
was too sore and stiff or whether he
wanted to see Esty at the post, Harris
appointed Bobby to second base in
his own stead. He failed to make
anybody go overheard on his key
stone possibilities.
So it looks as though outfielding is
the last resort If Bobby is to find his
way eventually into the regular line
up. But any way it turns out, Harris
says it's pretty definite that Bobby
) will be wearing Washington uniform