The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-03-26
BY GEORGE KIRKSEY United Press Staff Correspondent

United Press Staff Correspondent
 Bradenton, Fla, March 26-(UP) -Falstaff has put away his com- edy and wisecracks and is going Ill for serious stuff this season.
 Casey Stengel, once baseballs more celebrated bufoon, is trying to build the Boston Bees into a first division ball club, and frivolity doesn't figure in his plans.
 Stengel, who received something like $15,OO0 for not managing Brooklyn last year, doesn't even want to talk about his days with the Dodgers.
 That's gone and forgotten and I don't want to talk about it." said Stengel in his dark and dismal dressing room, where he was don- ming his uniform.
 He was dressing slowly, meditat- ing and philosophizing as he pulled on his togs. Rubbing oil was heavy on his shoulders. His grey trousers, inside out, hung down over his ankles. His grey hair was tousled.
 Casey didn't try to get any laughs.
 I'm not kidding myself" he said. "This club needs more punch. We've got pitching and defense but some of the fellows have to hit bet ter. If fellows like Fletcher, Warst- Ter, DiMaggio and Lopez improve their batting it would make great difference in the Bees.
 "I see where the Cardinals are entertaining pennant hopes. Well. don't forget the Bees with batting average of PAT finished only one game back of St. Louis last year. If we get some hitting we'll be right up there with 'em this year, too"
 Stengel doesn't think the Giants are going to have any breeze to the pennant but admits that any club with pitchers like Carl Hubbell and Cliff Melton has something in it's favor.
 "If you noticed last year some of the winning pitchers of the past didn't win," he said. "Fellows like Dizzy Dean. Mungo, Derringer and Lee had off years. If they come back it may change everybody's standing"
 The thing Stengel likes about the Bees best of all is the pitching staff. He counts Lou Fette, Jim Turner and Danny MacFayden his "big three". He's looking for a fourth starter and expects to find him among Milbourn Shofner, John Lann!ng, Dick Erickson, Ira Hutch inson, Frank Gabler or Bill Weir.
 "There's no reason Turner and Fette can't win as many games as last year when they got 20 apiece" he said.
 The rest of the club is almost set except at third base, where Gil English. Eddie Mayo and possibly Debs Garms are fighting it out.
 'The catching staff of Lopez, Mueller and Riddle is as strong as any ill the league" Casey said. Fletcher at first, Cuccinello at second and Warstler at short give us an air tight defense at these spots.
 Roy Johnson or Max West will play left, Vince DiMaggio center and Gene Moore right. I regard DiMaggio as the equal defensively of any center fielder in baseball and that includes his brother, Joe. And expect him to hit much. bet ter this year."
 Of the newcomers, Stengel is high on West, outfielder from the Missions Coast League) who's only three years out of high school; John Riddle, catcher from Indian apolis, American Association); and Dick Merriwell Erickson, pitcher who won IA games for Scranton (NYPA League).
 "All three of them will stick" said Stengel. "West looks like he can hit and could help us plenty if he keeps up his good work. Brick son really has something on the ball and Riddle is finished catch CT"