Evening star., 1938-06-14
MATS EXPERIMENT
IN ROAD OPENER
WasdeIl Goes to First as
Harder of Tribe Hur|s
Against De Shong.
BY BURTON HAWKINS.
STAFF CORRESPONDENT of The Stor

CLEVELAND, June 14.-The wig
wan of the league leading Indians
was to be transformed into something
OF an experimental station for the
Nationals today as they launched a
lengthy road trip with mingled trepi-
dation, bewilderment and hope.
With Mel Harder scheduled to aim
his curves past the Nationals, Man
ager Bucky Harris planned to send
Jimmy Wasdell to first base, bench
zeke Bonura and pray for a better
brand of pitching. Jimmy De Shong,
who allowed st. Louis only four hits
In eight innings to account for WASH
ingtons last victory, was nominated
to snap the latest losing streak of
the Mats at three.
Precedent for Success.
Harris plans to follow the procedure
OF alternating Bonura and Wasdell
until either warrants regular employ
ment, hoping, of course, the situation
meantime will be solved as happily
as Buddy Myer and Ossie Bluege have
disposed of the second base problem.
In the midst of sour singing there
have been few joyous occasions for
Harris, but flat-nosed Myer, playing
approximately every two of three
games, has been no headache. Cur
rently pacing the Mats with a 1856
average, Buddy has revived memories
OF three years ago, when he led
American League batters.
Benefited by the occasional rest,
34-year-old Buddy and 37-year -old
Ossie have functioned amazingly we'll
in part-time roles. Bluege, still a
defensive marvel, hardly is a handi-
cap extensively, for he now is in the
select 300 circle.
Myer in his last 40 appearances at
the plate has collected 20 hits for a
neat .408 average. His value in the
lead-off spot has been enhanced pro-
portionately with his ability to in
habit those bases, and Buddy lately
practically has been living on them.
Wasdell Threatens Bonura.
Switching back to first base, Was
dell is more than a mild threat to
replace the amiable Zeke. Ticketed
to battle Joe Kuhel for that post
when the training siege opened at
Orlando, Jimmy naturally was down.
cast when Bonura was obtained from
Chicago and installed at first, but
later, when shipped to the minors
as an outfielder, vowed he'd be back
Bonura's lowly batting and Was
dells determination collaborated in
turning the trick.
Stamped as notoriously poor road
club following losses in IL games
in its last journey, Washington is
faced with the prospect of slipping
into the second division unless its
throwers reveal a sudden reversal of
form. Also significant, however, have
been 10 errors, which hardly is a
tonic for weak pitching.
The three-game series with Cleve-
land offers a rosy or dismal future
for the Mats, for those three trounc-
ings by Detroit Debated their spirit.
Losing leads now has become some
what of habit with the Mats, but a
respectable showing against the In
dians might revive the club. Con-
tinued losses however, figure to gnaw
large chunks in the Mats morale.
On the Sour Side.
The Nationals don't relish scan
ming the past, for recently there have
been seven occasions when games
could have gone either way and went
the wrong way. Five times the Mats
held lead and twice were tied, but
only once did they win, when even
mediocre success would have landed
them near the league lead
Now clinging to the last rung Of
the first division ladder by a half
game, the Mats may be intrenched
in fifth place before deserting Cleve-
land, for the inrushing Tigers cherish
reaching fourth place during their
series with Philadelphia, and unless
Washington's pitching does an i'm
mediate about face the Mats may
not stop there
Elon Hogsett, who hurled three hit
less innings against the Indians be-
fore willing in his last appearance,
probably will be sent to the mound
tomorrow, with Dutch Leonard COM
ing back Thursday.