Evening star., 1938-04-09
SCHOOLING NEEDED
BY WASDELL, CASE
GosIin, Simmons Get Garden
Jobs Until Youngsters
Are Primed for Duty.
BY FRANCIS E. STAN.
Stad Correspondent Of The Star.

Stan Correspondent OF The Star.
GREENVILLE, 8. c., April 9-Ths
1888 Washington outfield. as it Will
race onto the field at Grifith Sta
dium for the opening of the American
League season, probably will be COM
posed of Johnny Stone, Melo Almada
and either Al Simmons or Goose Cos
lin.
"Washington's future outfeld,
though, may be slightly different"
Owner Clark Griffith was limiting to-
day, as the Mats reached Greenville to
continue their transforming tour Crif
placed facetious emphasis on Slight
ly," How so. Mr.. G.?
Maybe not this summer. maybe not
even this fall, but eventually wouldn't
be surprised to see Jimmy Wasdell
and George Case work themselves into
the outfield," explained Griffith. AT
any rate" answering the original
question, well keep those fellows. We
like EN-"
Home Outfield Leagues Toughest.
AS the Griffmen move closer to
home, Wasdell uses his first baseman's
mltt less and less. Manager Buckv
Harris is drilling the youngster In the
art Of outf1eld play. Jimmy goes after
a fly ball fairly well and he can race
around the bases and across the out
field. But he has his drawbac cks, and
time alone will eliminate these.
The worst part of it ALL" explained
Griffith. '"is that our outfeld in Wash
ington is the hardest in the whole
league. Unless the day is cloudy, the
sun is always in the eyes of the left
and center f1elders. We've got to edu-
cate those fellows, Wasdell ard Case.
to play those sunfields" What about
right fleld?" Griffith was asked. "Whv
can't one of them play there?" Was
dell has to be left fielder" answered
Griffith. because his arm isn't strong.
II he played right too many runners
would 60 from first base to third on
him. In left field strong arm isn't
so necessary.
"As for putting Case in right field,
I guess he could play 1t eventually,
but 1t would only make it tougher for
him. Right field is the toughest field
of them all. The drives do too many
things-dip, sail or curve to either
side. Center Is Cases best bet be-
cause it's the easiest to play"
Worries Over Almada's Hitting.
Simmons and Goslin at the moment
have no reason to fear for their jobs.
But some day the 35-year -old Simmons
and the 37-year-old Goose are going
to wear out. Stone, at 81, has severs,
more years ahead of him. Almada,
Just turned %, has plenty Of years
Stone and Almada have the two
strongest arms on the ball club--out-
field arms. that is Almada is par
ticularly fast in getting off his throws
and before he came to Washington in
trade last June he played right field
almost exclusively for the Red Sox.
Griffith is worried over Almada a.
this time. Melo isn't standing at the
plate in a manner to please the old
gentleman. Hes trying to hit on the
run" lamented Griffith. He aint
a-hitting like he did after he came to
us last year. He's going back to the
style he used at Boston and that's no
good.
"Almada probably Is playing safe.
A year ago. in an exhibition game, he
was hit on the head by a pitched ball.
He escaped serious injury by the mar
rowest of margins. The chances are
that Mel is loose at that dish now,
purposely. Time enough for digging
in and taking toeholds when he begins
hitting for keeps"
Atlanta Game Rained Out.
If Grifiths visionary outfeld ma
terializes he may place the youngest
set of flychasers in the major leagues
on the field some day in the future.
Right now, with Goslin in left, Sim
mons in center and Stone in right
Washington can point to one Of the
Oldest The ages of these three total
103 years plus. Wasdell In left. Case
in center and Armada in right would
total only 81. A difference Of SO years
there.
Griffith today was to inspect the
newest of his farm" teams. So were
the Mats. They were to meet the
Greenville Senators Of the Sally
League in today's exhibition.
Greenville came under the Grifi-n
banner last winter. when Joe Cambra
bought the club. While Griff does not
own the Greenville outfit directly, the
Old Fox always will have first choioe
on its players as long as Cambria
commands the Sally leaguers.
Yesterdays game in Atlanta with
the Crackers was rained out. It was
too cold to play anyway. The Mats
were forced to acclimate themselves to
a sudden shift in weather. It was
uncomfortably warm in Orlando when
they left Thursday night. When thev
arrived in Atlanta the next mornirg
they shivered in their topcoats.