The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-03-24
SIX YOUNGSTERS
 HOLD BASEBALL FATE OF REDS
Whitey Moore e May Be Rookie Pitching Sensa=
 tiOn-Craft 0. K.
EDITORS NOTE: Following is the tenth of a series from the major league spring training camps.
BY GEORGE KIRKSEY United Press Staff Correspondent)

United Press Staff Correspondent
 Tampa, Fla, March 24.-UP)- The Cincinnati Reds are burning up the Grapefruit league again this year. They've won seven out of nine games and are attracting seri- ouS attention.
 Last year they looked like potential pennant threat, but when they got back north they folded up and finished forty games behind the champion New York Giants. The Reds are definitely a team of promise, but it might be well to withhold judgment until the sea- son opens.
 William Boyd McKechnie, who managed pennant winners in Pitts burgh in 1925 and St. Louis in 1928, and was voted the outstanding pilot in the majors last season, has talk en over the Reds, replacing Chuck Dressen. McKechnie was lured away from the Boston Bees by a $25,000 contract which also con- tains a bonus clause giving him a share in the profits based on at tendance. McKechnie is a shrewd Scotchman who may be counted upon to get the absolute maximum out of the Reds material. Bill does not think he has last place ball club on his hands.
 "The future of the Reds depends upon how our young players come along" he said. q believe we have the makings of a good team and I'm convinced it is not the worst club in the league, but I'm not prepared at this time to make any forecast about where we'll finish. That is going to be strict ly up to the youngsters"
 The young fellows McKechnie had in mind were outfielders Harry Craft and Dusty Cooke, first base man, Frank Mccormick. Catcher Hershberger and Pitchers Moore and John Wander meer. These six players hold the fate of the Reds.
 Craft, a 23-year old outfielder who graduated to the Reds via Waterloo and Syracuse, looks like a great find. He can hit, run, throw and field, and has won the centerfield job hands down. Cooke, who once had try-out with the is back up from Minne- apolis where he hit .345 last sea- son, and is the leading left-field candidate. The other outfield job is being taken care of by Ival Good man.
 Frank Mccormick, who comes from New York city, will start the season at first base. McKechnie him highly and probably will start the season with him bat ting in the fourth place cleanup position.
 The rest of the infield will be the same as last year with Alex Kampouris at second. Bill Myers at short stop and Lew Riggs at third. This infield seems adequate enough defensively, but may be lacking somewhat in hitting strength.
 Hershberger, the scrappy young ster from the pennant winning Newark International club, has made big impression on McKech- nie and it is quite possible that he may win the No. 1 receivers job over Ednie Lombardi and Virgil Da- wis.
 One of the brightest spots on the Cincinnati club is the pitching staff, which might take the Reds far. The big three probably will be Lee Grissom, Paul Derringer and Gene Schott. McKechnie is hopeful that Whitey Moore and John Wander meer will soon make it a big five Other pitchers figuring in the Reds plans are Peaches Davis, Al Hol- Joe Cascarella, and pos sibly Charlie Barrett from Musko- gee and Paul Gehrman from Dur ham.
 Derringer, who was flop last year, and Schot, whose record of four victories and thirteen defeats is deceiving, are capable of taking the Reds places if they have a big year. Whitey Moore. who put in most of last year with Syracuse seems to be one of the outstanding pitching prospects on the south. He may easily become the years out ct nflinn rooi>;a ,~{AaLox