Evening star., 1938-03-28
BATTERY TALENT
ESCAPES YAWKEY
Maqnate Closed Money Bags
Too Soon-Grove. Nearing
40, Still Big Cog.
Special Dispatch to The Star.

SARASOTA. Fla. March 28.-
Thomas Yawkey's cash money has
produced curious situation among
the Red Stockings of Boston. The
outfield-Joe Vosmik Ben Chapman,
Doc Cramer--is the outfield which
represented the entire American
League at the start of the all-star
game Of 1885. Four of the inf1elders
have played in all-star games.
That is what Thomass money and
his eager trading have done for Bos-
ton. And now, with the lumberman
cacheing his bankroll deep in a vault
and voWing to spend no more for ball
players, YOU are forced to draw
painful concluSion-it wasn't enough.
Tom has his all-star outfield and
his all-star infield. laced with a fine
young newcomer. Bobby Doerr But
he has no pitchers and no catchers.
Pitching and catching roughly are
important to ball club as teeth to.
squirrel Without them. the gold
plated Red Sox will continue to show
nlckel-plated results.
Now Depends on Rockies.
OF course, Mr. Yawkey has a new
policy in operation. Maybe it'll get
him somewhere He is banking. on
rockies and sophomores. acquired by
farming and draft. If he's lucky.
some of these fellows will turn out to
be big leaguers and make a contender
lucky.
Joe Cronin. the costliest slice of
ivory in all history, with his price
tag of s25O.0O0. which he modestlv
wears beneath his shirt. is the YaWkey
spokesman Joe talks cheerfully of the
pitching and catching situation.
It's not so bad" he says Grove
has been around quite while. but
he's not dead yet. Figure him for
Is or Is wins. John Marcum ought
to begin to produce for me. Jack
Wilson has the stuff to win in this
league. And young Jim Bagby should
be help. Have you seen him? Quite
a kid. Strong and fast and smart"
Bagby is the son, heir and namesake
of James Bagby. ST.. who paced Cleve-
land to her lone pennant in 1920. with
II victories. When he came to camp
last month. young Jim was thought
of as kid with major league name
and minor league future. He took
his turn with the other pitchers from
the sugar bush. But he had more
than they had. To the surprise of all
concerned. including himself. Mr..
Cronin designated James as possible
starter in the American League.
Wilson. another possible starter. has
been with the Sox for some time now.
His fast ball is nearly as fast as Bob
Feilers. and, If his big league train
ing has given him the poise and con-
troll he needs. he may be winner.
Cronin is mining for more pay dirt
in group of striplings which includes
Midkiff. Olson and Lee Rogers.
Grove Takes Life Easy.
Marcum and Grove are the name
pitchers. Grove. the big. lantern
ja~ed farmer. the leagues greatest
southpsw since Rube Waddell. is as
big as ever this year, and, if any
thing, trifle lazier. He takes life
easy at the threshold of 40. He's
not 20-game winner any more. but
Cronin counts on him for his share
And those are the only wins Joe
can count on. strictly speaking. John
"Fatso' Marcum, also known as Foot
sic. has been a problem ever since his
one big year with Cornelius Mack.
The woes of the world rest on Johns
shoulders, and he admits it. Perhaps
he'll win. He has the equipment. But
IT'S nothing to bet on
Gene De Sautels, only a couple of
Jumps from the bush. is the first string
catcher. Mr.. Cronin relies on him to
do well. just as Frank Frisch seems to
rely on Cowboy Owen. but neither of
them can produce any evidence that
would stand up in court.
Once past the bleakness of the pitch
Ing and catching departments, you are
dazzled by the balance of the club
1t has power and speed and more
names than you could shake a copy
Of Who's Who at. Up till this year.
there was a gap in the outfield. But
Thomas Yawkey. having Chapman
and Cramer on his pay roll. inquired.
Who is the best available third
man." and when they told him Joey
Vosmik. he went out and got Joe,
All Lack Hustle.
These fellows may not work to-
eether. None of them is a hustler.
in the p,rest sense Of the word But
you can't get around the names: each
and eyery ope q serial reoiSterit or
your money back.
The inf1eld is improved because Bob
Doerr is improved. This young second
haseman from the Coast was promis-
ing last year. He's more than that
now. Few men in the business can
outf5eId him, and he has his moments
at the plate. Along with Foxx, Cronin
and Higgins. ne gives the town of
Bostor Sunday infield
II the Boston rooter could sit and
contemplate the infield and outfield
all day, he would work himself up
to a pretty fair pitch of exaltation
That's Buddhist rule. and a good
, one. But the rules of baseball call
for certain amount of attention to
the pitchers and catchers as we'll. and
that's the. place where the Boston
rooter should start to pray, and keep
praying
tCcryrieht. 19%S by the North American
Newspa per Alliance. Inc,
Trackman Falls