The Waterbury Democrat., 1938-05-18
BOSTON EXPERT PICKS GIANTS
 BY 15 GAMES
Bees as Good as Any of Others-Ump Stewart
 "On the Pan'
RY ROBERT WERR

United Press Staff Correspondent)
 Boston, May 18-(UP)-Letting the sports chips fall where they may:
 Right now you can divide the Na- tional league into three parts: the Giants; the Cubs, Pirates, Car dinals, Reds, Bees, and Dodgers; and the Phillies. After seeing all the teams in the league, Boston baseball writers think the Bees have as good team as any other club except the league leading Giants. It's the Giants by 15 or 20 games says one observer.
 Casey Stengel hasn't changed his team much. Deb Garms, the Texas speedboy, is playing third base, Ray Mueller is doing most of the catch ing, and Max West is playing left field. Gil English, the former hot corner man, hit into too many double plays on the road. If Garms can't fill the bill at third, Stengel will use Harl Maggert, whose arm is improving all the time and he hits well.
 Lopez III
 Mueller isn't doing all the catch- ing because Stengel wants him to do 50. Al Lopez is in poor health. Almost every game he has caught has been in the rain. He'll be ready to backstop again in a week. Shen- gel still thinks West will hit He looks awkward in the outf1eld but rarely drops ball he gets his hands on. Yesterday he made one great catch in deep left center
 Fletcher is really hitting better" said Stengel after yesterdays game. Those games on the bench hurt his fielding but he's batting with more determination than he was earlier in the season. He's going right after the pitcher all the time. He's bend ing his body up there at the plate and when he straightens into the pitch, it gives him more power"
 Someone asked Stengel to name the best young player he saw on the road. The Bees manager named Enos Slaughter, the Cardinal rookie. But Medwick is still the best play CT in the league" added Casey. And you can take my word for 1t if Dean was worth $185. .000, Medwick is worth $45O000. This Rizzo isn't such great ballplayer. I know he's hitting good but we'll stop him."
 Stengel constantly needles Flet- cher about the small crowds in Bos- ton. Yesterday only 2,285 saw the game. You certainly don't pack 'em in the way you used to, Alvie," said Stengel, looking at the sparse attendance from the dugout steps. Well" said Fletcher, in all serious ness, "I left ten passes at the gate for some of my friends"
 Ump Wrong?
 The Bees think that Boston Bill Stewart trimmed them out of game in Cincinnati. With two out, the Blackhawks manager gave Riggs his base when 1t appeared Shoffner had hit the Red infielder with a pitched ball. Myers followed with home run that scored three runs and won the ball game. Mueller protested Stewards decision so roundly he was tossed out of the game. And I went to that guys banquet" means Stengel.
 "They knocked West down in Chicago with a pitched ball." said Stengel, "but he didn't want to get on that way. He told the umpire he wanted to hit. Handley played great in Pittsburgh. Seven hits in ten times at bat and he robbed us of half a dozen." He'd look good at third for the Bees wouldn't he." said a reporter. "I'm not going to knock any of my own players" an- swered the Boston manager.