Evening star., 1939-03-16
Simmons Main Hope
As 5tenge| Plans
His New 0ffense
Last Chance for Superb
Hurting by Veterans
Looms This Year
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

BRADENTON, Fla, March 10
Casey Stengel of the Boston Bees is
making a nervous fight against time
trying to dig up some batting
strength before the years finally
claim one of the best pitching staffs
in either league.
For couple of seasons now the
Bees have had truly phenomenal
pitching and fielding, but all it got
them last year was fifth place in the
National Leagues hot race. They
couldn't hit. They had only one
player, Debs Garms, who topped 300.
Perhaps the best picture of the
club is afforded by the fact that
they won more home games than
any team in their league. Their
park is spacious affair with pre-
vailing wind in the batter's face.
Rival teams even claimed the Bees
groundskeeper let the grass grow
long in order to slow up the ball.
There the Bees were well nigh un-
beatable. Their veteran pitchers,
Lou Fette, Danny MacFayden, Mil
burn Shoffner and Jim Turner,
never asked for more than two or
three runs, and their support afield
was admirable. But when the Bees
went visiting, where home runs and
triples came cheaper, their failure
to hit made them a soft touch.
Depends Greatly on Simmons.
Well, Stengel is making a heroic
effort to remedy the situation before
it's too late. He's loaded his training
camp here with men and boys who
either have proved they can hit big
league pitching or who look as if
they might. He's even grabbed the
once-great Al Simmons in the fer
vent hope that AL has a few more
booming drives left in his bones.
You see, Fette. MacFayden and
Turner all are 80 years old, and
Shoffner is 33. That's getting old
for pitcher, and they showed signs
OF beginning to crack last year.
SoSCS Vail v SoOllO dkJOl1 tllCAll IluS1l
longer if any longer at all. But
he's praying this gray-beard quar-
tet can cut the mustard just once
more, and he's guaranteeing them
he will give them few more runs
to work on if he has to get out
there and bat himself.
Specifically, Casey is planting on
third base one Johnny Power) Hill,
who with Atlanta last year hit 1888
and led the Southern Association.
I watched him hit and he looks
very good, indeed.
At shortstop, replacing Rabbit
Warstler, who knows of base hit
only by hearsay, he is installing Ed
Miller, who clouted .29O with Kansas
City and is polished performer in
every respect. Warstler will be re-
tanned as utility infielder..
Hassett Likely Help.
At first base when the season be-
gins, no doubt, will be Buddy Has
sett, the sweet singer and capable
hitter acquired from Brooklyn.
Tony Cuccinello will be kept at
second to hold this new inner
works together, despite his .265
sticking mark last year. Stengel is
too smart to wreck completely his
grand defense.
Simmons, waived out of the Amer
lean League during the winter, is a
cinch to share the outfield with
Garms. Jim Outlaw, who hit .339 for
Syracuse; Ralph Mcleod, who
slammed 1881 for Hartford, and
Ralph Hodgin, recommended by a
1923 mark with Evansville, are chief
aspirantS for the third fy-chasing
job. Stengel finally gave up on
Vincent Di Maggie, brother of the
Yankees famous Joe, and shipped
him back to the minors.
Al Todd, 1888 Pittsburgh catcher.
has been obtained to help out AL
Lopez with the catching. The Bees
also got outfielder John Dickshot in
the same deal that sent Ray Mueller
to the Pirates. but I can't see the
hefty John fitting into Stengers
scheme.
The most promising of the rookie
pitchers appears to be John Pezzullo,
who won 26 and lost 9 for Savannah
IN the fast South Atlantic League
last year.
All in all, Stengel probably will
have a better club, and he certainly
will If Simmons hits for him. But I
can't see the Bees climbing into the
first division, because it's already
crowded.