The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-03-27
SHAPE UP. AS SURE SECOND. DIVISION CLUB.
Older Pitchers, Weaker Defense No Good to BOs=
 ton Outfit
BY GEORGE KIRKSEY United Press Staff Correspondent


 | United Press Staff Correspondent
 Bradenton, Fla, March 27.-CUP) The Boston Bees, hardest Nation- al League team to beat at home last season SRnd the easiest to beat on the road (barring the Phillies and who counts them, anyway again present a maze of contradictions.
 They are strictly second division again, somewhere between fifth and seventh. It's cinch that they can't be as bad as the Phillies and it's doubtful if they can be better than the Cardinals and the Dodgers who finished below them last year. But you can't judge the Bees without taking their ball park into consider ation.
 At home the Bees are champions. Last year they would have won the pennant with percentage of 600 if only the games they played in Boston counted. But this year they mey not do as well at home be- cause they have sacrificed defensive strength in an effort to get more power.
 Handicaps
 The departure of Vince DiMaggio throwers and defensive outfielders and Gene Moore, two of the best in the league. and the benching of shortstop Rabbit Warstler definitely hutS the Bees. In passing, it might be mentioned that DiMaggio, de- spite his weak batting average, hit IA home runs and was second in driving in runs on the club.
 The Bees have smart but aging pitching staff which is most effective at home where the wind blows ill those long flies down into easy outs. The slow infieid cuts down the speed of ground balls. Four of the Bees best hurlers are in their thirties- Fette, Turner and MacFayden, each 32, and Shoffner, B.
 The other accredited pitchers are John Lanning and Dick Erickson. Pretzels Pezzullo, Art Doll, Tom Barley and Fred Farmhouse com plete the staff. That group isn't like ly to give the Bees as much pitching as they had year ago. They have got to have bang-up support or more runs.
 The added power is expected to come from Al Simmons, the Amer ican League cast-off, in left field Buddy Hassett at first; Eddie Mill Ter from Kansas City at shortstop; and catcher Al Todd from the Pi- rates.
 Promising
 Hassett has a battle on his hands winning the first base job from FL bic Fletcher, classy fielder whose hitting ha spicked up. Al Cuccinello will play second; and Miller, flash afield, will cover short. Third base probably will go to Debs Garms, who was the Bees only 300 hitter last year, although Johnny Hill from At lanta is battling him for the spot.
 With Simmons in left, the other outfielders will be Jimmy Outlaw rookie who hit .339 for Syracuse, ir center and Max West, who hit only .234 last year, in right. Ralpt Hodgins, 1928 hitter from Evans vile, and John Dickshot, who came from the Pirates, also are trying te get into the outfield. Defensively the outfield is a big come down iron last years combination, and Sim mons will have to hi thard vo make up for the loss of defensive strength
 Al Lopez again will be the No. catcher with Todd, who caught 13; games for Pittsburgh the last twt years, as his relief man.
 Manager Casey Stengel is Juggling his talent around trying to get to- gether a club that can hit more thar .25O, but in making his shifts ht may get more runs but fewer vic. tories.