The Waterbury Democrat., 1939-12-02
.LOMBARDI WILL
 BE HELD UNLESS
 BIG TRADE MADE
Giles and McKechnie After
 Left Fielder; Moore Not
By GEORGE KIRKsEY

United Press Staff Correspondent
 Cincinnati Dec. 2,-(UP)-The experts predict the Cincinnati Reds won't repeat in the National league pennant race, and Warren 0. Giles, who runs the Reds agrees-up to a certain point
 T don't think the present Cin- cinnati club ,car win the pennant again next year." Giles said. "but dot know of any law in baseball that says you have to s.and pat. believe if the Reds are to repeat we'll have to strengthen our club and that's what we intend to do,"
 He and Manager Bill McKechnie will get the chance at the major league winter meetings opening here next week. He said that because the Tanks polished off the Reds so brutally was no reason why his club should immediately become hollow shell.
 'There's no need to bring up the world series except to talk about one of our players who became a pathetic figure in that final crazy game" he said. T refer to Lom- bardi, our big catcher. I see every body is trading him off and say ing he'll never catch another game in Cincinnati. I want to state that Lombardi isn't in bad with Man ager Bill McKechrie or myself and he won't be dumped onto the mar ket unless We can get something mighty good for him.
 Tn berating Lombardi some of the critics seem to forget that he was the batting champion and most valuable player in 1888 and was good enough to catch both All-Star games the past two years. And can't help but remember when he was hurt last season we were moan ing and crying for him 10 get back in there"
 Giles, the clubs general manager, hasn't conferred with Manager Mc- Kechnie since the world series--and added in passing that he and Mc- Kechnie had been just a little fed up with baseball for few weeks after that sad affair-and haven't worked out any definite program to strengthen the Reds. McKechnie will arrive here tomorrow and he and Giles will immediately huddle.
 We have plenty of money to spend" Giles said, land I believe more good extra men, fellows who don't fit into our winning picture, than any other club. One of our problems is to get a left fielder with punch and we are going to land him If there's one available. No club can outbid us either in cash or playing talent for the man we want. I've never in my baseball career publicly mentioned the name of a player we sought in advance of the deal"
 In discussing the Reds future he that no one could laugh off Cihcinnatis pitching staff with two men like Derringer and Wal ters, who won 52 games last year. and a conner like Gene Thompson, who won B and lost in his last year in the big show.
 And that brings me around to another player everyone has on the way to some other club" says Giles. T mean Whitey Moore, our pitcher who received some unfortunate pub licity last summer. McKechnie told me after the world series that Moore would be back with the Reds. He believes Moore has the stuff to become a winning pitcher and those fellows don't grow on trees"
 The harsh criticism of American leaguers and second guessers di- rected at McKechnie after the world series was called to Giles att tention. He replied sharply: "If Me- Kechnie hadn't been signed to man. age the Reds in l940 and 1e4l, the first thing would have done after the world series would have been to sign him to a new contract. He's the outstanding manager in base hall"