Evening star., 1939-12-10


stop Jimmy Pofahl, the $4,000 pull
chase from Minneapolis last sum-
mer, will occupy Lewis old spot as
the No. man.
Five Right Handlers Assured.
If York still is a Tiger when the
Grapefruit League season starts and
the Mats otherwise have acquired no
first basing material, Washington
lineup and batting order likely will
be as follows:
George Case, center field.
Jimmy Pofahl, shortstop.
Gerald Walker, right field.
Buddy Lewis, left field.
Cecil Travis. third base.
jimmy Bloodworth or Eddie
Leip, second base.
Jimmy Wasdell, first base.
Rick Ferrell. catcher.
This lineup would assure the Mats
Of five right-handed hitters, more
than they've had in the regular bat
ting order in years. Not even the
1888 pennant winners had as many
right-handers. Indeed, except for
Joe Cronin. Fred Schultz, Luke
Sewell and Ossie Bluege the other
regulars of that team batted from
the left side of the plate.
Last seasons team was over
whelmingly left-handed. After Case
came Lewis, Buddy Myer, Taft
Wright, Sammy West and either
Wasdell or Jimmy Vernon, who did
most of the flrst-basing, This gave
the enemy southpaws a string of
five successive left-handers at which
to fire.
Pofahl Adept as No. 2.
Getting Walker" Harris repeated
TO-DAY, will ease that situation
plenty. Before the trade I counted
the left-handers who figure to stay
In the American League with the
other seven clubs. After got up to
II, all evenly distributed, was
sick"
Case, Pofahl and Walker will en-
able the Mats to open with three
straight right-handers. Lewis and
Travis are left-handers, of course,
but the next southpaw swinger, Was
dell, will be sandwiched between
either Bloodworth and Leip, who
bat right handed. and Rick Ferrell,
also a hitter from the right side of
the plate.
Its tough taking Lewis out of
that No 2 spot" Harris said. Hes
perfect for it. Buddy works we'll
with Case and is part of the reason
why Case stole more than so bases
this year. He's one of the best
bunters in the league.
"At the same time" Bucky added,
Lewis has been our best hitter al
most since we got him in 1896. He
gives you that long ball and he hits
in the pinches. They tell me
Pofahl is the kind of batter who
can hit behind the lead-of man.
If so, We'll make the switch"
Lewis Perennial Club Leader.
Although neither Harris nor
President Clark Griffith ever has
seen Pofahl in action, they bought
him on good authority and at the
winter meeting American Associa-
ton managers and clubowners
further substantiated previous opin-
ions. Pofahl, while not hard hit
ter, is reputed to be a smart
youngster who can bunt and put on
the hit-andrun.
With Walker hitting behind
Pofahl in the No. 3 spot the Mats
not only will have batter who
drives across runs, but also one who
can steal bases and score.
Lewis is singularly well equipped
to bat fourth. Last year was q
typical season. Buddy led the club
in batting with 317 average for
141 games. He led in runs scored,
81, and in distance on his blows
He collected "a doubles, is triples
and 10 home runs Also, from the
second-place position, he knocked
across II runs to place second be-
hind the club leader, Wright.
Travis at the moment seems to be
the logical fifth-place hitter to
Harris, although this spot, like
others. will be subject to quick
change. If Leip shows during spring
training that he has a chance of
hitting big league pitching the
rookie from Greenville probably will
play second base, at least against
southpaw pitching. He has more
speed afoot than Bloodworth.
York Would Change All.
Wasdell will play first base only
II the Mats are unable to get some
body better. If Jimmy fails again
and Washington still can't land
another first sacker then Vernon
may take over again, although
Harris believes that Vernon needs
more seasoning and more fire. Gin
cinnati reports from American As
sociation people touted Wasdell as
an improved player, but Bucky,
among others, wants to see for
himself.
Anyway. even if the Mats fail to
land York-they'd still take Zeke
Bonura back at the waiver price,
Observation-Disclosures will have
more right-handed batting than the
line-up has shown In nearly 10
seasons.
If York is obtained you can throw
all Of this out because the price
for big Rudy will be Travis, which
would move Lewis back to third,
which would shift Walker to left.
which would necessitate another
center fielder, which would mean
that Case will return to right, which
would mean that York would hit
fourth, and which would put Lewis
back In the No. 3 spot.
Syissasala aanofQ