Evening star., 1939-05-02
BY BURTON HAWKINS,
Star Staf Corresoopdept

ST. LOUIS, Mo-, May Coop
per-colored Rene Monteagudo, the
edervescent Cuban southpaw who
left a favorable impression with
Washington fans last year by virtue
of a spectacular triumph over Bos-
ton in his first major league assign
ment near the end of the season,
today left the Nationals, nudged off
the pitching staff by the acquisition
Of Luther (Bud Thomas, right
handed hurler picked up on waivers
from the Philadelphia Athletics.
Monteagudo, shipped on option to
Springfield, Mass, of the Eastern
League, probably will establish a
record for futile travelling He ar
rived here yesterday afternoon from
New York with the Mats, was in
formed of his demotion this morn
ing and was to leave here today to
join Washington's farm" club at
Elmira. N. Y.
The chief duty of the good
natured Monteagudo this season was
serving as interpreter for Pitchers
Roberto Ortiz, since sent to Char
lotte, N. c., for seasoning, and
Alexandra Carrasquel, who now will
relay his Spanish through Bobby
Estalella. Monteagudo hadn't thrown
a ball for the Mats since the sea-
son opened.
To BE Used in Relief Roles.
Thomas, who served his baseball
apprenticeship on Washington sand
lots. will be employed strictly as
relief pitcher, according to Mana
ger Bucky Harris, but If he is i'm
pressive in that capacity he will be
used as a starting twirler if Ken
Chase. Joe Krakauskas, Dutch
Leonard or Jimmy De Shong fail
repeatedly in regular assignments.
The purchase of Thomas for $500
and the subsequent removal of
Monteagudo from the Mats roster
leaves the Washington club with
only two left-handed pitchers
Chase and Krakauskas-on a 10
man staff. And while Harris Is
elated over obtaining Thomas, he
currently is regarding the silent
Carrasquel as his No. relief pitcher.
Carrasquel, still definitely an
tagonistic toward the English Ian
guage, nevertheless apparently has
fathomed the batting weaknesses of
some of the leagues better swingers.
In his 62s innings of relief chuck
ing he has .relinquished only one
run. And his control has been tol-
erable-in view of the fact he hasn't
issued a base on balls.
Nothing startling is expected of
Thomas by Harris, but, by the same
token, the Washington pilot figures
him a better pitcher at this stage
of the game than Monteagudo and
welcomed the opportunity to pluck
him from the waiver list.
Bud Formerly With Mats. il.
Thomas previously had pitched a
total of seven innings for the Ma
tionals, hurting three innings in
1892 and four in 1888 before being
sent to Chattanooga. Somewhere in
his minor league shutting WASH
ington lost title to him and he
bounced back into the majors with
Philadelphia in 1887 after winning
IS games and losing 8 for Atlanta
in 1896.
With the abysmal Athletics
Thomas failed to create any sensa-
ton, winning games and losing Is
In 1887 and winning 8 and losing
IA last year, but Bud, who will be
20 years old August Z, may improve
in his new surroundings.
His addition to the Mats creates
a minor diplomatic problem, for late
last season Thomas and Second
Baseman Buddy Myer exchanged
heated words in events leading to
wholesale fist singing, when Myer
and Bill Werber exchanged blows
and precipitated a small riot.
Myer already had necessitated q
replacement for Catcher Earle
Brucker of the Athletics with a slide
at the plate. On Buddy's next trip
to the plate Thomas first pitch
leveled Myer, grazing the top of his
head.
saving. "That's okay, Thomas, I
know you didn't do it on purpose.