Evening star., 1939-03-11
Right-Hander Rates
Ahead Of Southpaw
Rook Doug Dean
Trade by Nationals Still
Held Likely by April !
And Sure by June IS
Ry staff Correspondent Of The Star

| ES StaH correspondent OF Inc Star.
ORLANDO, Fla, March ll.-There
is new man of mystery in this
Washington training camp. He ap-
parently is hitter of ability. But
he hasn't been hitting.
Johnny Welaj pronounced Will
eye), is "a years old and from that
mighty metropolis of Moss Creek.
Pa. At the moment Manager Buckv
Harris is tentatively regarding him
as the Mats No outfielder. And If
he fails it may develop that Welaj
will be responsible for a trade
Welai is up from the Trenton
farm team of the Eastern League,
the same club which produced
George Case. Like Case. he hits
right-handed and plays left and CEN
ter fields. He isn't as fast as George,
but he is better fielder.
The sale of Al Simmons during
the winter and the retirement of
Johnny Stone opened the way for
Welaj. The only holdover outfeld-
erS are Case, Taft Wright and
Sammy West. To this group has
been added Bobby Estalella, who is
ticketed to open the season in left.
And Welaj and Doug Dean. another
rookie, are the only other outflelders
in camp.
Scout Joe Cambria, who also owns
the Trenton club, says that Welaj
can make the grade. He hit $40
the year before last" revealed the
effervescent Mr.. Cambria. He can
do everything swell except throw
His arm amt so hot, but it's good
enough for left field. or even center"
But while Welaj batted $40 in
1887 and was what Cambria calls
"practically the Eastern League
batting champion" he was no ball
OF fire at the dish last year. He hit
only .27e. And nobody seems to
know what was the trouble.
He broke his hand ventured
Cambria, "but that got all right.
Still, he didn't hit as we'll as you d
have thought. But I'm recommend
ing him on what he showed me the
year before last. He'll do.
Welaj is going to be given a thor
ough opportunity during the exhi-
bition games, according to Harris.
He likes the manner I'm which the
164-pound 6footer has been teeing
off against the pitchers in batting
practice. He slaps the ball sharply
and in the field he can 60 and get
em.
Trade Believed Not Far or.
Dean. who batted 1884 for Green
vile of the Sally League last year,
is impressive, too. The stocky, "a
year-old, from Parchman, Miss, is
adept both in the infield and in the
outfield. But Doug's crime is being
left-handed hitter, which The
Washington club needs now like a
flu epidemic. All four of the reg
ular infielders are left-handed hit
tiers, as is Taft Wright. That's an
uncomfortable quorum and If Esty
doesn't make the big league grade.
Vests presence in the outfield will
make six southpaw swingers.
There still is a hardy suspicion on
the part of this correspondent, at
least, that player trade is not far
of. 1t may happen as early as
April and certainly it figures to
happen before the trade deadline
on June Is.
The Mats needs are many and
varied. Harris and President Clark
Griffith are known to want young,
right hitting catcher with
sufficient stamina to handle l4O
games. They are going to give
Jimmy Wasdell every opportunity
to make the grade at first base, but
they are doubtful. And except for
Wright and Case the outfield setup
Is not impressive.
Throwing Arm Doubtful Point.
Welaj Eyes, we said Will-Eye)
might prevent a trade. He has a
chance of doing so and creating for
himself a job in the majors. But
he will have to return to his 1887
form. at least. and prove that he
can throw well enough.
1t may be that his broken hand
and the layof spoiled his timing
last year, Certainly a $40 hitter
doesn't figure to drop to .279 unless
he either was hurt or the pitchers
discovered a particularly vulnerable
spot in his batting stroke.
If Welaj sticks the Washington
outfield will have more right-hand-
ers than left-handers for the first
time IN years. And If he doesn't
the chances are that Grifith will
waste little time buzzing the Tigers,
Browns and maybe one or two other
clubs IN an attempt to land another