Evening star., 1940-04-10
Ti|ts With Bees
And Orioles 10
Occupy Club
CiuIioni's Handling
Of KnuckIer Likely
To Suve His Job

The 1910 Nationals came home to
Grinth Stadium today, singularly
free from injuries and with nothing
to do between now and next Tues
day, opening game, except fill out
four exhibition dates with the Bos-
ton Bees and Baltimore Orioles and
be fitted for new uniforms. They
play the Bees today at 3 o'clock.
The Washington club. after eight
weeks In the Southland, Is set for
q campaign in which the Mats are
picked for no better than fifth place.
Only two or three of the 26 survi-
vors of the vast army Of rockies
and veterans who trained at Or
lando, Fla, are in immediate danger
of being shipped. There is no job
fight remaining, Buddy Myers i'll
ness, temporarily at least, having
given Jimmy Bloodworth the second
base post.
Although the Mats do not have to
pare down to the limit of Is players
until May Is. it is expected that
President Clark Grifith shortly
will announce the optioning or sale
of one catcher. 1nfelder Hal Quick
and possibly one Of the pitchers.
Tony, Evans on Fence.
-Four catchers were on the train
which brought the Mats from Char
lotte this morning but only three
are likely to stick, If that many.
Rick Ferrells rating as the No.
backstop apparently is molested no
more now than it was last summer
Rookie Jake Early, whose robust
hitting in the earlier exhibition
games was a feature, apparently, is
certain to be retained, with Rookie
AL Evans and Tony Giuliani on the
fence.
Evans is highly regarded as a
prospect but 1t is felt that another
year of steady catching in a minor
league faster than the Piedmont is
necessary. Evans either will be
optioned to Springfield of the East
ern League or loaned to some Al
or AA team.
Giuliani is being sought by at
least two fast minor league clubs.
Last month in Florida it looked as
If the plan was to dispose of Tony.
At least. as much was suggested.
But when Dutch Leonard, Jim
Dean and Gilberto Torres began to
throw knucklers in Florida and
Early and Evans handled them less
deity than Ferrell and Giuliani,
the stock of the one-time Catholic
University athlete rose.
Abbott Wants Quick Back.
Leonard's knuckler, almost as hard
to catch a. to hit, kept one of the
two catchers, Ferren and Giuliani,
on the bench most Of last year
with finger injuries. BY disposing
of Giuliani, the Mats would be
giving up one Of the better receivers
and a fellow who, In the event of
injury to Ferrell, could handle
Leonard and the other trick pitch
ers with no loss of finesse. Thus
Evans probably will be the backstop
to leave.
En- route home the Mats paused
at Greenville and Charlotte and
Manager Bucky Harris ran smack
into q flock of screaming managers
Of farm teams. Spencer Abbott Of
Springfield wants Quick returned.
Calvin Grimth, at Charlotte, wants
pitchers. Alec McColl, the Green
vile pilot, also is asking for help.
This may prompt the Mats to part
with one Of the II pitchers now on
hand, as well as Quick. The latter,
Of course, Is with the club on bor-
rowed time, anyway. He was packed
to go to Springfield 10 days ago but
when Buddy Myer needed an opera
ton he was given stay of execu-
ton. AS soon as Myer is able to
navigate, Hal will be returned to
Springfield.
Griffs Win Sixth Straight.
Harris and Griffith have no gen.
uine illusions about the ability Of
some of the II pitchers. Some
aren't ready for the majors and
some never will be, but Harris wants
to keep as many as possible for
mop-up duty and batting practice
work. Even so, one may go, and
at the moment it seems to be be-
tween Rene Monteagudo and Alex
Carrasquel.
The Mats came home with q SIX
(See GRIFFS, Page A-17.)