Evening star., 1940-03-14
Likes Job,More
Than Expected,
Grins Hank
With York on First,
Team Will Present
0ne-Two WoIIop
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

Associated Press Sports Writer.
LAKELAND, Fla, March IA
Though the complete returns will
not be in until about July 4, it
may be said at this point that Hank
Greenberg appears surprisingly
good in left field for the Detroit
Tigers and that he likes his new.
job better every day he plays it.
Also 1t can be reported that the
Tigers seem like q better ball club
now that the big guy is roaming the
outfield and Rudy York at last is in
possession of first base, the one
and only spot he can play really
well. Manager Del Baker appears
to have solved one of the most vex-
ing problems that ever confronted a
big league pilot.
Honest, I like playing the outfield
more than had any idea I would" :"
said Greenberg as he trotted to the
bench, rivulets Of sweat rolling down
his face. I'm not missing first base
at all, and think maybe I'll do all
right out there.
"One thing that's helping me a
lot is that I can handle ground
balls better than a lot of outfelders.
Did you realize that an outfielder
gets more ground balls to handle
than he does flies? I've been Stop
ping grounders all my life, so I'm
not afraid to come in and try to
trap a lot of balls that the other
fellows stay back and take on the
bound. If I don't quite reach it on
the fly I know it won't get through
me.
Won't Be Worst, Says Hank.
That's just as important as
catching f1ies-taking the ball fast
and holding runners on base. That's
one thing I know I can do, and I'm
learning to throw in from out there.
Maybe I'm not Di Maggie yet"
Hank gcinred. "but I won't be the
worst outfielder in the American
League"
Later, watching Greenberg sprint
around out there for nine innings,
it appeared he had been telling the
truth. He easily hauled down every
fly that came his way, chased those
that went past him enthusiastically,
and pegged the ball in hard and
true.
Despite his 6 feet 81 inches and
210 pounds, Hank neither Is slow
nor awkward. It doesn't appear
he's moving so fast, but those long
legs take him over the ground. He
won't have any trouble covering the
short left field in Detroit, at least,
and is not likely to disgrace himself
anywhere else.
So. with Greenberg and York in
there swinging one-two every day,
the Tigers feel they can't help being
a little tougher than they were last
year. Even though they face the
possible loss of Charley Gehringer.
veteran second baseman, from ac-
cumulated ills, and had BENNY
MCCOY and Roy Cullenbine snatched
from them by Judge Lands during
the winter, they are not feeling
downcast.
Bartelrs Play Spirited.
Dick Bartell, obtained from the
Cubs during the winter, is PLAYING
a scrappy game at shortstop and
says he's feeling great for the first
time in two years. Frank Croucher,
shifted over to second, completes a
fair-looking keystone combination.
Pinkie Higgins remains at third.
Bill McCosky, who hit great .311
his first season, gives the Tigers ad-
ditional punch in center field, while
Bruce Campbell and Erwin Fox prob
ably will divide the right assign
ment.
Buck Newsom, who won 20 last
year, and Tom Bridges, a 17-game
winner, again will head the mound
staff. Otherwise Baker mostly must
hope that Freddie Hutchinson, last
years highly publicized rookie, will
come through on his second attempt,
or that Schoolboy Rowe or Dizzy
Trout will return to form. At least
one of them must come through to
lift the Tigers higher than last years
fourth place.