Evening star., 1940-02-21
Rockies Spirit,
Speed Impress
Pilot Harris
Young Bockstoppers
Promise Best Job
Fight at Camp
b. . Staff Correspondent Of The Star.

By Staff Correspondent Of The Star.
ORLANDO. Fla, Feb. 21.-The
second day Of batting practice in the
Washington training camp today
found a pair of catching rockies,
Jake Early and AL Evans, fighting
for attention and threatening the
No. backstopping job of Tony
Gipliani.
The Mats have four catchers on
the roster. The dean of the staff and
the nominal regular is. of course,
Rick Ferrell. For two years Giuliani
has been his chief understudy. Now
only Ferrell Is assured of sticking.
barring a trade involving him.
'One of the four will have to 60"
Manager Bucky Harris proclaimed
today. I'm playing no favorites.
Ferrell is a steady and good me-
chanical catcher and. when we'll
rested, good hitter I appreciate
Giuliani's value. but I also like the
spirit and youth of Early and Evans
If they can measure up to Giuliani
it may be that we'll keep them. to-
gether with Rick"
Southpaws May Bother Jake.
Early and Jimmy Wasdell domi-
mated the opening day of batting
practice. This was as it should have
been because this pair together with
Pitchers Joe Krakauskas and Joe
Haynes, are among the few athletes
now in camp who figure to help the
Mats this season. But Evans. by the
same token, wasn't outclassed. He
did all right with the stick during
the session in which Sid Hudson,
Early Wynn and Arturo Castro took
turns in the box.
PERSONALLY" amplified Harris, II
like the assets of Early to a certain
extent. He's got great arm, receives
well and, against right-handed
pitching. he hits we'll I don't think,
however, that he'll hit against left
handed pitchers and I do think that
Evans will.
Evans is little green. but he has
plenty of time, down here, to add
polish. If he does. Giuliani will have
to prove that be is better than these
two boys to stick"
The catchers promise, at this time,
to stage the best job fight of the
training season. Ferrells post un-
doubtedly is secure because the Mats.
depending as they are upon young
pitchers, will need an old hand be-
hind the plate. Early and Evans
offer youth, fire, strength and rich
ness of promise. Giuliani is an ex-
cellent receiver and team player, but
Tony is on the slow-footed side and
not very potent at the plate.
Wasdell Impressive at Plate.
Harris professed to see nothing
startling yesterday afternoon during
the initial hitting drill. "Wasdell,
Krakauskas and Haynes are the only
set players down here now," he said.
Early and Evans are strong con-
tenders as catchers, and so are Almon
Williams and Hudson as pitchers.
But the others are in no position to
help us this year. Maybe, in three
or four years, you'll be hearing from
a couple of them, but right now
Ortiz, Gedeon, Sanford and those
other boys aren't up to major league
ball."
If the weather here continues to be
cold, windy and rainy the regulars,
arriving on March /, will be only
slightly behind the rockies in condi.
ton. So cold was it yesterday that
the regular morning practice was
called off. Later, when the sun
peeked out from behind the clouds
at intervals, Harris called the squad
together and an afternoon workout
was held.
Wasdell's work during the stick
session was impressive, although the
pitchers did not attempt to put any
thing on the ball. Still, Jimmy looked
better than in previous appearances
in a Washington uniform. Only once
during the workout did he fall back
to his old habit of taking his left
hand of the bat and swinging with
one hand.
This has been a major flaw in
Wasdell's offensive makeup, but
even that one time yesterday, ac-
cording to Jimmy, now is rare.
Il didn't do it more than a half
dozen times with Minneapolis last
year." he said. Il won't do 1t more
than six times this spring and, by
the time the season opens I think
I'll be cured of the habit.