Evening star., 1940-05-14
Better 0ffense
Goal as Harris
Alters Lineup
Loyoff Doesn't t Meon
End for Costly Rook,
Pilot Emphasizes
BY BURTON HAWKINS,
Star Stan Corresnondent.

BY BURTON HAWKINS,
Star Stan Correspondent.
DETROIT, May IA The Mats
were to employ their invasion OF the
West as an experiment starting here
today, with the job of Rookie Jimmy
Pofahl, benched in a wholesale
shakeup of the Washington base
ball team, hinging on the outcome.
If Manager Bucky Harris revised
lineup clicks, the youthful shortstop
obtained from Minneapolis for a
reported $4,000 in players and cash
is calculated to see slight service.
Harris. by the same token, has
emphasized he hasn't given up on
Pofahl, who again will be inserted
in the lineup should the attempt to
bolster the Mats collapse. Pofahl.
however, is hitting modest .234 and
has demonstrated a weakness on
ground balls hit to his right.
In his effort to cneck the down.
ward plunge of the Mats, who were
in seventh place prior to colliding
with Detroit today in the first of
two-game series, Harris is shifting
Third Baseman Cecil Travis to
shortstop, Outfielder Buddy Lewis
to third base, Johnny Welaj to CEN
ter field and Center Fielder George
Case to right field.
Harris has anpounced a revised
batting order which will place four
OF the leagues fastest men atop the
Mats hitting list. Case will retain
his leadoff spot, with Lewis continu-
ing to swing behind him. The fleet
Welaj will hit No. 3, with Walker,
second in the league in swatting
runs across, nudged into the So
called cleanup position. Zeke Bonura
thus is moved back to No. S, with
Travis hitting sixth, Bloodworth
seventh and the catcher eighth.
Welaj Key Man in Move.
Figuring in the swap is Harris
desire to explore into the potentiali-
ties OF Welaj. conceded to be one of
the finest outflelders in the industry
and base runner regarded by many
as the superior of Case, who stole 81
bases last year to lead both leagues
IN that department.
"Welaj will receive a fair trial"
informs Harris. Hes going to con-
vince me he can hit good pitching or
that he can't. If he hits we'll stick
to the revised lineup, but if he
doesn't we'll put Pofahl back at
shortstop, Travis at third, Lewis in
right fielyd and Case in center.
m not giving up on Pofahl and
I'm not blaming him a BIT for our
failure to win. Our pitching. or lack
OF 1t, has been the reason we've
f1oundered. I hope the pitching will
improve, but in the meantime I'm
making this move in an attempt tn
inject some power into the lineup
WelaJ will be used against right and
left handed pitchers"
To Welaj, who will be Is wears
Old later this month, the shift repre-
sents platinum-bordered opportu
nifty. Johnny, who has manv SIM
porters feeling he belongs among
the Mats as a regular, hit .274 in 63
games with Washington last year
out has made only five official trips
10 the plate this season.
Travis, who has performed bril-
hantly at third base thus far this
season, will remain that way at
shortstop, feels Harris, who points
10 the fact Cecil probably was the
leagues outstanding shortstop for
the last month of the 1899 season
after recovering from sieges of in
huenza and grippe.
Lewis No Failure as Outfielder.
Harris is inclined to regard Lewis.
who has played in the outfield only
tnis season since joining the Mats
IN 1885, as a more likely third base
man, although refusing to stamp
the experiment which sent Lewis to
the outfleld a failure. Bucky feels
Buddy was progressing nicely in
right field and he'll be returned to
that position, providing Welaj
doesn't make the grade.
Bucky conceived the plan while
resting after lunch here yesterday,
mulled over it until midafternoon
and then suddenly ordered Lewis.
Travis and Bloodworth to Briggs
Stadium for a workout. Others
involved couldn't be located, 50
Harris drafted Charley Colbert to
play first base and Coach Benny
Bengough to catch in the drill.
Benny, who hasn't caught in a
major league game for a decade.
was f1attered by q confused re-
porter, who asked Harris, in all
seriousness, if Bengough was going
behind the plate in the shake-up.
Sure" laughed Bucky, "and I'm
gonna play second base"
Pofahl, stamped by Harris as "the
best Washington shortstop since
Peckinpaugh" while in spring train
Ing, is the second Nat who started
the season as q regular to be
benched. Jimmy Wasdell suffered
that fate when the Mats obtained
the burly Bonura from the New
York Giants to play first base.