Evening star., 1941-03-25
Mesner Failure
Al Hof Corner
For ST. Louis
Marion Not So Good
At Short; Outfit Is
Strong Elsewhere
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer.

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla, March
25.-The st. Louis Cardinals are
being plagued again by the same
weakness that has characterized
their efforts for several years-an
uncertain infield.
Manager Billy Southworth is hav-
ing such difficulty at this late stage
in finding the right combination
that some of the clubs most ardent
boosters are cooling off rapidly.
Early in the training grind South
worth at least hoped his troubles
had been dissolved by the simple
process of planting Steve Mesner,
the .341 hitting rookie from San
Diego on third base and shifting
Jimmy Brown over to second, with
the string-bean Martin Marion, be-
tween them, at short.
Serious Hitch in Infield.
1t looked deal, even though
MeSner did report somewhat over
weight, and the report began to be
banded about that the Cards need
ed only to come up with a winning
pitcher or two from their big cor
raj OF young prospects to walk right
off with the National League flag.
They are about due, too. not having
finished on top since 1884
But a return inspection appears
to reveal serious hitch.
In yesterdays game against De-
troit. Brown was back at his old
thlrd-base post, Frank Crespi from
Rochester was at second and Mes
ner was riding the bench. Again
it was typical patched-up st. Louis
mfleld-the sort that does not cap
ture pennantS-So it might be as
we'll to start concentrating on Gin
clnnati and Brooklyn in the annual
spring guessing game.
Southworth denies he has given
up on Mesner. but observers here are
willing to bet that the slugging
rookie does not start the season
Some are even predicting that little
Eddie Lake will supplant Marion
at short, as Marion has had diff
Guilty knocking the ball out of the
infield.
Otherwise, the Cards under;shly
look good. Johnny Mize, finally
having ended his holdout siege, is
back at his familiar first-base post
and his 40-ounce bat gives increased
authority to the clubs attack. Don
Padgett, who has been holding down
first in Mize'S absence, will be
shifted to the outf1eld.
There appears to be no place for
Padgett behind the plate, even
though he caught in SO games last
year. Young Walker Cooper, brought
IN from Columbus late last season.
already has proved himself a COM
petent receiver and will divide the
work with the veteran Gus Mancuso.
Gus still runs mostly in one spot,
but he will prove valuable in han
ding the young pitchers.
Hickey Banks on Roe.
1t is too early to go overheard on
John Grodzicki, the pitching senSa-
ton of the Cards exhibition season.
The fact that he pitched all winter
down in Central America gave him
a big jump on batterS who were
just getting the chill out of their
bones and it remains to be seen how
he fares when they begin swinging
those wagon tongues in earnest.
Branch Hickey. however, is sure
the club has winner in Elwin Roe,
brought up from Rochester.
The standout man in camp, from
all reports, has been Right-felder
Enos Slaughter. His hitting and
fielding both have bordered on the
sensational. They insist he ran so
yards to pull one down on Charley
Keller of the Yanks two days ago,
finally plucking it out of the fringe
of a palm tree.