The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1941-04-24

Maggie, Keller, Selkirk and Hen
rich.
Don't sell the Yankees short.
The Indians have a good man
back of the plate in Rollie Hemsley.
They have the leagues star pitch
ing staff, headed by Bob Teller, Al
Milnar, Al Smith, Mel Harder.
They have one of the games best
infelds with Mack and Boudreau at
second and short.
They have at least fair outfeld.
Their weak point is hitting-that
is, hitting on the heavier side. This
is where they drop well back of
the Yankees, who can call on the
power of DiMaggio, Dickey, Keller,
Rolfe, Gordon and others to ham,
| mer In runs.
The Next TUo
Boston's Red Sox and Detroit's tt
gers are next in line.
The Red Sox again must bank on
power. They will be handicapped by
a weak defensive infeld, barring
Doerr at second, and uncertain
pitching. There will always be un-
certain pitching with an infield that
allows too many ground balls to
reach Outfield territory. Red Sox
pitchers have a double burden to
carry. They get less defensive sup
port than almost any other staff.
The Tigers, plus Hank Greenberg,
will be tough again. But Greenberg
has little chance to Inger long.
They have fine pitching and fine
spirit, with an uncertain old-age
fringe at short and second. They
will be somewhere close. The White
Sox may surprise and the Browns
should be the most improved team in
the race. But neither is a pennant
winner.
In the National
The Reds won going away last
fall-in a canter, under wraps.
They still have Derringer and
Walters, the two best, as a combi-
nation. They have Junior Thomp-
SON, Whitley Moore, Johnny Wander
Nicer, Monte Pearson, and a few
more to make up the best pitching
staff in either league.
They have a sound infeld and a
sound outfeld
Brooklyn's Dodgers should finish
second. In Reese, Reiser, Medwick
and Camilli, the Dodgers have top
notch people at work.
The Brooklyn infield and outfield
win match the Reds. But Dodger
pitching is still a guess when it
comes to pennant-winning form.
Billy Southworth's St. Louis Cardi-
mails remain one of the major prob
lens. This problem surrounds both
the infeld and the pitching.
They have the punch, the wallop
or the run-making power. They
have one of the best outfelds In Ell
Their league. But they have been
scrambling around with a changing
infeld all spring, and no one can
say now how their young pitchers
will carry on.
Some of the Others
Reds, Dodgers and Cardinals
should take the first three spots.
Who will finish fourth? It could be
either the Cubs or the Pirates. !
can't see the Giants, Bees or Phil
lies crowding in above fifth place.
They haven't the pitching that
might Offset the many other weak
spots now In sight, especially on the
part of Giants and Phillies.
The best balanced club In either
league-I mean on offensive and de-
fensive play or all-around strength
lis the Yankees.
Cleveland and Cincinnati have the
jump in pitching, which is some
thing vital and which could Offset
some of the advantages which the
Yankees possess.
Boston's Red Sox have the call on
the offensive side, but fall well away
on defense strength. This is their
main weakness.
Schnozzle Lombardi's weak leg or
ankle may upset the Reds, but they
have plenty left with that pitching
staff.
What the draft viii do to this
young spring prediction is in the
scaly Ian of Mars.