Evening star., 1941-03-26
Champs Better
Than Ever, He
Maintains
Bockstop Is Only Spot
Not Improved; Wander
Nicer Regoins Form
BY GAYLE TALBOT,
Associated Press Sports Writer.


TAMPA, Fla, March 26-Deacon
Bill McKechnie was cool and con-
fident as he put mis- world champion
Cincinnati Reds through their final
workout here before breaking camp
for the trip to Miami, Havana and
the baseball wars.
I'm picking the National League
to finish just like it did last year" p"
he predicted. 'We1l be first, Brook
lyn second and St. Louis third"
AS it is rare for the Reds pilot
to come out so f1at-footed for any
thing except the doctrine of clean
living, he was asked quickly to give
his reasons, before he could change
his mind.
1T IS simple" he said. We've won
the last two years and I think we're
stronger than ever before. They've
got to come afte-' us, and We'll be
hard to catch.
Jim Gleeson gives me better
punch in my outfield. Floyd Young
and Bob Mattick gives me the best
all-around reserve strength for my
infleld that I've ever had. And the
way Monte Pearson is pitching I
wouldn't be surprised if he was a
big winner for us.
Predict Wander Nicer Comeback.
And, speaking of pitching, l think
from what I've seen so far that this
is the year Johnny Wander Nicer
will come back. He's close right
now to his form of three years ago
when he pitched two no-hitters.
Still just bit wild, but he's unhit-
table when he gets the ball across.
Catching is about the only place
we're not improved. We haven't a
replacement for Wally HerShberger
who committed suicide on our last
Eastern trip last year, but we still
have mighty good catcher in Ernie
Lombardi. AS you can see, Lom's
still favoring his ankle slightly, but
he will be in there swinging on
opening day"
lombard later expressed equal
confidence that he would be ready
for the gong. The ankle. hurt
shortly before the last World Series,
collected adheSionS during the win
ter and slowed him TO a walk in his
initial workouts here. But the big
fellow can give a fair imitation of
running on 1t now.
Anyway" supplemented Nc
Kechnie, "it wasn't Lom'S base steal
ing that We hired him for. We want
him to catch and swing that bat of
his"
Dick West a Disappointment.
Though McKechnie did not say
so, one of the big diSappointments
of the Cincinnati camp has been
the failure of Dick West to measure
up to big league caliber as a catcher
For time it appeared the boy from
Indianapolis had filled the gap left
by Hershberger's death, but it proved
only a flash and now Bill Baker is
left with the job of understanding
lombard. That is the Reds only
obvious weakness, as Baker was
much less than a sensation last year
Ival Goodman, right fielder on two
Reds championship clubs, appears
to be lost for the coming season
unless his health takes a rapid turn
He is Is pounds under weight, feels
wretched and has seen no action
yet. GleeSon, though, makes an
adequate replacement in right, and
with Mike Mccormick in center and
Jimmie Ripple in left the champions
should have at least as good an out
field as last year.
Pitcher Paul Derringer was left
behind at his home in Sarasota, Fla.
still recuperating from the injury he
received when struck by a batted
ball a week ago. He is going down
later to work out with the Griants
at Miami and will rejoin his team
mates upon their return from Ha-
vana.
He hopes to be in there moving
them down, alongside Bucky Walters
Gene Thompson, Whitley Moore anc
the others, when the race opens.