Evening star., 1941-04-18
Cool, Confident,
Jimmy Believes
He'll Aid Mats
Second Sncker Picks
High Spot for Club;
Sundru to Relieve
BY BURTON HAWKINS,


A friSky Jimmy Bloodworth, who
lost a decision to a wild pitch sew
eral days ago, is ready to return
to his station at second base with
the Mats. Jimmy was a likely start
er against the Yankees here today
and he's still the most enthusias-
tic member of the club. He's pre-
dieting a pennant for the Mats and
he .Sn't kidding.
There breatheS in BloodWorth a
sizzling S0It of ambition, kindled
over the winter months and famed
into an intriguing spirit that won't
be quenched. Previously somewhat
of a playboy, Bloodworth has
chucked much of his merriment
and is impressed with Washington
chances, even though his pet long
shot may not fulfill his prediction.
Equally important, Jimmy real
ICES he may have much to say
about where the Mats will finish.
No longer is he regarded as a
plodding second baSeman or an in
adequate batter. He'll be a speed
ier, shiftier fielder this season and
he won't be nibbling at those out
side pitches at the plate.
Jimmy Full of Confidence.
Don't give up on this club be-
cause it's lost three games," cau-
tionS BloodWorth. We've had all
the bad breaks we're going to have
for awhile and we're going to start
winning some games. We're going
to win plenty of games"
That merely is refreshing chat
ter, of course, but the sturdy. COM
pact inflelder isn't harboring hal
lucinations. He's convinced the
Mats are no seventh-place or cellar
team and he was hoping he'd have
an opportunity to contribute his
share toward proving it today.
1t might be discreet to forget
Bloodworth's .245 batting average
of last season. for Jimmy will hit
for more flattering figures this sea-
son unless all indications suddenly
sour, In propelling mates across
the plate he will be batting for top
honors and he'll give the Mats more
protection at second base than
they've had since Buddy Myer suf-
fered tummy tremors i've years ago.
Not Bothered by 'Beaning."
What effect, if any. his beaning
last Sunday at Baltimore will have
on his satisfactory spring hitting
is conjectural, but jimmy is in
clined to dismiss the matter lightly.
He doesn't believe he'll finch or
inside pitches and says, in fact,
he'll be killed before he does.
Il wasn't hurt badly at Baltimore, =
says Jimmy. I've been hit in the
head harder than that in the minor
leagues. could have been out OF
the way of that pitch if I had seen
it, but the ball came out of a white
background and I never did see the
pitch.
Il saw some inside pitches when
I batted for Walter Masterson at
Boston, but I wasn't backing out of
there. No. if I had been injured
seriously at Baltimore maybe I'd be
worried about stepping up to the
plate again, but if I don't hit it
won't be because of that bean ball %
Despite the presence of a we'll
conditioned, comparatively sleek
Myer, Bloodworth has staked a
claim to second base which won't
be challenged unless he falters hor-
ribly, Even Myer admits Jimmy is
the clubs most improved player. He
may be the key to whatever success
the team will enjoy.
Seeking Relief Hurlers.
Manager Bucky Harris is con-
fident Washington will receive
steady pitching from Dutch Leonard,
Ken Chase, Sid Hudson, Walter
Masterson and Steve Sundra, but
due to a severe shortage of anything
family resembling a relief pitcher,
he temporarily is relegating Sundra
to the bullpen.
Harris and President Clark Grif-
fifth are scanning the waiver lists
feverishly in the hope of obtaining
two relief pitchers. Those two games
in Boston in which the Mats saw
three-run leads evaporate in the
ninth convinced both that is WASH
ington's more urgent requirement.
Sundra was slated to start yester-
days rained-out game with the Red
Sox at Boston, but Harris was to send
Chase to the mound against the
Yankees today in the ladies' day
opener of a two-game series at
Griffith Stadium and Leonard will
be his selection tomorrow. Hudson
will try again against the Red Sox
here on Sunday, with Masterson