Evening star., 1942-03-09
ze||er Of Tigers
Due at Orlando
For Farley
Harris, Enthusiastic
Over Infield, Sees
Find in Reposs
BY BURTON HAWKINS,
Star Stan Correspondent


holdout of Dutch Leonard is eX-
pected to expire within a few hours
and President Clark Griffith of the
Mats now is saying that once the
pitcher signs he will remain with
Washington.
Some of Grifflth's more important
deals have followed his most vehe--
ment denials of impending deals,
however, and with Business Mana
ger Jack Zeller of the Tigers due. :.
here today for conference, it was
a certainty Leonards name would
be the topic for lively discussion, :
Il don't trade Leonard unless I'm
offered something akin to the
Washington Monument" says Grif-
fifth. When he signs we'll have a
pretty fair pitching staff, and
there's not much sense in altering
something that's already good. -f--
Detroit probably will offer me
those dubious players, fellows like
Buck Newsom, Rudy York or Billy
Sullivan, but I'm not planning on
trading. We haven't anything To
trade but I might buy. That New :
som would have won if he got in
shape but it seems he doesn't want
to take off that fat and go to work"
Leonard wired Griffith from
Chattanooga yesterday that he was
en- route to Orlando. but that he
first was heading for Daytona Beach
to visit his family. Expected to
~, ~ NnSlTPE
day. Leonard already was en- route
to Florida from Auburn, Ill, when
Griffith released a blast at him Sat- :
urday night
Griff May Trim Offer. =
Leonard is regarded as cer--
tainty to sign, but his meeting with
Griffith may be hectic. The old
gentleman has worked himself into
one of his rare raw moods over :
Dutch's conduct and now is indt-
eating the knuckle-bau specialist
may be requested to sign at a figure
/ less than Griffth's original offer
of $4,000.
/ Dutch has been Washingtons
most persistent holdout in years,
refusing to sign thus far unless a
bonus clause is inserted in his con-
tract. Griffith recently has had
numerous offers to trade him. but
processes he never will swap
holdout.
Zellers arrival in town meshed
with the arrival of the New York
Yankees for an exhibition game
with the Mats. If Zeller fails IN
his quest to acquire Leonard he Is
/ expected to attempt to do business
with the Yankees, who are anxious
to obtain a more talented first base
man than Buddy Hassett and who
might be tempted by the powerful
York
/ Meanwhile Bucky Harris was
slated to begin TO learn something
of his club. Thus far he has seen
nothing to discourage him. He Is
enthusiastic over the behavior of ms
infield.
If they play like they've been
practicing, we'll have a good in-
field" smiles Bucky. i think we've
come up with a real find in Bob
RepaSs-at least he's looked the part
of good Shortstop in practice. I
don't know too much about our hi9
ting but we'll start finding out Some-
thing about that during the next few
weeks" a.
Estalella Sparks Infield. 4
Harris has nodded an irfield d
Mickey Vernon at first base, Frank
Croucher at second. Repass at Shor~
stop and Roberto Estalella at third
The efferveScent Estalella thus far
has been Scooping up everything
swatted in his direction, and if iIe
hits. he's calculated to be Griffith
Stadium'S most popular performer.
Curve balls have kept Estalelh
shackled to the bench in recent seae
sons. He's been hammering WasN
ington pitchers fast ones in prao-
tice, but he was to view some hooks
starting today and Harris vas
hoping to detect improvement.
The Stocky Cuban will require onH
average ability TO become extremely
popular. He's noisy, enthuslastif
and colorful, but Harris is willing 10
exchange those qualities for sonle
timely hits. d
Washington's conduct in exhibS
ton games, of which the Mats win
play 81 in 35 days, isn't likely 10
merit much significance. Last sear
son. for instance, the Mats won u
Of Is exhibition games, then pro-
ceeded to spend most of the summer
in the American League basement
The Yankees were to send make
shift lineup against the Mats Steve
Sundra, Walter MaSterson and Ray
Scarborough here today. Tomorrow
Harris will test Sid Hudson, Early
Wynn and Bill Zuber against the
Cleveland Indians here.
Outfielder Roberto Ortiz, who was
expected to replace the veteran
Bruce Campbell in early games, may
miss several engagements due to q
badly bruised shoulder, while "a
year-old Eddie Lyons has been nomi-
mated to supplant the sore-armed