Evening star., 1942-04-22
Croucher Deal
May Improve
His Showing
WeIoj Back in Bushes.
Chase Still Wild os
Red Sox SIobbist
By BURTON HAWKINS.

Prexy Clark Grifith OF the Mats to
gloat over the wisdom OF his winter
exchanges OF players. but thus far
the elderly gentleman at least has
little occasion to regret the whole
sale shifts.
The baseball season still Is in its
infancy. OF course. but that five-hit
pitching performance by Jack VIII
son against the Red Sox, coupled
with the prolific batting of Out
fielders Bruce Campbell and Stan
Spence are indications Grifith
hasn't lost his trading touch.
There is an insect in the oint-
ment. of course. In the siltng arm
of Second Baseman Frank Croucher,
but Croucher is expected to resume
toll shortly and when he does Grif-
nth is confident he'll be a more tai
ented second baseman than Jimmy
Bloodworth, swapped to the Tigers
for him in December.
Chunky. semi bald Campbell may
not present the Mats as many spec
last season, but Bruce is hitting .412
in the Mats cleanup spot, inserting
more power than the slap-hitting
Cramer could muster.
Spence Is Clicking.
The Mats are content, too, that
they own q superior center fielder
In Spence. He Is catching balls the
deep-playing Cramer couldn't touch
and he Is among the league leaders
In the runs ns-batted-in department.
Johnny Welaj. who went to the Red
Sox for Stan, already has been
shipped to the minors.
Wilson holds an edge over Ken
Chase, the wild southpaw who has
displayed no signs of curing his
erratic pitching with Boston. Jack
unleashed masterful pitching per-
formance against his former mates
in Boston and Manager Bucky Har-
ris may be excused for believing the
burly right-hander is headed for a
successful season despite his years
of futility with the Red Sox.
Grifnth has made some notorious
inelegant exchanges in recent sea-
sons, principally the Joe Kuhel-for-
Zeke Bonura business, but in OBJ
tanning Spence for the weak hitting,
poor throwing Welat he may have
rrlaneuvered one Of his best deals.
That Spence Wilson for Chase
Welaj trade was branded a moth
ing for nothing" swap when an
nounced. In Spence, Griffith was
bringing to Washington a utility
outfielder who had hit a conserva-
tive .232 In infrequent appearances
with Boston.
If Spence could hit he had pre-
sented no evidence of 1t in Boston.
With the Mats, though, Stan has
been inserting timely extra base
blows. His fielding has been pol
.shed and runners have developed
a deep respect for his crisp, accu-
rate throwing.
Gomez Polished Fielder.
Jose Gomez, slender Mexican sec
ond baseman, has provided the Mats
with adequate. occasionally brilliant,
fielding In Croucher's absence. When
Croucher's arm mends, however,
Frank will take over second base.
Harris suspects Croucher and
Shortstop Bob Repass will collabo-
rate in more double plays and that
Croucher figures to outhit the al
most frail Gomez, whose spectacular
back-hand stab of Ted williams
scorching grounder and its CONVEX
sion into double play against Bos-
ton on Monday ranks as Washing
toms niftiest chunk of fielding this
season.
Meanwhile. Harris was to send
Dutch Leonard against the Red Sox
in the opener of a two-game series at
Griffth Stadium today. with Charley
Wagner slated to hurl for Boston.
Early Wynn is ticketed to face the
Red Sox tomorrow. with Sid Hudson
and Buck NewSom slated to tackle
the Athletics on Friday and Satur-
day. respectively.
Harris is enthused over the come
back OF his club. incidentally, after
dropping four straight games. He
is fretting over his inf1elders forcing
First Baseman Mickey Vernon to
dig numerous throws out of the dirt
and he doesn't relish Vernon's pro-
longed batting slump. but he feels
the Mats lengthy home stand will
erase several flaws.
The Mats will play at Grifdth
Stadium for IT straight games.
Following the Red Sox and AS,
Western clubs will invade.