Evening star., 1942-03-28
Situation 10 UnraveI
Wednesday When
Brooklyn Slices
Medwick, Totum Appear
Only Prospects Thot
Might Be Helpful
By BURTON HAWKINS,
Star Staf Correspondent.

ORLANDO, Fla, March 28.-
President Clark Griff1ths persistent
pursuit OF third baseman or out
fielder who would ease one OF the
Mats more pressing problems may
end next week when Manager Leo
Durocher of the Brooklyn Dodgers
prunes his squad. but Washington's
chances of landing convincing
clouter appears remote.
Larry MacPhail, dapper chief OF
Brooklyn's brain department. jour
neyed here from Daytona yesterday
to discuss the sale of third base
man or outfielder with Griffith, who
would say only that nothing would
develop at least until Wednesday,
when Durocher is slated to shave
the Dodgers sizable squad.
You may have your choice OF
several situations. Griffith admits
that stumpy Bobby Estalella will
become a reserve outf1elder if the
Mats obtain a third baseman. II
Griffith comes up with an outfielder,
the third base job will be handed to
the chubby Cuban for better or
worse
st haven't given up on Estalella
as a third baseman," says Grifnth.
but it's obvious he feels he can do
better. Estalella never has demon
strated he can maui major league
pitching, much less play a credltable
third base, and Griffith and Man
ager Bucky Harris remain unen-
Unused over the play Of blond, tubby
Stan Gale.
Dodgers Short on Infielders.
Brooklyn isn't overfowing with
infielders, what with Cookie Lava
getto joining the Navy and Lew
Riggs dubious draft status. Arky
Vaughan is ticketed to handle the
Dodgers third base duties and the
fact that Brooklyn is short on in
fielders is evidenced by the presence
of ancient Charley Colbert on the
Dodgers roster.
The assumption, therefore, Is that
Griffith is dickering for a Dodger
outfelder and that automatically
eliminates such as Harold RelSer,
Johnny Rizzo and Augie Galan. Joe
MedWick, recently mentioned as
trading timber, may be possibility.
There is slim chance Of the Dodg-
ers parting with Dixie Walker. Du-
rocher has been receiving dozens OF
letters daily for refusing to play
Walker more frequently. Dixie is
leading favorite of Flatbush fans,
who would view his departure as an
insult.
It boils down, after a few para
graphs in the process of elimination,
to Medwick and Tommy Tatum, a
rookie who swatted 347 with Nash
vile of the Southern Association
last season. Griffith says he's willing
to part with S25,000 for an outf1elder
or third baseman and that kind OF
coin may tempt MacPhall.
Bluege Being Ignored.
Medwick recently was named as
possibility to be swapped to the De-
troit Tigers for pitcher Buck New
som. which would indicate waivers
could be obtained. Duckys perform
ances In Grapefruit League engage
ments this season have been spotty
and Durocher may be willing to go
along without him on the theory
that Medwick's best baseball Is be-
hind him.
Griffiths searching party means
Gale has failed to make the grade
in anything more than a utility role.
Estalella is receiving top considera-
ton and Coach Ossie Bluege, who
says he's in shape and willing and
eager to play, also is being sighted.
Gale. a porky specimen drafted
from Milwaukee of the American
Association, was granted lengthy
trial when Estalella recently con-
tracted mump& He has been no ball
of fire, either afield or with bat in
his hands.
Grifiths quest is reaching the
desperate stage. His spare outf1eld-
ers at the moment consist OF Ro-
berto Ortiz and one Alex Kvasnak,
who is scheduled to be shipped to
Charlotte of the Piedmont League.
The Mats require fortiflcation at
second base, at third and in the
outfield and Grifdth Is having no
easy time of 1t attempting to plug
the gaps
Meanwhile, the Mats were to face
the Boston Braves here today.
Rained out of tiff with Orlando
Air Base yesterday, Washington will
meet the same outfit on Wednesday,
originally an open date, and Sergt.
Hank Greenberg, former Detroit
star, is expected to be granted per-
mission to play.