The Waterbury Democrat., 1942-03-25
PILLS SEEM TO
 BE HEADED FOR CELLAR AGAIN
LObert's Enthusiasm Not Enough to Pull Club In.
 to Seventh Place
ny oEONOR KIRKsRY

Limited Press Stan Correspondent)
 Miami Beach, Fla, March 2B.-- (UP)-The Phlllies( big pardon, tho Phiis) will be better than last year but they'll still finish last = maybe q bad last. They almost have to be better because if they got any worse the National league will have to admit that it's running e seven- club circuit. Incidentally, some critics already subscribe Co that opinion.
 Last season the phlls had the second worst bail club in the Na- ton league since 1900. They won 4S games, lost Ill and finished 70 games behind the seventh- place Boston Braves with q percentage of ,27o. ft was the worst Philadelphia team ln 4l years and they've had some pretty bad outfits in Quaker town.
 AS for as Q visitor to the Phlls' camp can discover, the three major changes are:
 D A new and optimistic man. ager in 00-year-old Hans Lobert, who served as coach under his predecessor, Doc Prothro.
 9 A new nickname - PhillIes shortened to Philis. (rhe gag is they wanted to get the "lie" put of their name).
 8 The club has learned to drlll In army formation. In fact, tho phlls are the best drilled outflt in Florida, Some wisenhelmers are 80 oallous as to say they'd rather see the Phils drill than play ball. They may have something there too.
 The Philg have made & commend able record 90 far in exhibition games but they aren't fooling any. body. They have good speed, q fair home run punch from First Baseman Nick Etten and Outflelder Danny Litwhiler, who is coveted by more than one major league club, and on certain days will get good pitching. That about covers their
 But on the whole the Phils can't look for much improvement and most of that will have to come from players they had last season. Tho rookie crop isn't very formld. able. Is there any wonder2 Look where they get their rockies from Williamsport, Pa, MartinSville, Va, Allentown, Pa, and Springfield Mass. They have just two Glass A rockies, 1nfielder Aiban 0lossop from Kansas City, who already has failed with the Reds and Giants, and Pitcher Gene Lambert, who compiled the undlStlnguished record of three victories and five defeats for Syracuse. How'd h0 ever get up, anyway
 The pitching has some posslbll- itieB The "Blg Five" probably will be Johnny Podgajny, Tom Hughes, Rube Melton, Ike Pearson and the big lefty, Frank HoerSt, unless the Giants or some other rich club coax eS one of them away from Gerry Nugent. Veterans Si Johnson, Cy Dlanton, Boom- Boom Beck and Lee QriSSon are back although drlssom may be called Into the army. Paul Masterson, who won Q and lost i3 for Allentown, looks like the No. rookie pitcher.
 The infield shapes up with Etten, who hit ,3il to lead the club last season, ct first, Danny Murtaugh at second, Bobby Dragan ct short and Merrill May ct third, with Alban 0losSop, who hit .30i ct Kansas City, and Harry Marnie, back for another trial, As utility men, Murtaugh, playing in 8B games last season, Tod tho National League in base-steal-
 Joe Marty, last years center field- CT, is now in the marines and Lloyd Waner, cast adrlit by the Reds after hitting .202, has been picked up to play the middle garden. He'll be flanked by Litwhiler, possibly the PhilS' best ball player, in left and Stan Benjamin in right. Litwhller, who hit ie hofners, was one of tho two National Leaguors who homered in every park last season. Benja. min, playing in i20 games, stole 1T bases to be runnerup to Murtaugh. Earl Naylor, 1905 hitter from Memph Is, Ron Northey from Wllliainsport, who led the Eastern League in R. 3. I. with 30, and Red BuBby, .320 hitter from MartinsVille, are bate ting for the two utility jobs.
 Benny Warren will again Do the No. ] catcher with Tom Livingston, last years assistant, and Bill Peter man, .330 hitter from WauSau, Wis. the second and third string men.
 (TOmOrrowi The Cincinnati RedS.)