The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-04-15
Says Brooklyn
Losses Prove
Less Severe
Predicts Cords
Will Miss Trio
Of Top Stors
BY JUDSON BAILEY

NEW YORK, April Is - (PD
- You may have one Of those
plain, unadorned e n d r S
which simply shows that today
is Thursday, April Is. but we
have one N our desk w h C h
shows that this is the time to
predict the pennant winners in
the major leagues.
Like planting potatoes in your
victory garden during the right
phase of the moon, picking PEN
nant winners is a delicate I'M
dertaklng that should always be
done as early as possible in the
spring. The object is TO allow
plenty of time TO forget the sell
ections before the season ends.
Our opinion and S18.75 will
get you a small war bond, but
for what il is worth we give you
the Brooklyn Dodgers as the
probable 1913 champions offhc,
National League.
Most Of the major league ex
perts are backing the world
champion st. Louis Cardinals
and in Difference to the Obser-
vatiOnS Of our brothers in the
Baseball Writer'S Association
we will cOncedc that this year
will see another close race.
The Cardinals have a good ball
club. but il is not the same out
FIT that beat the New York
Yankees four straight in the last
world series. Gone are Terry
Moore, the great fielder; Enos
Country Slaughter, the great
hitter, and John Beazley, the
rookie pitcher who won 81
games in the regular season and
two in the world series.
For the first few wees OF the
season, the Redbirds also will
be without shortstop Martin
(Slats) Marion. because of an
appendcctomy, and second base
man Jimmy Brown. Brown,
HOWE Pollct anC Harry Walk
or are likely 10 be called in the
draft at an carly date.
The Cards have good rockies,
but right now the club does not
look as promising as last year
when it managed to win on the
last day of the season.
The Dodgers wounds by the
war have been less vital. Out
fielder Pete Reiser and short
stop Peewee Rec , have enter
ed the service along with sew
eral others. but Branch Ric-
key has obtained experienced
replacements. The team con-
sists of veterans who are as
nearly draft proof as any ball
players can be. The excep.
ton is pitcher Kirby Higbe,
married but childless.
The Dodgers ha experience,
more power and an edge in the
inficld as long as the Cards are
without Marion and Brown. st.
Louis has youth, speed and the
possibility of better pitching.
The schedule gives the Dodg.
ers a running start against the
weak eastern clubs while the
Cards are battling the tough
1 Cincinnati Reds and Chicago
Cubs in the first month of the
season. 1t keeps the Dodgers
mostly in their own par till the
last week in May.
Our guess on the order OF the
/ finish is Brooklyn, ST Louis,
t Cincinnati, Chicago, Pittsburgh,
New York. Boston and Phlla-
delphia.
Cincinnati again has the pitch
ing to make il a flag contend
er and has improved its infield
by adding Eddie file, the best
shortstop in the league. But IL
still lacks power.
The Cubs have both pitching
and power. but lack polish and
finesse. Last year they were
sixth. This year they loom as
certainties for the first division
and as darkhorscs who might
slip through to championship.
The rest of tn league is
strictly second division. The Pr
rates were fifth las. year and
have the same ball club. The
Giants zoomed into third last
year by adding first baseman
Johnny Mize. Now he is gone,
along with the catcher Harry
banning. and no real replace