Evening star., 1943-03-22
Deal 10 Provide
Needed Power,
.Griff Believes
Pitching Now Seems
Only Real Problem
For Pilot BIueqe

Pitching appears to be Washing
tons paramount problem in the eyes
of Manager Ossie Bluege and Prexy
Clark Griffith as the Nationals start
their second week of spring training
at College Park and both have their
fingers crossed in hopes of coming up
with fair wartime staff.
The trade that brought Bob John
son here from Philadelphia gives the
team one of the best teams in the cir
cult-the best, says Griff-and on
paper the rest of the lineup shapes
up fairly well. 1t has balance, four
righthand hitters and an equal num-
Der of portsiders, not counting pitch
erS, against righthand pitching, and
it may have strong enough punch
to blast its way we'll up into the first
division. But the sights are set on
more than first division berth. The
Mats want flag.
With this lineup" Griffith was
saying today, I'VE have only the
Yankees and Cleveland to worry
about. st. Louis may have a look in,
but I think We'll outhit 'em and out
field EN-. We're gonna concentrate
on beating the Yanks and Indians"
Griff Sees Scoring Strength.
To point out the teams run max
ing potentialities Griff scribbled
down batting lineup like this
George Myatt or Ellis Clary, 2b.;
George Case, IF; Stan Spence, cf.;
Bob Johnson. IT,: Mickey Vernon,
ID; Gerald Priddy, 3b.: Johnny Sui
livan. SIS; Jake Early or Angelo Giu-
lianO, C. Clary and Giuliano would
play against southpaw pitching
Myatt batted .278 on the pennant-
winning Columbus team last season,
but his long suit is running bases.
He hooked 20 to lead the American
Association and with Case, the ace
Of EN- all right now. gives the Mats
wide edge on the rest of the clubs
in this respect.
Case and Spence got on base often
enough to claim ownership last sea-
son. but were left high and dry most
of the time. condition Griffith feels
will be corrected by Johnson's addi-
ton. Vernon will do at first and
Priddy will handle third in good
style. Griff was saving he knew he
had to have Priddy, needed him
so badly he parted with Bill Zuber,
a pitcher he feels will be sure VIM
ner this season.
Catching In Capable Hands.
Sullivan, in "a games last summer.
batted only .230, but drove in Al
runs, A noteworthy feat in GriHs
eyes, while Clary, whose season aver
age was a skinny .275, hit a scorch-
ing pace of .375 in the last month.
This, to Griff and Bluege, is a good
omen, an indication he'll pick up
where he left off and even allowing
for slump, still smite the apple at
a clip better than 300.
The catching is in capable hands.
Early and Giuliano are not Dickeys.
Ruels nor Ferrells, but they'll do. so
that seems to bring it down to the
pitchers.
Alex Carrasquel, Dutch Leonard.
Rae Scarborough and Early Wynn
are the only big leaguers in the
squad toiling at Maryland, and none
was a standout last Year But this
year, with Leonard back in the
groove and working regularly after
recovering from his broken leg.
Bluege is hopeful they'V fare bet
ter. War has drained a lot of bat
ting power from the other clubs and
the going may be a mite easier for
the moundmen. Then. too, Scar
borough and Wynn figure to improve
while the other two should hold their
own.
Rookie HurIerS Promising.
Among the recruits the boss men
like Ewald Pyle best, and have
healthy suspicion that Milt Haef-
ner, a 30-year-old southpaw, who
won II and lost l6 for Minneapolis
last year, may develop into a con-
slStent winner. Although only 5
feet 8 inches tall and weighing l65
pounds, he has a lot of courage and
a fast-bending curve that should be
Weighty asset under fire.
This isn't brilliant staff both
Bluege and Griff readily admit, but
it is material seasoned in double-A
competition and not likely to rattle
or come apart at the seams because
Of stage fright. Fortunately the Mats
are well supplied with pitchers, from
a numerical standpoint, and if the
old theory of strength in numbers
runs true the club may get by.
l.. F.. A.