Evening star., 1944-04-20
Torres 10 Retain Job
las Nat Thirdsacker
Despite Criticism
BY JOHN b. KELLER.

Gilberto Torres viii remain at
third base for the Mats, despite some
mechanical flaws In his play re-
vealed in Tuesdays inaugural
against Philadelphia AS. Manager
Os Bluege is satisfied the Cuban
converted from a pitcher win Inn
prove steadily afield and that his
batting viii benefit the club con-
siderably.
He looks the best Of the three
men available for the post at pres
|ent," Bluege says. $50 long as Gil
takes fair care Of drives his way and
steps into the ball at the plate as he
has done he'u be at third base"
Some fans at Tuesdays game un.
|thinkingly criticized Torres for his
failure to hold the ball as 10 10
White slid into third base in the
ninth inning, later to carry over the
tying run. But Gil's main fault In
the play that cost him an error was
his failure to guard against Whites
kicking tactics that sent the ball
flying. The third baseman had been
warned to expect such a perform
|ance by the AS veteran player.
Neither White nor any other run
ner is apt to break up play OF such
nature again for Torres. According
to Bluege, the Cuban has learned
his lesson thoroughly and will be on
the watch for flashing spikes here
after.
Scheduled to wind up the series
with the AS at Griffith Stadium to-
day, the Mats were to board train
shortly after the games end and
head for New York. Tomorrow they
are to help the World Champion
Yankees open the American League
season in the big city. Bluege has
said either Dutch Leonard or Roger
Wolff would open fire on the Yanks.
After today the Mats won't show
in Washington before next Tues
day, when they will be hosts to Bos-
toms Red Sox. Although not listed
for a league game next Monday,
they'll not be idle. A tussle with the
Bosox for the entertainment of the
soldiers at Fort Meade is slated.
Bluege likes the all-time team
picked by Esquire's poll, but Clark
Griffith, Nat prexy, objects to two OF
the selections. The team includes
Walter Johnson, pitcher; Bill
Dickey, catcher; Lou Gehrig, first
base: Eddie Collins, second base;
Hans Wagner, shortstop; Pie Tray
nor, third base; Babe Ruth, right
field; iris Speaker, center field: Ty
Cobb, left field. Griffith would have
George Sisler at first base Che pri-
vately prefers Hal Chase, but pub
licly bars that remarkable player
because of his baseball misdeeds)
and Jimmy Collins at third.
Washington youngsters who feel
they can make the grade In minor
league ball have chance to prove
it. Joe Cambria has his brother
Johns Wi1liamsport club Of the
Eastern League training at College
Park and invites ambitious sand-.
lotters, to enter, the lists. Inci-
dentally, three former members Of
the Mats training squad are back
again on the University of Mary
land field. They are Outfelders
Walter Niche and Jose Zardon and
Catcher Fernando Fuertes.
Antonio Napoles, pitcher, origin
ally brought up from Cuba by Scout
Cambria for Williamsport, is being
retained by the Mats as a batting
practice hurler.
Rain that forced postponement Of
yesterdays game with the AS also
kept the Mats from any practice.
Only few of the pitchers loosened
their arms in workouts under the
Griffith Stadium stands.