Evening star., 1946-03-18
Coan, GooIsby Held FIJI
For 0uifieId; Myatt,
Torres Go 10 Third
By Burton Howkins
Stur S,oF CORRESPONDENT


MIAMI, Fla, Mar. ia thor
ough scrutiny of Outfielders Gil
Coan and Ray Goolsby is planned
by Manager Ossie Bluege of the
Mats for the remainder of Wash
ington'S spring training session with
the hope that one Of them will end
the pilots quest for a satisfactory
leadoff man.
Sherry Robertson has failed to
impress Bluege at the top of the
Mats batting order, so Ossie will
make keen inspection for the
man to fill the spot.
II Coan or Goolsby or both on
an alternate basis can wedge their
way into Washington's outfield, it
is probable that Outfielder jeff
Heath will be tossed on the mar
ket in an effort to lure Shortstop
Vernon Stephens from the st. Louis
Browns. The Mats are willing to
go high for Stephens services, but
thus far have received no encour-
agement from st. Louis officials.
In obtaining Heath from Cleve-
land, the Mats lost a valuable lead
off man in George Case. The fleet
footed Case filled the spot admirably
and Robertson has demonstrated he
isn't apt to be suitable replace
ment. George Myatt also will be
tossed into the scrap for the lead
off job, but the parlay Bluege Is
dreaming of includes Stephens from
the Browns and installing him at
shortstop, shifting Cecil Travis to
third base and making his leadof
man Coan or Goolsby. ..'
Browns Would Like Heath.
Such calculations are based on
Bluege's belief that either Coan or
Goolsby will demonstrate enough
talent to permit a deal involving
Heath, whose left-handed power
would be relished at the Browns
park, where the right-f1eld stands
are a niblick shot from home plate.
The Browns long have been in
trigued by the prospect of Heath
in their lineup and he may be the
bait to lure Stephens, still squab-
bling over salary terms with St.
Louis, to Washington.
To allow q more exhaustive in
spection Of Goolsby and Coan,
Bluege has altered Washington's ex-
hibition game schedule. The A
team, here to play tha Phillies to-
day, was to play Brooklyn at Day.
tona Beach on Wednesday. Instead,
Bluege will have the B team at
Daytona to get glimpse OF Coan
and Goolsby.
Washington's Cuban jaunt ap-
parently has satisfied Bluege that
Robertson isn't polished enough to
handle the third-base job. Myatt
and Gil Torres now have definite
edge over Sherry in the battle for
third base and If q more acceptable
third baseman can't be located they
probably will be alternated at the
post. Torres, who remained in
Cuba, says he will join the Mats in
week after Strengthening out fam
lily affairs, but -he still is flirting
with Mexican League offers.
Mats Are Pounding Ball.
Mickey Vernon, Buddy Lewis and
Travis are providing bright mo-
ments for Bluege with their hitting
and yesterday as the Mats spanked
the Cubans at Havana, 1876, Stan
Spence indicated he may have
snapped his slump. Spence belted
a home run with Travis and Ver-
non on base in the sixth inning
after Lewis had thumped a homer
with none on in the third.
Lewis is batting .341 for the A
squads 10 games while Travis is hit
ting 1859 and Vernon is swatting an
astonishing .432. Vernon collected
two doubles and a brace of singles
yesterday to spark the Mats 11-hit
attack.
The Cubans owned a 81 lead
briefly, clipping Walter Masterson
for two runs on four singles in the
sixth inning. But Spence promptly
erased the Mats deficit with his
homer.
Washington sprayed six runs
across the plate in the seventh on
five walks, doubles by Bruce Camp
bell, Vernon and Max Wilson and
Rogelio Valdes' single. Wilson was
the victim of a four-run assault by
the Cubans in the ninth, yielding
two singles. two doubles and a
triple. Masterson, who hurled six
innings, and Wilson each gave up