The Waterbury Democrat., 1946-04-16

Mats, Dodgers
Are Selected
As Runners-Up
BY HARRY GRAYsON
NEA Sports Editor

New York, April l6--(NEA) Its
time for the annual baseball guess
ing contest, so here are the selec-
lions Of this veteran Of the Grape
fruit League: y
AMERICAN NATIONAL
New York st. Louis
Washington Brooklyn "a
Boston Chicago
Detroit Pittsburgh
st. Louis New York
Cleveland Boston
Chicago Philadelphia
Philadelphia Cincinnati
The pros are back, and with
them the Yankees ana Cardinals,
and don't they look naturalP
With q higher quality Of pitching,
the Yanks would gallop. AS things
are, the belief Is that Joe Mccarthy
will get sufficient chueking out OF
q combination Of veterans and
youngsters to take 1t all, Outside
Of the box, the New York Amer
leans are as fine ball club as
you could hope TO see,
Joe DiMaggio and the others
have the urge they had when they
broke In.
The Cardinals have little less
than the Yankees possess, plus SUI
perlative pitching-a vast quantity
Of it-and the Red Birds are bet.'
ter fixed In the way Of reserves.
| Whitley Kurowski brings to the
blokes In the red blazers what wal
lop they lacked while he was hold
ing out, and rounds out the infield
Stan Musial again leads the at
tack, and the club will be skill
fully piloted by Eddie Dyer,
The Red SoX and Tigers are
popularity considered the outfits the
YankS will have to beat, but there
Is ground for suspicion that the
boys have overlooked the Nationals,
who weren't beaten until the final
day last trip. The Senator's have
considerably more than trick pitch
ing, and this time Clark Griffith
hasn't overburdened them with
night watches and double-headers
TO clear the way for football rental.
The Red SoX have depth In
pitching at last, but Rudolph Pres
ton York has TO snap out Of. his
protected batting slump and third
baSeman Eddie Pellagrini still has
to demonstrate that he can paste
American League hurting.
Now that the service men are
back, the Tigers appear to have q
gaping hole around second base,
and Hank Greenberg isn't getting
any younger.
Leo Durocher and Charley Dress
en- did a remarkable Job OF manag-
ing Brooklyn last season, and have
considerably more IN the way OF
help this year. There's enough
catching without Mickey owen,
Pete Reiser gives the array q tree
mendous lift even II he has TO
throw with his left arm, which he
can do. And that won't handicap
Pistol Pete when he has bat In
his hands.
The accent is on youth in Flat
bush, and the Dodgers seem to have
passed the Cubs during the winter
Having virtually stood pat, the
WrigleyS don't look any better than
third.
Switching back to the American
League, with the return OF Mexican
Jumping Bean Stephens the Browns
have more balance than the In
dams, who promise once more waste
q lot Of splendid pitching. Too little
and too old covers the White Sox
and In Philadelphia, Connie Mack
has nothing much more than the
patience Of a fisherman.
In the National, the Pirates, with
fresh faces In prominent places
should manage TO maintain their
reputation for finishing in the first
division. The Giants have the power
TO remain ahead Of the Billy South.
rth.guided Braves, a pack OF
Phiil!eS who mean well but are
yoked by has.beenS and cullS, ano
the Reds, now paying for practical
" calling the whole thing OIL dur
In war,
Get In there and pitch,