Evening star., 1947-02-16
BIuege Hopes 10 Find
Seven Starters in
Glass at Orlando

A battle royal for 10 pitching
jobs will be inaugurated by horde
of Washington hurlers this week
when they converge on the Mats
training base at Orlando, Fl&
Ossie Bluege already has charted
tentative pitching plan for the
season, but the Mats manager ad-
mits he's willing and eager to re-
arrange his plans if promising per-
formances dictate a change.
Scheduled to be Washington's
starting regulars this year are Bobo
Newsom, Early Wynn, Sid Hudson
Ray Scarborough and Mickey
Haefner. That's the setup," says
Ossie, with Roger Wolff and Luther
Knerr figuring to be used as start
ers when the occasion demands
Knerr has a whale of fast ball
and should be effective at night
Wolff has shown he isn't relief
pitcher, so he falls into the cate
CORY of a starter.
I'm planning on Milo Candini,
Lum Harris and Tom Ferrick as
our relief pitchers and I think
they'll do a good job. All of them
have been around long enough to
be cagey in tough situations. ]
haven't talked to Harris yet about
being a relief pitcher, but I'm cer-
tain he'll accept the role grace
fully.
I'm planning on carrying nine
or 10 pitchers" continued Ossie.
I don't want too many of them
around this year. We had trouble
along that line last season-too
many pitchers and too many of
them figuring they were starters
1t was just impossible to give all
of them enough work and keep
en- busy. This year we'll have
fewer pitchers and we'll work them
harder. I think it will be an i'm
provement."
Placed on a "show me" basis have
been Walter Masterson and Marine
Pieretti and Bluege will be happy
to have them demonstrate they'll
be able to stick with the club. Mas
terson, perenially promising but
never fulfilling his possibilities, has
reached a crossroad with Bluege
who will be inclined to unload him
unless Walter displays definite signs
of improvement.
Bluege also is eager to glimpse
Scott Carey, a southpaw who won
26 games and lost three with the
Mats Orlando farm club last season,
and such other talent as Rufus
Leonard, a highly recommended
protege of NeWsom's.
Also there for inspection will be
Vernon Curtis and Jim Mertz, who
have made brief Griffith Stadium
and talent from Wash
ington's farm clubs in Dick Welte-
roth, Ed Kubuski, Bob Callan, Luis
Aloma, Rollin Miller and Dick Weik
Others who will report include BOZ
Shore, a Canadian with little ex-
perience, and Charles Hiden, q
Hyattsville, Md, youngster.
Pitchers and catchers will con-
FCllC dU ollollOO llUI quay dllC
Bluege will send them through theil
first workout Friday. Ossie plans
to hold one drill day until the
second squad reports on February
Is, when he will split the squad and
hold morning and afternoon ses-
sions. Lana
Slated to handle Washington's
catching are Al Evans, Frank Man
cuso and Ted Majeski, the latter a
small fellow who managed the Or
lando club last season. All are
right-handed hitters.
Still plaguing President Clark
Griffith are several salary squabbles
Mickey Vernon, Gerry Priddy, Buddy
Lewis and Evans are among the
more important Mats unsigned, but
Griffith won't class them as hold
outs unless they fail to report or
schedule. Among the pitchers, Wolf
and Scarborough remain reluctant
to ink contracts.-B. H.