Evening star., 1951-04-15
CONTINUED From Page BID

way from the top to fourth place.
DR.. Bobby Brown is gone. Tom
my Heinrich has retired. Phil
Rizzuto has been nursing strain
ed side for some time and both
Allie Reynolds and Joe Page are
sore-armed. Reynolds hasn't
pitched an inning this Spring.
And age should be catching up
with the Bombers. Johnny Mize
is SO and near the end. Ditto
for Joe Di Maggie. az.
Giants Are Impressive.
If the Red Sox play up to their
potential, they should win easier
than the Giants. Leo Durocher
needs long-ball hitter. He could
use another pitcher, too. But
even so, the Giants were impress
sive in Spring training with their
hustle. They have a fine infield.
good catching and far from the
worst outfield.
The Braves are picked to run
second chiefly because Of their
three outstanding pitchers. Johnny
|Sain, Warren SPAIN and Vernon
Bickford. Otherwise, Billy South
worth's club is not too impressive.
IShortstop and second base are
doubtful, and Bob Elliott at third
base and Walker Cooper behind
the bat are getting along in years.
The Phillies not only must find
a pitcher who can take up the
slack caused by Simmons loss.
but another question is whether
Relief Pitcher Jim Konstanty can
duplicate his feats of last year.
when he appeared in record
IA games. winning 16, losing only
7 and saving many others. There
are just so many pitches in an
arm and some doubt has been ex-
pressed by baseball men that Kon-
stanty can pitch back to his 1850
form.
Dodgers Pitching Suspect.
OF all the National League clubs
the Dodgers have the most gooc
|ball players. But Brooklyn's pitch.
ling, aside from Preacher Roe anc
Don Newcombe, is suspect. Dres.
sen will have the Dodgers hustling
but unless they get some pitching
from the likes of Ralph Branca
Carl Erskine, Rex Barney and Dar
lBankhead, they don't figure tx
win. A team which may surprist
,tand sneak into the first division
lis Cincinnati, rich in pitchers.
j Here're thumbnail rundowns O.
1.-The 16 clubs as they look to thii
lobserver
| AMERICAN LEAGUE.
4 Red Sox-No excuse for moi
winning. Power galore. Gooe
reserve strength. Catching only
flair but pitching improved. Bou.
dreau will bolster morale anc
spirit.
Indians-The club to beat. Fins
pitching and catching. Young in.
field may have early-season diff.
f1culties. Reserve strength onl,
fair.
Tigers-Must get pitching from
NeWhouser, Hutchinson, Trucks
J Grey, ct al, to compensate fol
,, weaknesses behind bat and a
first base. Crackerjack outf1eld
but a slow-footed club.
Yankees-Still the champs, bu
possibly over the hill as team
Berra and Rizzuto best at thei
positions. with Coleman near tol
! as a second baseman. Loss O
3 Rookie Eddie Ford. plus sore arm
!. of Reynolds and Page, figure t,
' hurt. Mize and Di Maggie slowing
White Sox - Improved. Goo,
i, pitching, fair inf1eld and outfield
/ reasonable power from Eddi
!: Robinson. Zarilla. Zernial an
5 Carrasquel.
! Athletics-Quit last year unde
!. Connie Mack. If Pitchers Cole
( man and Fowler get over sor
!; arms, they'll be tough at time.
!; Under Jimmy Dykes they won
2 / quit.
$ Nats-Practically same club a
!. last year. Lack at least a pitche
,. and a catcher.
Browns-Worst in league an,
ironically, hardest hit by draf
May not win more than SO game,
Il NATIONAL LEAGUE.
ol Giants-Fair power, good field
ding. excellent catching. Pitchin
ellis question mark. Reserves ade
quate and hustle superb.