Evening star., 1952-03-07
Mats Start Hunt
For New Talent
Among Pitchers.
Harris to Experiment
With Big Rookie Crop
In Exhibition Comes
By Burton Howkins
Stur SsuH correspondsnt

IN Exhibition 1umes
| By Burton Howkins
Ssar ssoff Correspondent
ORLANDO. Fla. Mar. 7.-Bucky
Harris search for talent among
his big crop Of pitching prospects
begins tomorrow when the Mats
open q 30-game exhibition sched-
lule here with the Athletics. Har-
Iris win experiment at the outset.
hoping to find . promising young
ster in the group Of rockies.
Jimmy Dykes. manager Of the
Athletics. likewise win use the
lfirst game Of the two-game series
to look over three Of his lesser
lights. He'll fire Mike Kume, Ed
IBurtschy and Harry Byrd. all
trighthanders. against the Mats,
who win counter with Sonny
Dixon. Harley Grossman and Bob
Ross.
Everybody will get into the act
In our early games" Harris de-
lclared. II like to win. Of course,
but this Is the time to look for
help. ! know what our older fell
lows can do. Right now I'm more
interested in finding out what
some Of the newcomers can show
lme."
Vernon Out Of Condition.
First Baseman Mickey Vernon
isn't likely to see action since he
Started working out only last
Monday and isn't In condition.
Pete Runnels, still favoring q sore
arm. win be supplanted at short
stop by Tommy Upton. Other
wise Harris plans to employ Eddie
Yost at third base, cass Michaels
at second. Fred Taylor at first.
Mickey Grasso behind the plate
and Gil Coan. Irv Noren and Sam
IMele IN the outf1eid. That lineup
win be replaced in the later
innings.
Harris has 23 pitchers IN camp.
with three more awaited. Connie
lMarrero isn't slated to report un-
It'll March IL. while Fernando
Rodriguez lost his passport in
Cuba and Is involved In red tape
acquiring another. Santiago Ull-
rich. according to Vice President
Calvin Grifhth. has headed for
South America In pursuit Of
money owed him, but Is supposed
Ito report here when that mission
lis fulfilled.
The Mats ninth Cuban il Jose
Narango. . 17-year-old pitcher
imported by Scout Joe Cambria.
16 Newcomers Among Pitchers.
There win be l6 pitchers among
the Mats with limited major league
Experience or none whatsoever. It
lis this group that Harris viii
Iscrutinize thoroughly in the hope
that one or two will warrant de-
Itention.
Harris is eager to glimpse Dixon.
q big righthander who for four
years has produced winning rec
lords with pitiful minor league
clubs. His fastest mark was 15-14
with Chattanooga last season.
Grossman, also q highlander. had
10 1912 record at Charlotte, while
the lefthanded Ross had q AZ
record with Kansas City and
Washington.
Dykes isn't going all-out to beat
the Mats. Kume, for instance, has
won only 10 games In two seasons
with Fayetteville, N. c.. and
Savannah, Ca. where he had q
3-11, record last year. Burtschy
didn't win or lose in seven ap-
lpearance with the AS last sea-
son, while Byrd had an 1914 mark
with Savannah.
Happy to Have Porterfield.
Harris is satisfied that the team
he'll send on the field this season
will be respectable. He's down.
right elated to have Bob Porter
field among his pitchers. but
doesn't know where his next good
pitcher can be found. Bucky Is
desperate for added pitching
strength and the reserves who are
always necessary to supplant in
ljured or slumping infielders and
|outfielders.
Upton and Floyd Baker have
been around long enough with
Iother major league clubs for Har-
iris to realize they won't break up
many games. although they're
handy to have for fielding. Sherry
Robertson batted .189 last year
land Gene Verble hit .203.
With that weak bench. Harris
will focus particular attention on
DON Crate, q $50 batter with
lChattanooga last year. and Frank
Campos, who batted 1868 at Char
Ilotte, then came to the Mats to hit
.423 In eight games.
The Mats workout was washed
Iout after an hour yesterday. Rain
lalso postponed the clubs screw
ball two-ball golf tournament un-
It'll TO-DAY