Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-02-22
Senator's Ace Thinks
He's Hill. Peak, but
Harris Is Doubtful
BY Burton Hawkins
StdF SioH Correspondent

the Senator's swift right-hander
feels he should be a consistent
20-game winner for another four
or five years.
1--WE reached my peak" Bob
said today. land about the only
way I'm going to win more
games is to get luckier. That
could happen, but I'll settle for
the same sort of season I had
last year."
So will Bucky Harris. "Ill
take another % wins from Por-
terf1eld and be happy about it, !"
said the manager, "but he might
improve a. bit at that. Remem-
Der, he lost his first three de-
cisions last year. He led the
league in victories and it was
his first big season. 1t should
give him a lot of added conf
dence."
II think we could have some
fun this year." Porterfleld said.
II lost three in row to start
the season, Spec Shea wasn't
available for several weeks be-
cause of a sore arm and Chuck
Stobbs lost five of his first seven
decisions. Maury McDermott
wasn't with us then.
Stobbs Needs Good Weather.
well. we picked up an 49,
game winner in McDermott.
He'll help us a lot. If we get a
break in the weather and Stobbs'
asthma doesn't act up on him
he should get of to a better
start. Shea'S in great shape. If
I open up better than I did last
year we could be tough right
from the start"
Porterfleld probably is pre-
pared to pitch the opener against
the Yankees right now. He put
in many weeks on the banquet
and luncheon circuit as director
of public relations for the Flat
Top National Bank of Bluefield,
w. Va. last fall and winter, but
he added no weight. He limited
himself to coffee at all those
affairs.
Bob made anywhere from one
to four speeches day to civic
organizations and boys groups
after returning from a barn
storming trip through New Eng
land with a team organized by
Shea. Saturdays he supervised
a baseball clinic, with more than
800 youngsters participating, but
he abandoned that in January
and spent more than a month
as an instructor at the Senators
baseball school in nearby Winter
Garden.
He keeps himself in excellent
condition. but he's one Of the
hardest workers in camp. Harris
only concern is that his crack
pitcher will overwork.
No Emphasis on Strikeouts.
The crew-cut, 29-year old
hurler is no strikeout specialist
and has no ambition to become
one. unless the situation calls
for it, l never deliberately try
for a strikeout," Bob said. Sure.
if I'm in a jam I have to, but
otherwise it takes too much out
of a pitchers arm. / concen-
trate on control, trying to make
the batter hit what I want him
to hit"
Porterfeld never struck out
more than five in any game last
year despite leading the majors
in shutouts with nine. BY COM
parison, retired Walter Master
son pitched 80 fewer innings
than Bob but famed IS batters
to Bob's II.
If Bob is short on strikeouts.
he's long on control. He walked
only 70 batters in 255 innings
less than three every nine in
nings. There are times when
he is belted-mainly when his
curve isn't breaking. He per-
mitted 10 home runs last year
to establish club record. but
there were Is pitchers in the
majors who allowed more
homerS.
Porterfield gave up seven Of
those homers to his ex-team-
mates, the yankees. They ad-
ministered five of his 10 defeats.
but Bob hopes to display prompt
Improvement against the cham
pions on opening day.
Able to Pace Himself.
Porterfield has learned to pace
himself neatly. He can turn on
extra speed in a crisis. He was
nursing a 4-3 lead against Cleve-
land last fall in a bid for his Goth
win. The Indians had the tying
run on third base with two down
in the ninth inning and formid-
able AL .Rosen swinging. Bob
struck him out on three pitches.
Protecting a 20 margin over
the Red Sox in an earlier game,
Porterfield was confronted with
menacing Ted Williams with a
runner on base and none out in
the ninth inning. Porterfield
struck him out and went on to
win.
Bob cites his control as the
reason for most of the home runs
against him. THE hltters know
I'm going to be around the plate
with my pitches. They dig in,
knowing I'm not going to hit
them" The only batter Bob hit
last season. in a conservatively
estimated 5000 pitches. was WAL
Continued on Page A-10. Col. g.