Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1954-03-28
Second-Base Pair
Poses Problem, but
Pitching Lifts Hopes
By Burton Howkins
Stor Staff Correspondent

OnAANAO, CId., NAL d.
The Senators break camp at
dusk Tuesday. after six weeks
of training, with an undeter-
mined second base combination,
pitching staff which conceiv-
ably could blossom as their best
in a generation. better catching
than Bucky Harris anticipated
and outfielders in Jim Busby
and Tom Implicit who perhaps
will make more astonishing
catches than ever seen pre-
viously at Griffith Stadium.
II, as some baseball observers
believe, pitching is 70 per cent
of the struggle, Washington
must be regarded as a distinct
threat to move into the first di-
vision for the first time since
1916. Last year the Senators.
playing 500 ball. finished To
games behind the fourth-place
Red SoX.
Bob Pcrtertield, Maury Nc
Dermott, Chuck Stobbs and Spec
Shea present the Senators their
most formidable starting staff
in years They're backed by
crafty veterans in Connie Mar
rero and Johnny Schmitz. highly
promising young left-handers in
Bunky Stewart, Dean Stone and
Bob Ross. an occasionally ef-
fective Sonny Dixon and a pair
of Cuban right-handerS with
limited experience in Camllo
Pascual and GonZalo Naranlo.
Half of middle" Is Strong.
Other baseball tacticianS in
sist a ball club is doomed with
out strength through the mid
dle"-a reference to the catcher.
Shortstop. second baSeman and
centerfielder.
The Senators figure to receive
adequate catching from Ed Fitz-
Gerald. Joe Upton and Bob
Odds. all of them currently pos
sessing lofty batting averages
but of doubtful hitting ability
nonethelesS Their past hitting
performances restrain any ten
dency toward optimism.
In Busby the Senators have
their most magnificent center
fielder of all time. He makes
unbelievable catches so frequent
ly that the Senators long since
have ceased being f1abbergasted.
Fantastic Stabs by Busby now
are regarded as routine.
A .3l2 hitter last year. Busby
has been betting the ball more
emphatically than ever in eXhl-
billions. He could improve on
last seasons average.
So, at both ends of the mid
die" the Senators are strong.
It's at second base and shortstop
that they're fouled up. They
don't know whether their short
stop will be Pete Runnels, cur
rently sidelined with an internal
infection of the right wrist, or
Jerry SNYDER. a slick fielding,
light hitting Oklahoman.
Pete Goes Wrong Way.
Runnels led the Senator in
batting two years ago with .205
and was expected to boost it a
bit last season. Instead he
slumped badly. wound up at .257
and at times felded like a jittery
housewife.
Runnels hasn't played enough
to give Harris an inkling OF
whether he's capable of rebound
ing. Snyder. an ex-Yankee
farmland who has shed the back
trouble which bothered him for
years, possibly may develop as
more dangerous hitter with
regular play.
ShortStop is a pressing prob
lem, but no more distressing than
second base. Wayne Terwilliger
will play second base only until
the Senators locate a more &C
ceptable performer. They're try
ing to make a deal which would
bolster them at that spot, but
meanwhile are exploring their
own ranks in an attempt to plug
their weakest point. Tony Rolg,
1903 hitter at Chattanooga, now
is under observation.
The Senators are set at first
base with Mickey Vernon. the
leagues leading hitter last season
at 1877. Entrenched at third base
is capable Eddie Yost. Harris
only concern in regard to them
is the possibility of injury. but
the durable Yost has played $50
consecutive games and Vernon
didn't miss a game last year.
ScuIl Backs Up Series.
Roy Sievers, his throwing re-
stricted by an operation which
follows a shoulder separation
several years ago, will be in left
field in Difference to his hitting
potention. He can't throw over
hand. but Harris believes Roy
will get by with the aid of Angel
Scull. little Cuban Negro, who
will be Sewers late-inning re-
placement when the Senators
hold scant lead.
Scull. who will become Wash
ington's first colored player. is
swift, has a strong arm and can
go get a ball, ranking only
slightly below Busby and Umph-
lett in that respect. If Sievers
fails to hit. Scull will wind up
as the Senator's regular left
fielder, with Harris willing to
gamble that he'll provide more
punch than he has displayed
thus far in exhibitions.
Also available is well-worn and