Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1955-03-17


when most of the clubs break in Florida Arizona
ut would be boon to weas FANS he contends
land I'll tell you why.
REMEMBER WHEN THE Yankees had Johnny Mize? He
great pnchhitter everybody knows but Mze didn't
get the best of in the spring He'd to bat
once, hitting for pitcher.
AFTER that time at the plate he finished for the day.
unless Casey Sengel wanted play him at first
couple of innings But stengel didn't want to play Mize in
the field He only carrying Johnny for reason-to
pinch-hit.
my point his-why couldn't Mize have batted four or
five times in place of the pitchers? Game results the
spring don't count anyway and it would have good
practice for Mize under regulation conditions"
The customers, Birdie thinks would embrace his idea
Who wants to see pitcher at bat anyway" he questions
Oh there are few who really the lumber Our
Joe Nuxha for instance. wouldn't send up pinch-hter
for him because Joe is real athlete matter of fact
hit three homers year.
pitcher I'm talking about"
1T is TEBBETTS contention that If pitcher is helpless
at bat when he reaches the big leagues he'll always
way He doesn't come up to show you he hit" Birdie
argues Most of em can't lay down bunt why
let the hers they'll be needing later the
year?
LET give you another example Ted williams probably
will show late in the Red Sox camp He'll need batting
under conditions Why not let Ted bat the pitchers
spot four or five times, instead of appearing once?
sit isn't like you're making travesty of the game The
fans down here know that managers trying players
especially pitchers. They'd give lot to Williams
Aize when he actve-woud go to bat few times.
Williams is great drawing card, but guarantee that
Fan No hasn't paid to him play the outheld The
toner wants to Ted at the plate like he wanted
Mze it's outelding the fan wants to watch he'll
Jim Persal, not Williams. If it's frst-basing WELL look
at how many played the bag much better than Mze."
FROM DISTANT CORNER of the Redegs' press head
quarters where Tebbetts holding FORTH query:
what do the pitchers say about this thinking, Birdie?
After ALL the of they're
their victories and they can't hit and help their
of lack of practice, who would they blame? You'll"
"A point" Birdie conceded, "but minor point, may
Let's get back to what said earlier the average
pitcher can't hit and he can't help himself any in
March than in September If he's smart he'll practice bun
ing balls shot out of the automatic pitching machine
he's like Nuxha he not going to hit for distance
matter how much practice he gets.
"But" Birdie added waving significant finger, "if he
bun decenty in key spot he'd be helping much
if he'd singled or, by fuke, doubled"
TEBBETTs HAS NO AK to grind with pitchers Indeed
If he had couple of good Cincinnati might go all the
way The Redegs certainly loaded with power htters
starting with Ted Kluszewsk Gus Bell jim Greengras
Funny part of it all is that when introduced this
subject of free pinchhng in the spring. the pitchers
the first to object Birdie reveals They say, in effect
Isn't tough enough to pitch normal lineup
of loaded with Mize Williams batting the opposite
ptcher?'
1T would be- at that Birdie conceded "bu If you
at it this way the payof in April May June July, August
and September might be big hits by batters who got in those
good ticks during March.
"Mos pitchers" Tebbetts gloomiy and reduntantly
cded aren't real athletes And they don't think good"