Evening star., 1955-07-04
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAV By FRANCIS s7ANN
They'd Have You Believe

THIS IS THE DATE the baseball incurabe is expected
to regard anmportan He is to forget the 1914 Boston
Braves other nshers and assume the July
leaders will be opponents in the World Series And for
fact rarely have pacemakers looked like winners
than the Yankees and Dodgers.
There is nothing particularly about either
club particularly the Yankees but the other hand the
evidence is that neither team has much to beat The time
has apparently to downrate the Cleveland Indians
and to assume that the Chicago White Sox have just about
had It,
Sixteen days ago the White sox were sensation of
sort when they moved into New York and took the American
League lead with two consecutive victories the Yankees
Suddenly the Yankees composed themselves back the
lead and today they out in front by six and
Chicago and Cleveland That Yankee
pitching staff is suspect manned largely by castos and
hrowers obtained in trade but they have too many
bona -fde ball players for the rest Of the league
THESE DAYS, APPARENTLY, five solid ball players
outside Of pitchers all that required to win The
Yankees have at least five in Berra Bauer Carey Mantle
Skowron Noren and McDougad. The Indians have little
beyond the regulations Of their pitchers and the White Sox
have been exposed painfully thin
The Sox, remember were giving it the good try year
only to out of August They didn't have the
pitching depth. This year it figured the way. Come
August reasoned the expects and the Sox would have
fold. First they would out of pitchers. Secondly,
George Ke Chico Carrasque Minnie Mnoso Sherm Lollar
or Nellie Fox got tired or hurt they were dead.
Mnoso did get smacked by fast ball thrown by Bob
Grim of the Yankees weeks ago and, paradoxicaly
the sox played slightly wonderfully during his absence But
nobody was kidding Frank Lane Marty Marion, twin
any long haul they need him.
CLEVELAND is THE CLUB that is dawding. Yesterdays
results to the contrary the American League champs have
permitted the Yankees to take what might be called
commanding lead at this point The Indians not
cey what the Cleveland writers called the biggest
lock in baseball history" back in March
The Indians started of with their great pitching potential
Even when Early Wynn i'll in the early weeks there
doubt but that Lopez commanding the best corps
In the business But suddenly Mike Garcia losing key
games and Bob Lemon became ineffective Bob Feer can't
work than week-and then he must be spotted
against certain clubs-and Herb Score needs polish
Lopez is maintaining that eventually his pitching will
all obstacles and that his Indians will repeat but
1t doesn't look much that way That almost minor league
ined the Indians presenting and Larry Dolby about
the only oueer on the club who would bring price The
up-and-comng club, although pennant threat would
to be the Boston Red Sox Concevaby they could
take second money with about half to 60.
THIS SEASON COULD BE it for the White Sox and
Indians alike. Key personnel is aging Ke, Trout, Fox
Rivera and others the Sox and Rosen, Dolby, Hegan
Lemon Garcia Wynn Feller and Werz among the Indians
they don't do it this year it could be long time before
the sox and Indians become contenders.
Oh, yes the Yankees grow old, too But somehow they
to up with kid ball player each who is
little bit special Mickey Mantle for example This Is the
young mans fifth in the big leagues and he won't be
"a old until late in October. And when they must
the Yankees to make deals for veterans of apparent
to any club except Casey Stengels
Oh other item The Yankees doing this season
what the Indians were doing lastcobbering the Little
Leaguer and is their record to date
against Kansas City, Washington and Baltimore against
Chcago's 1877 and Clevelands 22-s.
This is where the Yanks lubbed in 54 They only
48 Of So from the teams whereas the Indians IS
and moreover slaughtered the Red Sox 20 times in "a games
They got soft evidently that by World Series time the
Indians couldn't do thing against what was the name
Of that team Cleveland played in the World series9