The Lincoln times., 1955-04-18
Giants And
indians Picked
To Win Flags

Who's going to meet in the 1855
Worlds Series? If you believe there
will be a repeat performance be-
tween the Cleveland Indians and
the New York Giants, you're in
good company. That's the feeling
of j. G. Taylor Sphinx. publisher
OF The Sporting News. You'll find
his detailed, careful analysis in
the current issue of The Sporting
News.
Nothing has developed in the
spring training camps. says Sphinx
or in the trading marts to change
his belief that it will be the In
dianS and Giants again. But. he
says. both clubs will face tougher
competition than they had last
year. The Giants pitching is not
formidable enough to guarantee
that they will win by five lengths.
as they did last year over Brook
lyn. And the Indians. while pow
arful aggregation, can't be expect
ed to win Ill games again. their
1854 total
The way Sphinx looks at it.,
there's not likely to be any change
among the first three clubs in each
major league. as they finished in
1854. With the Giants in the top
spot, he figures Brooklyn for sec
ond place and Milwaukee for third
! He believes the Cardinals will
move up from sixth place to take
fourth. He has Cincinnati fifth,
followed by Philadelphia, Chicago
and Pittsburgh.
In the American Sphinx puts the
Yankees second behind Cleveland,
and the White SoX third Boston.
he says. should come back in
fourth place unless Ted Williams
remains out all year. In the second
division. he places Washington,
Detroit, Baltimore and Kansas
City. in that order.
The Giants not only have a vir-
tually set team. says Sphinx, but
they have the powerful factor of
confidence as a result of last
years success and the spectacular
WhiteWashing Of the Indians in the
Series. The Giants pitching, he
goes on. should be as good as last
year. with Johnny Antonelli, Ru-
ben Gomez. Sal Maglie and Don
Liddle, and with Hoyt Wilhelm and
Marv Grissom in relief. Then
there's the possibility of come
backs by Larry Jansen ED. Note.
He quit club this week. and Jim
Hearn.
The Dodgers. with Roy Campan-
elias hand sound again. should be
stronger. Milwaukee. says Sphinx is
a dark horse, with fine pitching
speed and punch and perhaps a
better bench this year. The Car
dinals. who have strengthened
their infield, will be hard pressed
again in first-line pitching. In the
second division. Cincinnati slug
eing ought to put the Redlegs
ahead of the Phillies in fifth place
| The Cubs are on the upgrade, but
not strong enough. and the Pirates
have not improved enough to es-
| cape the cellar.
In the American, Cleveland's Su-
oeriority can be said in one word
pitching. The Yankees are faster
and more impressive afield. but
can't be too sure of their pitching
The White Sox perhaps need
pitching to make them contenders
The Red Sox need Ted Williams tC
De sure of fourth place. Washing
ton lacks a capable Shortstop anC
help in the outfield. Detroit may
have better pitching, but still fig
lres in sixth place. Baltimore
should do better. but not gooc
enough to get out of seventh. ano
Kansas City fell heir to a Phila-
ielphia team which lost 103 games
in 1854.
That's Spink"s ANALYSIS. Mem.
bers of the Baseball Writers AS
Sociation, in a poll taken by Tht
Sporting News. figure the Ameri.
can race as Sphinx does, except fol
putting Washington in fifth place
ahead of Detroit. In the National
he writer's give the victory nod tt
Milwaukee. with the Giants il
bird place Except for reversing
Sphinx on this. they see the race
rs he does.