Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-04-10
Dodgers Picked
To Repeat Easy
Triumph Of IS
BY JOE REICHLER
Associated Press Sports Writer

NEW YORK. April 10. - The
unbeatable combination of the
most powerful batting order in
the postwar era and a pitching
staff deep in starters and rich
in bullpen strength should bring
another National League pen
nant TO the Brooklyn Dodgers
in 1856 with Just about as much
ease as last year.
After first place-well. any,
thing can happen. Any one of
five teams can take over the
runnerup spot-Milwaukee, New
York, st. Louis. Cincinnati and
Philadelphia. Last year only 10
games separated second-place
Milwaukee from birthplace Gin
cinnati.
Despite the uncertain condi-
ton Of Pitcher Gene Conley and
weaknesses at second base and
leftfield. the Braves may be the
best of the also-rans. The Cards,
called the best seventh-place
club ever to play in the National
League, conceivably could climb
three notches with improved
pitching.
The Giants. a difficult team
to analyze because of the pres
ence of Willie Mays, Alvin Dark
and Don Mueller to counter
balance weaknesses at second.
third. leftfield and behind the
plate. with a questionable pitch
ing staff to boot, don't figure
higher than third.
The Redlegs, with power at the
plate exceeded only by the Dodg-
ers, could force their way into
the first division only if their
pitching outdoes itself.
Pills Need Punch
Despite the presence of Robin
Roberts. the best pitcher in base
ball, the punchless PhillieS don't
figure to finish in the first di-
vision and may not go higher
than sixth. The Chicago Cubs
and Pittsburgh Pirates are OBJ
viously improved but appear
doomed to battle it out for sew
enth place.
The writer picks the teams to
finish in the following order:
/. Brooklyn.
2. Milwaukee.
3. New York.
4, St. Louis.
5. Cincinnati.
s. Philadelphia.
Z. Chicago.
8. Pittsburgh.
Like most needy folks. the
Dodger-chasers are grabbing
at straws. They've found one in
the advanced age of the key
Brooklyn players and another in
their proneneSs to injury. as wit
ness the sore arms of Billy Loes
and Karl Spooner.
Fresh Talent Available
But they've been saying for
years the Dodgers are getting
old. And even though injuries
did set in last year, the Dodgers
surmounted them by bringing up
fresh young men.
Last year Pitchers Roger Craig
and Don Bessent were brought
up in midseason TO win Is games
between them and straighten out
an injury -riddled pitching staff
This year there's young
phenom named Charley Neal at
second, a strong pitching pros
pect named Don Drysdale and
a stylish lefthander named Ken
Lehman TO replace the sore
armed Loes, Spooner and the de-
parted Johnny PodreS.
The odds are against the
Dodgers approaching their 1855
feat OF winning % of their first
"a games. but the fact is they
look stronger. They didn't rest
on their laurels after knocking
of the Yankees in the World
Series. Hardly had the celebra-
ton in Flatbush died down when
the new champs dealt for Randy
Jackson, the Cubs smuggling third
baseman.
In 1865, Brooklyn's power gave
rival pitchers nightmares as the
Dodgers blasted 20l home runs
With Jackson to contribute his
share-he hit 81 last year-the
team may shatter the Giants
club record of 22l set in l947.
Barring Gripping injuries To
such key men as Roy Campo
nella, Duke Snidcr. Peewee Reese,
Gil Hodges or Carl Furillo, the
team may duplicate It's 1871
-.