Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1956-03-03
SIugger Reduces
Demand; Is Still
Too High for Cal
BY BURTON HAWKINS
Star stan Correspondent


with President Calvin Griffith
and refused to come to terms
with the Senators boss.
The smuggling first baseman,
who earned $4,000 last year,
dropped his original demand
$4,000 to $22.500. Griffith re-
fused to say whether he had in
creased his last offer of $4,000
but said, "Sievers still is long,
long way from the figure I have
in mind"
Sievers batted only .271 last
year but smashed Is home runs
to break his previous all-time
Washington record and also
batted in log runs. In 1854 he
slammed "a home runs and
batted in 102 runs.
Sievers has the Senators on
the spot. The only replace
ment for him is Julio Becquer.
Ilight-hitting Cuban Negro first
baseman, although young Har-
mon Killebrew has been working
out at the position here. Kille-
brew previously had been drilled
exclusively as third baseman.
Branded a Holdout
1t was chiefly because of
Sievers that the Senators de-
creased the playing area at Crit
fifth Stadium during the winter.
shortening the leftfield line SO
feet.
Sievers arrived here last night
and conferred briefly with Crit
fifth by telephone. After the con-
versation. Griffith said, We'll,
Sievers now definitely is a hold
out"
Sievers had been granted per-
mission to report late due to
the illness of his mother.
With the Senators first exhi-
bition game only a week away.
his holdout becomes of vital i'm
portance to a club which other
wise is set at only one position.
third base, where Eddie Yost
has a lock.
Getting ready for that date.
Manager Chuck Dresser will
start a shakedown of his pitch
ing staff tomorrow in the first
of series of intrasquad games
and exhibitions which are calcu-
lated to present a more definite
line on the Senators prospects
obtained from the Red Sox and
Yankees.
Curtis Gets First Test
AL Curtis, highlander who
won IL games and lost eight
with Louisville last season, ten
tatively is regarded as starter
by Dresser. He will get his
first test in his new uniform to-
morrow Formerly Boston prop
erty, Curtis spent five rather
uneventful years in the Red Sox
farm system before being shifted
to the Senators.
Bob Wiesler, acquired from
the Yankees; Dick Brodowski
and Tex Clevenger, obtained
from Boston. and Connie Grob,
drafted from the Brooklyn farm
system, also will see action soon
but Dresser said he probably
will employ less experienced
Ihurlers along with Curtis in the
opening squad game.
I'VE have a lot of things to
settle this year." Dresser said,
land seeing the fellows in COM
petition is the best way to find
out what we have. Right now
II regard Ted Alternately and
Camilo Pascual as starters. That
leaves a lot of jobs open and I'm
anxious to see the scramble for
them"
"a Pitchers in Camp
Dresser currently has "a
pitchers in camp. Many of these
are from the low minors and
obviously will be examined
merely for the purpose of de-
Gliding what minor league teams
are destined to receive them.
But it was from the midst Of
such youngsters last year that
Pedro Ramos, for instance, made
the big leap from Hagerstown
to the parent club by impressing
the manager.
Ramos, who reported with
Pascual yesterday, now is be-
ing regarded by Dresser as
relief pitcher despite his splendid
1875 record as a starter in the
Cuban Winter League. That
situation could change, of course.
with developments in training.
Dresser plans several squad
games in addition to the Sena-
tors 80 exhibitions.
Dresser knows little of the
capabilities of what he would
like to consider his regular out
Ifield-Dick Tettelbach, from the
Yankees chain gang, and Neil
Chrisley and Karl Olson, former
Red Sox chattels. They'll be put
on the spot starting tomorrow,
along with a host of other
players.
The Senators have a new
catcher. Lou Berberet, who could
wind up with the No. job. They
have another former Yankee
Herb Plews. who will try to- Dust
Pete Runnels from second base.
Dresser also is eager to give
careful scrutiny to Lyle Luttrell,
a fancy fielding shortstop whose
minor league batting averages
have been unexciting. Luttrell.
i26, batted only .265 with Chat
tanooga last season but Dresser
has altered his batting style and
is hoping for better results. Lut-
trell will be stacked against
Jose Valdivielso, who finished as
the Senators regular shortstop
last season, with Jerry Snyder
considering himself very much in
contention.
ValdivielSo, Becquer and Out
fielder Carlos Paula are due to
arrive here tndav Tho cn,,ad ,rill