Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1957-02-27
WIN, LOSE OR
DNAW By FRANCIS sTANN
frankie Lame Sinqs

ST. PETERSBURG, FEB. 27-A year ago Frank Lane
summing himself bench in front OF the ST. Louis
Cardinals dugou and saying that he ought to be inves
gated IF don't finish in the first division General Mana
ger Lane amended although the Cards had poor
enh in 1855 St Louis did indeed up fourth place
Today Frank volunteered that he should be investigated
If the RedbirdS don't win 1912 games than So I'VE
could have last season. Lane said but toward
the end of the year discovered that couldn't 60 up
down, so Fred Hutchinson began experimenting with
pitchers"
There is minority that thinks the Cards could go all
the way but Lane while naturally optimistic won't stake any
pennant caimsyet Each of the top teams-Brooklyn,
Milwaukee and Cncinnatcan be beaten he says Wheth-
er we can do the job depends finding centerelder
can hit and picking up some pitching strength"
FRED HUTCHINSON. the morose- looking field manager
was standing within earshot and Lane said Hutch check
me if I'm wrong anywhere year age had no first base
right? We tried Way lost few games before
we decided he belongs in the outfeld
I'VE had Don BlaSingame at ShortStop because at the
time Red Schoendiens second Basngames
best position at second and he after
Red and got Alvin Dark to play short
Stan Musia has slowed up much to play the ouhed
he realizes 1t and is content to start the the first
basenaan We didn't have big, strong guy like Del Ennis
to drive across those and Hal Smith, catcher
rookie" a#
Smith has got to be better" HUTCHINSON agreed He
hit 1872 for US last year when he finally got to be No.
LANE BEAMED WHEN HUTCH obiquely approved the
GINS whole speech This spring" frankie said picking I'm
the thread we stand in seven positions Moon
goes back to the outed where he belongs waly and Ennis
are set In the neld don't experiment any more We
nave Musial,. Blasingame, Dark and Ken Boyer"
There was story that Boyer might shifted to center
field" bench visitor interrupted
That was just a wild idea" Lane said land Hutch will
tell you that we didn't take seriously Kens the best
third baseman in the National League our third base
man. If we played him in center have to come I'D with
whale of third baseman. And don't know If Boyer
could play the outfeld
But we've got set nfeld barring the unforeseen and
md No No
is HoDe Landrh, whom got from Cincinnati Now the
problem would seem to down finding centereder
and building up the pitching
IN SOME QUARTERS LANE was criticized for trading
OIL Bill Vlrdon and getting 214-httng lemon in Bobby
Del Greco from the Pirates but Lane writing of that
zeal as yet Del Greco of the good defensive
centereders frankie says whether he'll hit remains to
De seen But Bobby in the running the Job along with
Chuch Harmon"
For the future both Lane Hutchinson are eveinp
year-oo pitcher named Gary Geiger who was 20-7 for
Hamiton IN 30 and 80 with Rochester last season. They
ook one look at Geiger in batting agreed that
perhaps ne should not be wearing the pitchers trademark
toepate.
In squad game the other day Geiger played first base
nawessly But with Musial hand for two navbe three
more years. and centered wide open the next move is fairly
OBVIOUS Geiger who probably will be fared out soon NAV
well be the Cards next futm centereder according IN
Lane and Hutch. "
Geiger is slender almost skinny youngster hut the
whips the with authority Against hat
ting practice pitching 1t might be stressed There is diff
ference between that and the Mccoy