St. Paul recorder. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1934-2000, 1959-04-03
Dodgers Eye First
Division With New
YOUNG TuIenf

Editors Note: This Is another
in the series on the prospects of
major league tan baseball play
ers.)
Chicago CAMP Time was
when you mentioned tan players
in the major leagues, your mind
automatically turned to the Dod-
gers. The old Brooklyn Dodgers,
that is.
Brooklyn Dodgers are history,
the team having been transferred
to Los Angeles for the 1858 season.
The teams dominance over tan
talent also is history - for the
time being at least.
Going for one reason or another
were the old stalwarts, Jackie
Robinson, Roy Campanella and
Don Newcombe. Robinson retired;
CampY's career was short-circuit-
ed by Gripping injury, and New
combe was traded to his once
bitter rivals, the Cincinnati Red
legs.
Vets Gone
With the disappearance Of the
old guard, another baseball fact
became apparent: The Dodgers no
longer had the stuff with which
to walk off with National Leagues
pennants. The baton Of leadership
has passed to the Milwaukee
Braves.
On Los Angeles roster this sea-
son, as spring training opened in
Vero Beach, Fla, were five tan
players. One Of them, Earl Rob-
inson, a bonus outfielder and in
fielder, was assigned last week to
the roster of st. Paul Of the Amer
lean Association.
The others, infielders Charley
Neal and Junior Gillian, catcher
John Roseboro, and pitcher Rene
Valdez, are likely to be around for
the full season.
They could contribute valuable
service to the Dodgers effort to
extract themselves from seventh
place in the senior league, the
lowest finish in this decade, or
ever since Jackie Robinson arrived
on the scene in 1947, when the
team started winning pennants in
clusters.
Campy Helping Youngsters
Roseboro, who had little major
league experience last year, bios
somed into a capable catcher and
the belief of experts is that the
Ohio boy will be among the better
receivers in the MI this year. His
work was good enough to warrant
his selection on the leagues all
star team last season.
Roseboro batted .271 in ia
games. Among his 1O4 hits were
IA home runs. His RBI output was
40. He won't be a Campanella-
not this year, anyway-but under
Roy's tutoring he has the makings
Campy, by the way, is serving
as a coach of the Dodgers, hand.
ling the teams young pitchers and
catchers.
One Of the most moderated per-
formers in the MI is Neal. The
rangy infielder figures to be set
this season at second. He has been
with the Dodgers since 1856, and
for a time was considered a great
shortstop prospect. Last season he
set home run record for Dodger
second basemen with %, erasing
Robinson's old mark of 10, while
batting .253.
The concensus is that Neal will
hit better this season. There has
never been any disparagement Of
his fielding ability.
The handy-man of the Dodgers
is Gillian, starting his seventh
major league season. Junior has
played second, short and third and
the outfield in his career. He could
be the Dodgers third sacker this
season, or If the team can't find
an adequate shortstop, he might
fill his old spot at second while
Neal goes to short.
Anyway, mark Gillian up as
almost certain to find some place
in the starting Los Angeles lineup.
His value as a leadoff batter is
one of his greatest assets. For the
1858 campaign, he batted PSI.
Two years ago, the spring train
ing pitching sensation for the Dod-
gers was a Cuban highlander.
But when the season started, Val
DEE was ineffective. He has since
spent two seasons with the Mont
real Royals Of the international
League. Although his records with
the Canadian team have been mod
est, it could be that Valdez is ready
for a strong season for the parent
club and is being tabled for re-
lieving assignments.
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