Milford chronicle., 1959-04-24

The Braves should get a pitching
pickup from Carl Wiley, who could
win 20 with a regular turn. War
rem SPAIN wants his 10th 2O-yic-
tory season and Lew Burdette is
a fair country tosser. Hitting is
solid with Hank Aaron, Wes Cow
ington, Ed Mathews, Bill Bruton,
Joe Adcock and Frank Tore.
But If the Braves don't win
Manager Fred Haney might find 1t
difficult explaining why to Mil
waukee's new vice president, ex-
Cincinnati manager Birdie Teb-
belts.
Smiles For Smitty
Mayo Smith grins when you tell
him Cincinatti can win it all. He
never had that grin in four years
in Philadelphia. With the most
improved team in either league.
the Redlegs will be expected to
make race of it. They got slug
ger Frank Thomas from Pitts
burgh and have outstanding rook
les in Vada PinsOn, Jim O'TOole
and Orlando Pena, the latter two
pitchers.
We picked the Reds second a
year ago. But they dallied and Teb-
belts got so disgusted he quit. jim
mie Dykes rallied them for a
fourth This is no time to quit on
them. They should finish no worse
than third.
Danny Murtaugh and the Pirates
were lucky last year. They came
home an unexpected second, yet
couldn't beat last place Philadel-
phia. The 1859 team has a little
more depth, but no s1ugger Thomas
to drive in 109 runs unless first
baseman Dick. Stuart proves him.
self over a full campaign.
Pittsburg is long on pitching with
Bob Friend and George Witt the.
co-stars. Look for Curt Raydon
and Bennie Daniels to pitch some
fine games. Murtaugh faces pres
sure this year, something he didn't
know in 1853 He is expected to
win, or at least make a good fight
of it. s S. s-:.s
Prediction Predicament
San Francisco's pitching must
be better If Horace Stonehom is to
land the 1859 pennant he predict.
ed sometime back, The boss pre-
diction puts Manager Bill Rigney
on the hot seat. The Giants might
finish fourth, and may have to
beat out Los Angeles,
Remember a year. ago? The
Giants were way up there on ninth
inning rallies with relief pitching
by Marv Grissom. This year Gris-
som is in st. Louis. The Giants
have Willie Mays and Orlando Ce.
peda. but are questionable on the
double play and on the mound.
Los Angeles figures to get a bet-
ter start with Duke Snider able to
swing better on fully-recovered
knee Rookie Ron Fairly is cinch
to moke the team and could battle
Cineinnatti's Pinson for rookie
of the league honors.
Manager Walt Alston's job seems
safe. His boss, Walter O'Malley.
would like a controversial mana
ger, but Walter o. has never been
known to fire a quiet man.
Bob Sheffing has hitting-plus at
Chicago, but his pitching is ques-
ton mark Owner Phil Wrigley ex-
poets no miracles Bob's job seems
safe.
Philadelphia and st. Louis fig
ure to fight for seventh place with
Eddie Sawyer getting the edge on
experience over Solly Semus.
Sawyer's Whizless Kids
Sawyer's bright spots are hit
ters Harry Anderson. and Richie
Ashburn and pitchers Robin Rob-
erts, Curt Simmons. and Roman
Semproch. Sawyer rates Anderson
(.301 with % homers last year,
as "a coming great hitter" The
Phillies, however, no longer re-
semble the Whiz Kids of 1850 who
brought Sawyer a pennant. There
fore, he's on spot
It's the same thing with Hemus
and the Cardinals. He has inherit
ed a team lacking in hitting, Stan
Musial no longer is the big 100
s-batted-in man. Owner Gussie
Busch has better than eighth place
money. If he finishes near this
spot, his only out will be to blame
an inexperienced manager or ex-
General Manager Frank Lane and
Gonna nf his frndoc