Evening star., 1960-03-24
WIN, LOSE OR
HNAV BY FRANCIS STANN
Casey on the Bench

ST. PETERSBURG, FLA, MAR. 24-when he was not
yet rs years od-ths during the season of 1885,
Mickey Mantle was almost unanimously consdered be
richer in ability and potential than any balplayer to
come up in years He had led the American League in
runs, home runs, batted in and average And of
course he won the most-valuable- player award.
Today? Casey stengel watching from the Yankee
bench during batting practice made tsk-tsk as he
watched Mantle step into the cage. visitor thinking
might be significant. tried to pump Casey Aren't you
happy with Mickey" he asked.
WELL don't know what the fellow will do. Maybe
he won't be readEeyen with the season late starting
Stengel unused in hiS initab ITS his fault
and told him not to run hard account Of getting
here late but he's got to beat everybody running the first
day and now his legs aren't right.
"He don't work out in the winter like some fellows
take Berra who is tessIdest this club and the
best conditioned Yogi is readyttor the and
this fellow don't know" 90
MANTLE HASN'T BATTED in 100 since his total
of 1870 in Sc, and last season he fell of to rs.
"He is not even the best runs-batted-in the
team, Lopez is, and don't get him for RBI but to play
third base, which he can't Casey said However need
Mr. Mantle in centereld because Kubek out there
will only get so RBI season. and that is not enough
as Mr. Lavagetto of Washington will tell you even with
all those guys who knock in 100 runs.
$50 am playing Kubek, waiting Mantle, and it
may be long wait for him to get good, don't know
Mr. Berra, he has his eye the ball, like said"
photographer interrupted. Frank Lane says he
wouldn't trade Rocky Colavto for Mantle he submitted
Casey shifted audbly at the mention of Lanes name
"Well now, he did, eh, but year ago he would have
traded, and anyway don't ask Mr. Lane to deal with
US Now if the Washington club wants to DEAL like they
ought to, will be glad to talk business and maybe Mr.
Grifnth will get balplayers for that pitcher"
THAT PITCHER" could be either Camlo Pascual or
Pete Ramos On this particular mornng-and probably
every other mornng-Stengel admittedly had Pascua IN
mind IT might make proposition for the young man.
although my front Office might not allow it, but could
talk about Of my inflelders, one CGl McDougao'
who play three positions.
81 don't know how the Washington Kansas City
clubs think about playing the with the ined-
they've got and if Washington don't deal maybe we'll
have to talk to Kansas City again They've got five good
outfeders and three of them Hank Bauer Bob Cerv and
Norm Siebern used to be mine, which I'd like to have
back"
The Yankees were to play exhibition against the
Cardinals later and Stengel drew blank batting order
card from his hip pocket and painstakingly began to fill
1t in giving payby ypay he did So He wrote "Rich-
ardson 2b" the top line, musing:
Hes got to be my second baseman because when
McDougald didn't do good last year this little fellow
batted 3O0 my only player who did although the records
show that he batted in only SO runs"
CASEY LEFT THE SECOND line blank then wrote
skowron Id" and next "Berra, 3d." II got to play Yogi
somewhere I look at my other catchers too" He
put McDougad down as his shortStop, explaining:
He has two bad years in row. but this is a pro-
teSsiona and people will very good this
spring in case they are interested" He gave with the
sly patented wink
NOW I've got to have righthelder, will write in
Mr. Lopezs name he did all right out there me last
year when he couldn't play third His newest acquisition
Roger Mars from Kansas City, assigned to leftfed
Casey went back to the empty second ine specuated
1or moment, then wrote Kubek, cf "He plays all
rgnt Stengel conceded "only so RBI isn't much for
centernelder also have young named Ken Hunt,
See WIN LOSE or DRAW, Page E.