Evening star., 1960-04-10
WIN, LOSE OR
DN%V By FRANCIS STANN
The EnigmoticoI Pirates


FORT MYERS FLA APRIL 9-In some respects the
most engmatc major league club the Pittsburgh Pirates
who from the depths finish 1858 and then
picked by to win the National League pennant last
year-mySteriousy all undone.
This spring the Pirates have the hot teams
In the Grapefruit League despite losing their first three
games. They puzzle Danny Murtaugh their square-awed
manager and his board of strategy of which old friend
named Mickey Vernon is new member.
Mickey who did great deal of talking during his
18 years player, to speak freely now that
he coach for his boyhood chum Murtaugh pitch
ing has been terrific far Mickey saying "Remem-
Der how Bob Friend Bill Mazerosk Skinner looked
in 1858?
They great" he went on, answering his own
question Friend was 22-game winner. Mazeroski
magician at second base and hit 10 home runs besides
Skinner batted 1921 and hit homers All three were in
the Al-Star starting lineup. Then poof!"
MICKEY SERVED as pinch hitter for the Milwaukee
Braves last season. perhaps his last active play
Il these fellows and sort of hard to believe
they the ones Vernon commented referring
Friends 819 record Mazerosks 21 batting average and
pedestrian fielding and SINNERS decline to 2S0 hitter
Nov I've been looking at them up close since Febru-
ary and again it's hard to believe they the guys
from the Milwaukee bench last Friend looks
great Mazerok plays second base like he invented the
position SINNERS been coming along little more slow
N but you have to believe he's going to boost that 280
average quite bit"
Jack Berger jr, drum-beater for the Pirates, inter-
rupted to state the fay Friend and Mazero-
ski simply showed up fat last spring Berger said Each
was about Is pounds overweight AS for Skinner he ran
into wall early the and hurt his back He
out for three weeks and never hit his stride
And does Manager Murtaugh subscribe to this ex-
planation?" man asked Berger.
unfortunately, Danny is not here right noW ne re-
Piled but bet that he does In short it's DannyS
explanation.
UNTIL COUPLE of weeks ago, Coach Vernon, still
about the bes-conditioned 42year-od in baseball
taking his cuts in batting practice he placed
the Pirates roster payercoach. Il don't think it's
going to happen Mickey says without regret We've
got Dick Stuart and Rocky Nelson We don't need any
first baSemen."
Does it offend old smoothie first baseman like
yourself to watch Stuart try to play the bag?" Vernon
was asked.
replied i've him make plays that any first
would proud to have made But the best thing
he does, of is swing that bat He's real good
hitter"
Stuart is the braSh, devilmaycare Californian who
in 1885, playing Lincoln the Western League, hit
the implausble of 66 home and drove in 58
runs games He's played only 105 games for the
Pirates, but already has 43 homerS and 126 RBl
ITS HARD TO TELL what this club will do" Vernon
summarized Last year finished fourth Friend instead
of winning % games only eight Mazerosk didn't hit
275 only PAL. Skinner off Al points at bat, Red
Witt who nine for the Pirates in So OF last
year. Curt Raydon who eight the previous season.
90 Dick Groat good ShortStop, 300 hitter IN
'58 and 275 man last season.
STILL this club only six fewer games than in 49,
when second to the Braves What all these
lows especially key guys like Friend Mazerosk Skinner
and to lesser extent Groat bounce back? Los Angeles
the pennan last year with IS victories. That's only
four more than the Pirates two years ago."
Pittsburgh has what is known "Set" club The in
field will be Stuart Mazerosk Groat and Don Hoax The
outfield will be Bob Clemente Skinner and either Gno
Cmoli or Bill Virdon On his pitchers, Murtaugh has
pretty good line Little Roy Face, the reliever can't
sonably hope duplicate his 1871 record of last
II in row-but the Pirates start with good bullpen
edge here
Not many clubs deeper in catchers The Pirates
have four no less with Smoky Burgess 'front.' thanks to
his big bat Then there's Danny Kravitz Hal Smith and
Bob Olds all with valid credentials.
YOU KNOW" Vernon unused, "I don't think I've ever
been on club that carried four catchers don't know what
Murtaugh has in mind but this could be new expert
fielder, because he can play there too"
Oldis somebody asked "Is he the same catcher that
Washington had?"
THE same" Mickey verified "only now he's bigger (6
1eet 100 pounds and better In fact he's of the best
receivers I've seen down here You got Pittsburgh roster"
He accepted and looked at Olds record with Dem
yer last year 1t noteworthy 1876 games played and
.294 batting average.
The Senators, Mickey reminded didn't seem to
think so much Of OldiS when he belonged to them
True, Vernon admitted but from what hear they're
hurting for catcher. I'll just bet they wish they had
Oldis in a Washington uniform now" -----