Evening star., 1961-03-20
Yankees Admit Desire to Dicker
For Wood|ing> Long and Sis|er
Doherty Refuses
To Go for ANY
Second-Liners
By FRANCIS STANN
Star Stah Writer

Star STAN writer
MIAMI, Mar. 20.-Manager
Ralph Houk of the Yankees,
frankly admitting that his
American League champions
could use more bench and bull
pen strength, is willing to dicker
with the Senators for one or
more of three playerS-Gene
Woodling, Dale Long and Dave
Sisler.
Houk indicated a willingness
to talk trade with Mickey Yer
non here yesterday. In Pom
pano Beach, where the Sena-
tors are training, Vernon and
General Manager Ed Doherty
agreed that Casey StengePs sue
ceSsor would have to offer more
than Infielder Fritz Bricken
and Catcher Jesse Gonder.
II wouldn't take 10 Brickells
and GonderS for Woodling,"
Doherty said. We've enough
Brickells in camp now.
"Woodling is the star Of our
team and the Yankees know it.
If we trade Gene he will come
high. We're not running a
giveaway program. 1t wouldn't
be fair to the fans of Wash
ington, who have been so fab
ulously enthusiastic. There's
been too much of that business
Grading off solid playerS) in
the past. They're not going
to pick us clean"
Need to Replace Shantz ,
Houk, speaking before a
Yankee -Oriole exhibition here,
said he was interested in land
ing either Long or Woodling for |
pinch-hitting purposes. AS for
SiSler, the Yankees have COW
eted him for some time, espe-
cially so since they lost Bobby |
Shantz in the expansion draft. |
Vernon intimated that he |
might get in touch with Houk, |
but he supported Doherty by |
saying, I'm not excited about |
Brickell. They'd have to do bet
ter than that. I am interested in
getting a catcher who hits left |
handed, but I'd rather talk to |
Houk about John Blanchard |
instead Of Gonder.
IF the Yankees want to talk
trade seriously, let them make |
an offer involving CletiS Boyer |
and/or Blanchard"
Boyer is the fancy-fieiding
third baseman who apparently |
has won a regular job with the |
Yankees. He also can play |
elsewhere in the infield, which |
is where the Senators are hurt |
ing.
Rated Over Veal
Houk added: IF we didn't |
have Tony Kubek, Boyer and |
Bobby Richardson in our in
field, Brickell would be a reg
ular. Right now he's our lead
ing hitter in spring exhibi-
'tions."
Brickell is a squatty (5-foot-
81 26-year-old who batted .258
in 96 games for Richmond last
year. His best position is
shortstop," Houk said, "but he
can play second base, too. He's
a better shortstop than Coot
Veal"
Vernon and Doherty evi-
IDENTIFY don't agree. "The guy is
about 20 pounds overweight"
Mickey said "and if he's the
Yankees leading hitter, we'll
settle for a player who isn't
batting quite so high. Mickey
Mantle, for instance"
Vernon thinks that if the
Yankees feel they can pry loose
Woodling they will offer con-
siderably more. Woodling, like
Long, is an ex-Yankee and dur
ing Genes tenure in New York
he was both a teammate and
a roommate of Houk. The are
close friends.
If the Yankees could re-
acquire Long, they would carry
the veteran first baseman
strictly as a pinch-hitter, re-
membering how much he helped
them In the stretch last season.
Dale appeared in 26 games and
batter 1855.
DOherty to Listen
Doherty also said he would
listen carefully if Houk brings
up the names of Boyer and
Blanchard.
I'D like to have both of
them," Doherty admitted, "but
they're not going to get Wood
ling, Long or Sisler for the likes
of Brickell or Gonder, even If he
is a lefthanded catcher"
Gonder, Is years old, batted
1927 for Richmond in 109 games
last year and 1886 in seven
games for the Yankees, mostly
as a pinch-hitter.
FAKE TICKETS,
HlNE FPAE~P