Evening star., 1961-02-19
WIN, LOSE OR
DRAW ;, ,.Auc,, ,7Auu
A Guessing Game for All

MIAMI, FLA, FEB 1s.-on one subject, at least
nasebas best brains seem hopeessy divided The topic:
Whatc the Washington Senators and Los Angeles
Angels hope to accomplish starting from scratch2
They'll be lucky to win IS or 40 games apiece"
manager says.
AsThats crazy" Manager Al Lopez of the White sox.
dsagrees Both OF those clubs going to make trouble
Il don't know how many years it will take to up
with good ball club in Washington" Manager Gene
Mauch OF the Phies "but figure it won't happen
before three managers are used up"
There are enough veteran ball players both clubs"
Paul Waner says o keep them from turning out to be
patsies."
mickey Vernon is a nice guy" Manager Paul Rich
ards Of the Orioles comedies but he'll have fight his
own battles. I've got problems of my own"
THESE AND OTHERS of the breed assembled here for
the 2lSt annual National Baseball Golf Tournament can't
separate the American Leagues ninth and tenth fran
chses with any degree of unanimty Lopez for instance
appears to lean toward Washington the stronger club
II think the Senators came up with the stronger
pitchers" Al decaims.
LOS Angeles will be tough" Richards says because
ong-bal hitters like Kuszewsk Cerv and Biko will win
lot Of games in that little ball park"
calvin Griffith stands to make fortune in Mime
apolis" Hoyt Wilhelm Of knucke ball fame dgresses
"Mnneapos-st. Paul is going to be the story Of Mil
waukee all over again."
II don't think I'd to Jump to Washington in a
managerial or fontoffce capacity Richards volunteers
"but I'd take fling at Los Angeles 1t would be uphill
struggle but the day coming out there for American
League club"
WHAT 1T ALL SEEMS to boil down to is that like plain
ordinary fans, the Lopezes Richardses, Waners and
Mauchs just guessing to what the Senators and
Angels will do. They kick the gong around often stray
ing far afield. and they wind up nowhere.
They all admit that in their careers which vary
in length and distinction have they much less
two clubs start from scratch w been done in the very
low minors" Richards admits, "but it tried
above Glass or maybe c."
The lean intense Baltimore manager, whose young
Orioles made surprisingly strong bid for the pennant
last year. reflected for few moments after round Of
golf.
when you come to think of it," Paul saying
kansas City and Baltimore practically started from
scratch. don't think either Of those clubs-the old
Philadelphia Athletics and the old St. Louis BrownS-waS
any stronger than Washington Los Angeles"
Kansas City has done little or nothing toward i'm
proving The AS cellar dwellerS when they moved
from Phiy to K in 1855 and they finished in the base
ment last year.
THE ORIOLES, WHO had been the Browns until 1854
didn't do much, either until 196O Once they fifth
but last year they really came Of age.
1T depends how hard the organization works and
how lucky it happens to be-" Richard concludes Ths
is weird business I've got half dozen young starting
pitchers and couple of seasoned reieverS and what
need is hitter So what have got developing for US?
More pitchers!
Sometimes think I'd like to trade five of my pitch
for Just good-hitting outeder Oh I've got out
fielders right I've got dozen fighting for Gene
Weddings old job Every one of em can run and throw.
But can any of 'em hit?"
Lopez sits across a grill room table from Richards
and shakes his head In 1859 his White Sox led the Aer
can League in pitching and fielding but beaten in the
World Series. Like Richards, we bent adding
hitting" AL smiles ruefuly "And did. Last year
led in batting and fielding but pitching fell down
and finished up the track
But getting back to the Senators and Angels, don't
think they'll be ouclassed I'd like to have Of those
ballpayers."
About the only phase Of the American League expan-
sion that's agreed that neither Washington nor Los
Angeles is 1861 pennant threat. ...,