Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-03-09
Senators Open With Veterans Against Ia
Youngsters
Slated for
Late Duty
BY MERRELL WHITTLEsEY
Star Staff Writer

The Senators will pay % ex-
hibition games in 80 days start
ing with today's opener here
with the Dodgers, a period in
which Manager Mickey Vernon
may do some revamping.
The outfield and the catch
ing appear fairly well set, al
though there will be interest
In Barry Shetrone's bid for an
outfield Job and in Don Lep-
'pert's efforts to win a spot on
the catching staff.
Vernon plans to start his
more experienced infielders.
Mary Breeding at third. Ken
Hamlin at short and Chuck
Cottier at second, in the early
games. but give what he refers
to as his kids a chance to play
the late innings. The young
sters are John Kennedy at
third, Ed Brinkman at short
and Ron Stillwell at second.
Breeding will do some shift
ing.
Rogelio Alvarez figures to be
the first baseman, but there is
nothing new on his departure
time from Cuba, and 1t will
be a couple of weeks after he
reports before he is ready to
play.
Spirited Competition
The bid for the opening-day
pitching job, between Claude
Osteen, Dave Stenhouse, Don
Rudolph and Tom Cheney. will
keep the Senators starters put
ting out. And there will be a
scrap for survival among Tom
Baker, Ed Hobaugh. Joe Nc
Claim and a few Of the top
rookie pitchers.
Vernon is anxious to look at
the Senators draft choices and
bonus boys against major
league competition, but for
some of them their appearances
will be limited.
Until Alvarez arrives, Brant
Alyea and Tommy Brown will
back up Dick Phillips at first
base, although Brown will not
play until Mondays game with
Baltimore at the earliest.
Mickey wants to see some
thing Of Lou Piniella and Mike
Gardner in the outfield, par
ticularly Piniella. who has i'm
pressed everybody although
he's only 10 years old.
Youngsters Bypassed
The fact that Jim Duck
worth. the $500 draft choice.
will be the third pitcher today
is evidence that he seriously is
being considered for a relief
job. Osteen and Stenhouse viii
precede him against the Dodg-
ers.
Some Of the youngsters will
be bypassed for another year.
Vernon indicated that several
of them-Pitchers Carl Middle
dorf and Bob Decker, Catcher
Dalton Renfroe and Outfielder
Wayne Comer-will see little II
any activity in the % exhibi-
ton games.
Some time before the April 8
opening game against Balti-
more, the Senators probably
will pick up a player or two in
a deal.
General Manager George
Selkirk called a meeting last
night Of his top hands. Jack
Sheehan, who scouts the Ma
tional League, the Triple A
teams, plus the Chicago area
schoolboys and collegians when
he has time, was called to the
executive session at Pompano
Beach. Sheehan has been visit
ing camps on the West coast
Of florida.
Meet With SeIkirk
Bucky Harris, Vernon. the
four coaches, George McQuinn
and Bert Thiel also met with
Selkirk to 60 over available tall
ent on the other clubs and set
up scouting tours.
sheehan already has visited
Lakeland twice and will pay an
other visit there early next
week, which may be an indi-
cation that the Senators are
looking to the Tigers for a deal.
Larry Osbourne. who played
first, third and pinch hit for
the Tigers last year. could be
the Senators objective.
Even the Washington pitch
ers are saying the staff Is over
loaded with starters. and most
of them expect q deal at any
time.
Detroit. through service re-
turnees and trades, may have
the toughest time cutting
down 10 28 players Of any club
In the big leagues. The Tigers
have some expendable utility
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