Show to TM leaves are just to turn red and gold the baseball campaign is over but the surest sign of the end Is the clarion call that rings across the landscape wait till next year what about next year what can be done over a winter to make the white sox cubs phillies Phil lles reds browns and tigers look vaguely like major league lea gue teams who Is go ing to whittle those killing margins ot of 35 and 40 games away from the teams at the top DI DIMAGGIO MAGGIO the gaps in the american league especially are worse than disgraceful some of the american league teams wouldn t run 12 3 in several of the stronger minor leagues they are parasites willing to live off the money they draw from better teams but not willing to spend important cash to keep in the race the second division of the na dional league has tar far better ball players than the second division of the american at least such teams as the phillies and the reds made attempts to get better ballplayers suc such h as richie ashburn hank sauer virgil stallcup and others both teams should have finished better than they did it has been something of a shock to see chicago with two clubs crawling along in the mire offering a stout defense for the two cellar championships both cubs an and white dWhIte so sox soc c have been terrible all the year washington has been a joke it Is hardly a good minor league outfit all teams need talent every team in the league will need new talent they all need pitchers especially pitchers who know in what county the home plate is located the braves need outfield speed and outfield arms the red sox need four or five good depend able pitchers there is a heavy deficit in catchers the crop Is running thin there is a definite need for better physical conditioning few ball players know what real condition means this goes for legs and arms the pirates proved what smart management and a sack full of doubloons could do in a year from a tie for last place up to a hot spot in pennant contention A smart aggressive front office can make a big difference A stupid timid front office aali wreck any team and there are more than a few of the latter brand now operating yon you can look at he the standing of the clubs and at least guess who most of them are well we U take up the case of the american league first yankees first of all the yan you kees cees need bucky harris har harris ris has been one of the best in the game it would be a baseball crime to let him go an act of complete stupid ity after this the yankees need infield and pitching help badly at least two harder hitting infielders and at least two new dependable pitchers their outfield is high grade but their catching isn t any too hot and joe dimaggio is getting no younger pitchers for red sox red sox at least three good pitchers in addition to the crop they have which has been forced to depend on red sox hitting pow er even two good additional pitch ers would be enough indians less than any other american league club the indians can use some outfield help one more infielder er and another good pitcher athletics just about double the speed they now have far too slow joost and majeski hardly likely to repeat 1948 s brilliant play tigers the biggest disappoint ment in baseball still have a fine pitching staff someone should clean out most of the others by sales and trades club spirit poor present squad is going nowhere browns white sox senators browns much the best of these derelicts they have some good ballplayers white sox and senators will need heavy cash and several years to reach even partial respectability they will likely corll continue nue to be clinging parasites living on the rest of the league practically beyond all hope for a long time to come here are a few national league s needs for 1949 the braves more outfield speed and better throwing arms pitching help to relieve sam and spahn two workmen at least two new dependable pitchers needed badly the dodgers they were easily the best team in the league this season by six or seven games just seep what they have and use it which brooklyn didn dian t 0 o this season |