Show Yanks Ready to Win r By GRANTLAND RICE 1 p pEERING into the palms and pines the Casey Stengel of ot 1950 is an entirely different person from the Casey Stengel of ot 1949 19 A year ago at this time we found a bewildered baffled un nn- uncertain certain Yankee manager who ad ad- admitted that ho be knew few lew answers w to any questions 1 I n T Y o 0 1 J T y 1 I n g his team This Is now nowa a anew new Casey Case y The K sun son Is brighter the palms are greener the birds Grantland Rice sing sweeter songs and even the pelicans look more intelligent For Casey's 1950 answer is Bring em along Red Sox and all aU aUthe the rest The Yankees will be set and ready We are far tar better off oU than we were a year ago Casey sey said How do you figure that one out I asked You haven't added a tingle single player I figure It this way Casey said Joe DiMaggio reports In Inthe inthe the best condition In many manT years I never saw or Rizzuto look better Joo Joe Page rage Is aU all set In addition to Mile Allie Reynolds VIo Tommy Byrne Ed Lopat and others we have Bob Dab Porterfield and Frank Shea two of our 1049 1949 wounded back In harness with their band band- bandages bandages bandages ages removed Both Doth expect to tobe tobe tobe be ready In my opinion Casey con con- tinned Reynolds is going to be a leading star this year I mean a great pitcher He could also be a relief pitcher close to Page The big fellow is a fine around all ath ath- lete He was a backfield star at Oklahoma or one of those Oklahoma colleges will be among the best again And I have an idea Tommy Pommy Byrne will soon find where that plate is planted planted and and when he does look out Hes He's got amazing stuff Heres neres another thing Weve We've found out we wc could suffer over 60 wounds and still win Weve We've discovered we could have most of our team on crutches and still win Did you know that Di Dl- DiMaggio DIMaggio Maggio and Derra Berra three of our top lop hitters bitters were only in 19 or 19 or maybe It was games 17 together all season We are bound to have better breaks than we drew last year Lightning cant can't hit the same spot 50 times in a season This means we should have our best men in inaction inaction inaction action far oftener than we had them a year ago That could make a big difference The 1950 Casey may have a afew afew afew few Inner twinges but outward outward- outwardly ly be he fairly exudes confidence lIes lIe's the the only I 1 know of who Is wit ng to admit open open- openly openly ly IT that bo he expects to win The Yankee Bench BenchAt At that thiat moment an look ancient ing pelican lighted for a few min min- minutes minutes minutes utes not so far tar away I only wish I was as half halt as smart as tl that at bird looks look to be be Casey said No one could be that thiat smart In the course of ot punching the bag I asked Casey what he thought was the strongest feature of ot the Yankees last year easy he be said It was our bench We always had a good goodman goodman goodman man ready for tor any an gap ap No other team had a bench that matched ours Outside of first base we had Coleman Rizzuto Brown Bro and Johnson ready for tor our infield Outside of DiMaggio and Henrich we had Bauer Woodling Mapes and Lindell for any vacant spot In our outfield The bench was ready to give us anything we need needed ed ed all all good men too It makes a abig abig abig big difference what sort of at re re- reserves reserves serves you have We had good ones all the time Ume Bauer Bauer Mapes Wood Wood- Woodling ling Brown etc Anything hap hap- happened happened to Berra t Derra-t there Berra-there there re was was Silvera SUvera in 58 games batting Our pitching pitching anything anything hap happened to Reynolds there Reynolds there was Page Anything happened to there thero there was Page Any Any- Anything Anything thing happened to Byrne or Lo to- Lopat pat or Sanford there Sanford there was Page Pae I Oil guess that's our weakest spot Casey finally said Our pitchers had to be relieved too often No Noone Noone Noone one one pitcher should b be yanked out of at the bull hull pen 60 or more times in a season That's almost half halt our games Too many Weve We've got to do something about that wasn't bad that way But I think you'll find tind Reynolds and Byrne will need less help Porterfield is sure he is Js OK and that his arm ligament has healed Shea says he feels fine with all his soreness gone You cant can't ask a pitcher to show you everything the first day of ot the spring season All in all aU Casey concluded We have no alibis and no excuse excuses for tor what happens I think well we'll be better hetter than we were a year ago Dont Don't forget to mention those true words Yankee words Yankee spirit That's whal what won for us a year ago I think II can win again It will be a much tougher league this time |