Show vr if to 1 Jf J wc f A J I pj l I i. i F j P J ii r i Backseat D Driving riving By FRANK K BAKER SAKER telegram Sports Editor Despite all the optimism coming from the Bees' Bees spring training camp at Napa Cal this corner would like to get a more mor definite line on the teams team's catching prospects prospects prospects pros pros- before saluting the Salt Lakers as the hottest title tide contenders in the league this year The plight of the Bees behind the plate is another example of how scarce good catching talent is today There has has' been tal talk about the Bees acquiring an experienced receiver Hal the lanky backstop who batted in 40 games last summer was mentioned as a a possible recruit but bUso so far Ray Anderson the converted outfielder is bearing the brunt of the Anderson did a creditable enough job as a relief catcher year and he may have the makings of a great receiver but buthe he is utterly without t experience nce and he he cant can't be expected to learn by hard knocks alone and still keep the club in the thick r of the pennant race t Y Its It's easy to say of course but what the Bees need is a cat catcher her of considerable experience who can really hold up their youthful pitching staff Such a man need not catch catchall t- t I au all tl the time But he could be a steadying influence in the pinches inches and could help train and develop a prospect like Anderson erson J There is the possibility that hat the San Francisco Seals or orsome some some other Pacific Coast league club will vill be cutting such a man loose by the time the Bees get ready to to togo go go into a action tion Or maybe Ray Alves the first baseman can be traded for a more experienced receiver No doubt the Bee management is taking taking some some of these possibilities into consideration for s surely rely it doesn't pr propose pose to gamble on ona a last years year's outfielder as the teams team's string first catcher 1 The ultimate plight of of Alves continues continues' to be a topic of gre great t interest t to Salt Lake fans who liked his colorful hustle about the initial sack last season ran into a prolonged prolonged pro pro- longed batting slump but even that failed to dampen his color- color work And as a result he was one of the most popular players on the team Alves Aives is not quite six feet tall hence he has to do a lot of fancy an maneuvering Y to handle throws which big rangy men like W t Lowe of Boise and Corky Carlson of Twin Falls handled with an almost indifferent style In other words ay wasn't as big a target at first base as she he seemed but he offset this lack of physical advantage with a peppy hustle that won him a lot of favor with the cust cus cus- t ers And he probably had no peer in the league when it came t to t tagging a runner if a throw had pulled him off th the base r Apparently Tom the clubs club's newly acquired playing manager will play first base as he did with Pocatello Pocatello Poca- Poca tello fello last season There was some hope when the Bees ob obtained ai iid d this this' mighty night sl slugger r that h he could be used in r right field This arrangement would have enabled d- d dl the l c Bees to utilize his batting average and still keep Alves Alveson on n first base With Robell s 's s arm a doubtful factor on throws from the garden however it now appears that the new skipp skipper r will play the initial sack while white Alves will ill be used as trading material 4 t 2 It lt is unofficially indicated that Alves may go to W Wenatchee of the the Western International league for Bill whose experience behind the plate may solve the Bee catching problem i All AU this of course helps explain why the Bees went after E Earl fI Owen the Industrial league star Besides being a fleet b ball ball- 11 hawk and a a. a powerful slugger Owen has had considerable experience at first base In fact he play played d the initial sac sack part of the time a few years ago when he was up with the Om Omaha ha club Hence he might prove fine insurance if injury or illness sh d relegate te to the sidelines for a time Earl batted in 24 Industrial league games last year oear car and enjoyed an even more brilliant season in 1938 when Ji turned in some spectacular defensive performances He Heas HeIs jS Is as big and fast and barring injury should still be be active enough nough to prove of real value to the Bees He doesn't plan tb tp sever his employment with a local oil company to play j Ball all alI but butvill vill will probably play on a part time basis His work occupies him only five days a week leaving Saturdays and Sundays open With night games in vogue hell he'll be available avail avail- able ble for midweek games here and at Ogden and could make ie week week- week end nd trips to Twin Falls Pocatello and perhaps Idaho Falls FaUs E Should Owen come through he and Ro should gi giVe th the Bees some needed much d jf punch at the plate Rob Ro Ro- Ro- Ro b bello bIlo Io punched punched- out 58 home runs for Pocatello llo last year yeara a Owen Owe has clo clouted ted some of the longest drives r ves ever eer made made- at Community park He Hes He's s a left-handed left batter aiM none non none too fond of southpaw pitching S 5 F For r all the enthusiasm over some of the new prospects like B Bb b Creighton and Jack Jac Bowen two powerful rl right handed p t hers Fred Moresco shortstop and Ray Perry a third base- base min the team will miss men like Don Trower the infielder Bob Price and Neal Arlett ArIett the outfielders r It is also interesting to note that besides the chaps who whoa whoa a a a playing in other orchards this year that Gene Kiley the erstwhile third sacker with the Bees has shown considerable promise as a reserve outfielder with the Seals this spring I Ie e Despite these departures the Bees will not b be an entirely new nY club this year Holdovers such as Mel Marlowe Alvin ng g Tate and Paul the pitchers and Jphn John Burle- Burle sp outfielder will retain much of the old for the local baseball n fans |