Show I isn Boston Hopes Max Mx May MayBe Be e Fourth Man Mn on Pitching Staff I I By Jack Hand Handi i BRADENTON Fla March 1 27 AP Ap The The Fourth Man Ian is the theme of the 1951 Boston Braves Finding the fourth pitcher to back up Johnny Sam Sain Warren Spahn and Vern Bickford is manager Billy Southworth's orth's main problem Max lax chunky right right- hander handel looks like the tie answer i The year old veteran came up from Crom Sacramento last August to finish with a 52 5 record With a aI I little luck luek he could have won all seven Southworth just missed the embarrassment of having three I game 20 winners and finishing fourth last season eason He lIe finished fourth nil all right but Bickford never ne joined Sa Sain in 2013 20 and Spahn 21 17 in the 20 club Bick hovered on the edge with No lID 19 Labor day week Six times he heI I missed and finished up 19 1914 The Braves look too much like the 1950 club that faltered in the I stretch to rate serious pennant consideration Pitching should beI be bo 1 I improved but the key second baseman still is lacking The outfield remains a problem i Well be in the first division someplace said Southworth New York Brooklyn Philadelphia Philadelphia Philadelphia Philadel Philadel- phia and St. St Louis are lre the other strong teams in the league Southworth expects first baseman baseman baseman base base- man Earl to have his best season The bespectacled bespectacled bespectacled Brave developed into a power hitter hilter last year ear lie came south with some sonic extra weight that should help him hum during the season-long season grind Bob Elliott the teams team's clutch hitter is a third base fixture fixture fixture fix fix- ture and clean up man Sid Gordon Gordon Gordon Gor Gor- don 30 t left field and occasional occasional occasional occa occa- third base fill in 0 and catcher Walker Cooper provide the rest of oC the long distance distance distance dis dis- tance power Second Base Second base probably will be betaken betaken taken care of oC by Roy Hartsfield 2 77 who showed definite fielding fielding fielding field field- ing shortcomings last year Roy a good hitter has trouble making making making mak mak- I ing the double play Sibby Sisti has he been en getting a whack at al the job in exhibitions Shortstop has been a battlefield battlefield battle battle- field between Buddy Kerr weak hitting but hut slick fielding incumbent and rookie Johnny Lo Logan an who hit at J I kec kee Logan impressed ed in the early games but the experienced Kerr may play get the ball Gene Mauch l will be held in reserve reserve reserve re re- re- re serve for short second and third The outfield probably will be Gordon in left Sam Jethroe in center and W Willard Marshall Marshall Mar Mar- shall in n right with Luis Marquez hitter at Portland Bob Addis at Milwaukee 1 and Ben Thorpe at Atlanta or Luis Olmo in reserve Six will stay New Confidence Jethroe shows new confidence after winning the 1950 rookie of the year award He lIe seems more at home his teammates Marquez l got off slowly but started to hit flit in recent games Marshall 1 flopped badly last year after much had been expected expected expected ex ex- of the former New York Giant He lie will get et every chance to regain his old form forth as a hitter hilter The Braves figure to have better better bet bet- ter tel catching with Cooper available available avail avail- able all year lIe He has a fine season after Cincinnati traded him hirn to Boston Boston for Conn Connie e Ryan Hyan May Jay 10 Del Crandall the highly touted kid of last year is in the army So is the bonus pitcher Johnny AntonellI |