Salt Lake Telegram | 1941-01-15 | Page 14 | A's Likely to Keep Same Post

"A's Likely To Keep Same Post By GEORGE KIRKSEY NEW YORK, Jan. 15 (UP) For the last six years the Philadelphia Athletics have been the most consistent con-sistent club In the American league. That's why they are quite likely to finish last again In 1941. From 1935 through 1940 the Athletics' victories have ranged between 53 and 58 each season. Their top percentage has been .389 and their low .346 during that period. Four times they've finished fin-ished eighth and -twice seventh. Cleans House There's nothing In the 1941 Philadelphia material to indicate the A't are going any place this season. Connie Mack has done a bit of houseclcaning, getting rid of such players as Bill Lillard, Joe Gantenbein, Al Rubeling, Bill Nagle, George Caster, Ed Heusser, Eric Tipton and Dario Lodigianl, but his replacements aren't any-thing any-thing to write home about. Perhaps the best of the newcomers new-comers is Pete Suder, a 23-year-old third baseman who hit .301 for the Binghamton Eastern league club. He is expected to take over the hot corner, where four men failed last season. Eddie Ed-die Collins Jr., son of the great Athletics-White Sox second baseman, base-man, comes up from Baltimore to bid for a berth in the outfield. The best of the other rookies are two right-handed pitchers from Toronto, Phil Marchildon and Lester McCrabb. Marchildon won 10 and lost 13 and McCrabb won 9 and lost 11. Probable Infield The A'i Infield is likely to line up with Dick Siebert at first. Benny McCoy at second, Fred Chapman or Al Brancato at short and rookie Pete Suder at third. Mack believes McCoy will be a better ball player this season with the pressure off. If he doesn't improve, bis job Is likely to go to Crash Davis, who came up last season from Duke university. If Suder fails at third, the only other third sacker available is Bob Kahle from Hollywood. Last year's outfield of Bob Johnson in left, Sam Chapman in center and Wally Moses in right probably will remain intact, since it's the best department oh the club. The replacements will be Dee Miles, rookie Collins and the vet Al Simmons, who also serves as a coach. The A's three best pitchers last season were Johnny Babich, Bill Beckman and Nelson Potter. That trio is likely to do the A'i best pitching again this season, with some help from Chubby Dean. Other Hurler Herman Besse, who came up from Memphis last season highly touted, also is expected to come around. Jack Knott, who came to the A's from the White Sox In the Dario Lodigianl deal, also 1 counted on in the pitching pic-tune. Two other holdovers are Lee Ross and Porter Vaughn. Others who will bid for berth besides the two Toronto rookies, Marchildon and McCrabb, are Lumen Lu-men Harris from Atlanta, Ranking Rank-ing Johnson from Midland (East Texas league) and Tom Ferrick. who was signed last fall after he had pitched a fine same for the Brooklyn BushwicRs against Bucky Wallers' all-stars. Frankie Hayes will do the bulk of the ratchln again. Hal Wagner Wag-ner will be the No. 2 man and the veteran Earl Brucker the third-stringer.