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Show Pie Traynor Pessimistic Over Pittsburgh Chances Of Copping 1939 Pennant By ROBERT BITERS ' ' ' ' SAN BERNARDINO, Cal, March 20 (AP) The Pittsburgh Pirates, having a little difficulty breaking into the win column in exhibition garnet, came back to their training lite today to meet the Chicago White Sox, who have, been having rough sledding sled-ding in the spring practice affairs, too. Harold J. (Pit) Traynor, managsi f the Pirates, isn't too concerned about theej setbacks, but ha admit- tedly will spend sleepless nights until hs can plug up the main weakness of his club meaning ths pitching department. de-partment. Traynor divulged di-vulged that be has lines out to beg, buy or otherwise appropriate a com- but until deals of this kind go through, hs is rather nessimestic ' kL5 l bout ths Pirate Traynor chances in ths National league this season. The ex-brilliant inflelder, going into his sixth year as boss man of the Pirates, seems well satisfied and appears to be well fixed with the rest of the organisation. There are two notable absentees from ths 138 ranks, and it Is on ths shoulders of these two, as much as anything else, that Traynor .places the blame for the fold-up of Pittsburgh in the closing stages of last yesr's fight with Chicago's Cuba Paul (Big Poison) Wsner apparently ap-parently is lost from right field, and Al Todd la gons from ths catching catch-ing Job. Traynor vows hs won't miss either one, and goes farther than that He gave strong Intimation he was glsd they were gone Waner as a bold-out Todd traded to Boston in exohange for Catcher Ray Mueller. Bell Hit .227 In Wansr's place ha hss Heinle Manush and Fern BelL Bell, who hit 3X1 with Louisvills hut year, lost the game against the Cubs in Los Angeles yesterday when he let Ripper Collins' liner go through . him, but hs's a better fielder than that would Indicate; better, doubtless, doubt-less, than ths aging Waner, who contributed several highly important impor-tant bobbies last year. Lloyd (Little Poison) Wansr remains re-mains in center, and the left field berth is taken cars of by bard-hitting Johnny Rixse, who batted .201 In his first year In the majors last season, including 24 booming homers. Traynor has no squawk 'with his infield of Gus Suhr at first Psp Young at second, Lss Handiey at third and slugging Arky Vaughn at ahort Bill Brubaker will be on hand for utility service. Mueller will be the regular catcher, catch-er, backed up by Ray Berres and a rookie, George Susce. Traynor has eeveral other promising recruits. Including Outfielder Bob Elliott from Savannah of the South Atlantic Atlan-tic league, where he batted .823; Outfielder Van R obeys from Knox-vi Knox-vi lie, and Inflelder Johnny Juelich from Rochester. Tobln, Baoers Tops Traynor Intimated hs might uss some of this talent or possibly someone else, in getting bold of a pitcher or two. He spoke glowingly of ths wealth of pitchers with Cincinnati, Cin-cinnati, and it may be he has an eye on this camp for a deal. Aa things stand now, however, be rates Russ Bauers and Jim Tobln as "ths only two pitchers I've got," which Isn't very complimentary to the rest of the staff. His verdict might have the effect of stirring ths Cy Blantona, Bill Swifts, Macs Browns, st al, into regaining ths mound power they once displayed. Ths easy-going Pie seldom cuts loose in public on his men, hut it is a fact that some ef the trusted 1st him down last year. "If I can Just gst a couple of pitchers, and I mean pitchers, we'll be right in there," said Traynor. "Otherwise, the outlook lent very bright" |