Show II Figgers Lie in Merle Shea's Case By BILLY EVANS In these days of frenzied finance In baseball the outlay of a mere for a ball ban player Is simply pin money stuff However It is a lot of filthy lucre to try to save from what you snitch out of ot the weekly pay envelope before before be be- fore tore handing it over to the missus When I visited the Detroit Tigers at San Antonio Manager George Moriarty had as one of his problems problems lems hems the decision as to 10 whether or 01 not Catcher Merle Shea Shoo was worth that amount of money Last season Shea Shell played with the Sacramento club of the Pacific I Coast league Figures in baseball do not always tel the true worth of a player If It they did one would have ve a hard time teaching i the conclusion conclusion conclusion con con- that Shea was worth the ex expenditure ox- ox of 40 grand The batting averages reveal that in four fifty-four games be he hit for the rather scant average of Inthe Inthe In Inthe the field he was No 20 In the list of ot catchers N Not t much to enthuse over If baseball scouts picked major league prospects from mere figures I SlIce Shea would have had a tough tough time time making an an Impression on the basis hasis of his last years year's showing On the contrary contral figures pla play avery avery a avery very minor part pait in the deductions of a big league scout He draws i his conclusions almost entirely from rom personal observation Every scout has a big league standard and the chances of ot a player to get a a. trial depend on how closely he measures up tip to the scouts scout's requirements Merle Meile Shea looked sp sl good to one of the Detroit Ivory hunters that he Informed Owner Frank NavIn that the tile Sacramento backstop was worth orth a a. gamble Making l decisions on ballplayers ball bail ballplayers players Is simply one of the many in the life of a major league manager It is my belief bellef that George Moriarty pilot of the Tigers will instruct Owner Navin to pa pay over that amount for Shea lIes Hes a great looking prospect was Moriarty's reply when I asked him about Shea Looks as If It he would surely stick with the Tigers I 1 like lute his style He lIe has one o othe of the greatest throwing arms I have hOve line tine of I a n. ever ver seen He lIe keeps up conversation that takes you back to the old da days clays rs when whim every great catcher was vas a pepper The Tile chattering catcher who can also think is a great groat asset to a n. ball bail club The question was raised as to whether or 01 not Shea would make y l l k tf i I II v much headway against major league pitching in the role of batter What Shea Is able to do as a better batter Is giving me no concern said Moriarty That is the least of my ray thoughts in sizing him u up There ne er was a 1 more valuable catcher than Ray nay Schalk Schall and his major league batting average e is only about All AH of or which makes males it seem Detroit Detroit De Do- troit will wiil shortly turn over ov r for a catcher who boasts no great minor league record Figgers often ofte lie lle in baseball A |