Show I Yanks Ready to Win By By GRANTLAND RICE RICE- PEERING into the palms and pines the Casey Stengel of 1050 1950 is an entirely different person from the Casey Stengel of 1049 1949 A year ago at this time we found lound a bewildered baffled uncertain uncertain uncertain un- un certain Yankee manager who admitted admitted ad ad- that he be knew few lew answers to any questions 5 I Involving n v 0 Iv n It his bis t team This Is la now nowa a new Casey Caley The Therun run gun Is brighter the palms are greener the birds Grantland Rice sing sweeter songs longs and even the pelicans look more Intelligent For Casey's 1050 1950 answer is Bring em along Red Sox and all the rest The Yankees will be set and ready We are far better bettel off oft than we were a year ago Casey said How do you you figure that one out 1 asked You haven't added a single prayer player I OIl 1 figure It this way Casey said laid Joe DIMaggio reports In Inthe Inthe Inthe the best condition in many years I 1 never saw or Rizzuto look better Joe rage Page Is all set In addition to Allie Reynolds Via Tommy Byrne Ed Lopat and others we have Dob Bob Porterfield and Frank Shea two of our 19 1949 19 wounded back In harness with their bandages bandages band band- ages age removed Both expect to tobe tobe tobe be ready In Id my opinion Casey continued continued con con- Reynolds is going to be a leading star this year I mean a great pitcher He could also be a relief pitcher close to Page The big fellow is a fine all around all around ath ath- lete He lie was a backfield star at Oklahoma or one of those Oklahoma colleges will be among the best again And I have an idea Tommy Byrne Dyme will soon find where wheN that plate is planted planted and and when he does look out lies lie's got amazing stuff Heres another thing Weve We've found out we could suffer suller over 60 wounds wound and still win Weve We've discovered we could have most of our team on crutches and still aUlI win Did you know that DI Dl- Maggio and Berra Derra three of our top hitters were only In 19 or 19 or maybe It was 1 games 17 together all ail season We are bound to have better breaks than we drew last year Lightning cant can't hit the same spot 60 times In a season This means we should have our best men in inaction inaction i action far tar oftener than we had them I a year ago That could make a big difference The 1950 Casey may have a afew afew few lew inner twinges but outwardly outward outward- ly he fairly exudes exude confidence lIes lIe's the only manager I know of 01 who Is I. willing Milling to admit openly openly openly open open- ly that he expects to win The Yankee Bench BenchAt At that moment an look ancient looking look look- ing pelican lighted for a few minutes minutes minutes min min- utes not so far fal away I only wish I was half as smart as that bird looks to be Casey said No one could be that smart In the course of punching the bag I asked Casey what he thought was the strongest feature of the Yankees last year easy he said It was our bench We always had a good goodman goodman goodman man ready for any gap No other team had a bench that matched ours Outside of first base we had Coleman Rizzuto Brown Drown and Johnson ready for our Infield Outside of DIMaggio and Henrich we had Bauer Woodling Mapes Mape and Lindell for any vacant spot in our outfield The bench was ready to give us anything we needed need need- ed ed all all good men too It makes a abig abig abig big difference what sort of reserves reserves re N- re- re serves you have We had good ones all the time time Bauer Bauer Mapes Woodling Woodling Woodling Wood- Wood ling Brown etc Anything happened happened hap hap- to Berra there Berra-there there was Silvera In 58 games batting Our pitching pitching anything anything happened happened hap hap- to Reynolds Reynolds there there was Page rage Anything happened to there there was rage Page Anything Anything Any Any- thing happened to Byrne or Lopat Lopat Lopat Lo Lo- Lo- Lo pat or Sanford there Sanford there was Page I guess that's our weakest spot Casey finally said Our pitchers had to be relieved too often No Noone Noone Noone one pitcher should be bo yanked out of the bull buU pen 60 80 or more times in a season That's almost halt hall our games Too many Weve We've got to do something about that wasn't bad that way But I think you'll find Reynolds and Byrne will need less help Porterfield is sure he is OK and that his arm ligament has healed Shea says he feels fine tine with willi all his soreness gone You cant can't ask a pitcher to show you everything he first day of the spring season All in all all Casey concluded We have no alibis and no excuses for tor what happens I 1 think well we'll be better than we were a year ago Dont Don't forget to mention those two words Yankee words Yankee spirit That's what won for us a year ago I 1 think Itcan it itcan itcan can win again It will be a much tougher league this time |