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Show Yanks Well Equipped CASEY STENGEL, the Professor, was caught in what looked to be deep thought. Naturally, he was thinking about the Yankees, since Casey and the Yankees will be all rolled up together this season. "Our outfield," he remarked, "Is well set. The best. DiMaggio, Hen-rich. Hen-rich. Lindell, Keller and otners. We have a chance for good pitching with Raschi, Por-TJa'"""' Por-TJa'"""' terfield. Reynolds. i She8' Page and " E,,Jjrf ,i few more. E-Stf585!! ' 1 "Catching un- f3i certain. Infield - Ji r can't hit. We've got Js to find greater in- dyv' I field offense more r'Xl I runs battcd ta' We t were far in back of the Indians and Red Grantland Rice Red Sox , that de. partment last year. Far back, as far as the infields are compared." This led to a comparison of the five leading teams. It figured up like this: Cleveland Indians Fine outfield; better infield; best pitching in baseball base-ball plus good catching. Stars such as Boudreau, Gordon, Doby, Mitchell, Mitch-ell, Bearden, Lemon and Feller. Plenty of power. "The Indians shape up as a very tough club to handle," we said. "Is this about right, Professor?" "That is entirely right," Casey said. "A very tough outfit to handle, offensively or defensively. The team to beat If you can." This took ns to the Red Sox. High-class outfield headed by Williams and Dom DiMaggio. Evea better infield with Goodman, Good-man, Docrr, Stephens and Fesky. Ragged, uncertain pitching. pitch-ing. Below Indians, Yankees and Athletics in this respect. What about the Athletics? Fair outfield fair infield. Both below Indians and Red Sox. Pitching high class. Might be better than last year with catching, close to Yankees. What Is the Tigers' ranking? Red Rolfe has a good outfield, terrible infield and first-class pitching. He must Improve the infield, Just as the Yankees must. Kell is a fine ballplayer. Should be better than he was last year. Red Rolfe Is due to become a smart, hustling leader and will get more life and fire Into his squad which has been a dead outfit. Professor Stengel looked over this report. "I guess It's about right," he said "From what I've read and heard, we've got a Job ahpad In handling the Indians and Red Sox. Especially the Indians. In-dians. They are strong everywhere. every-where. "If Bob Feller should happen to have one of his big years one of his 20-game years it might be discouraging. dis-couraging. It will be a tough league this summer. Can you imagine a world-series winner being strengthenedimproved? strength-enedimproved? And quite a bit?" Help from Eill Dickey "We've got plenty to do." Stengel continued. "We may need two or three infield Improvements. This has been a good Infield, defensively, but a poor one offensively. "I'm counting a lot on Bill Dickey. Bill can help our catching a lot. He is a fine teacher a very patient type. He can also help our pitching Our pitching will need a lot of thought and work. Vic Raschi can be a 20-game winner. He has the makings of a star. So has young Bob Porterfield. ' "Now about Shea. I know lot about him. I had him In Portland. Port-land. He did a great Job for aland al-and a big Job for New York In 1917. I think he'll do a big Job again this season. "Dickey will be a big help to all our pitchers. In his old days with the Yankees he was a marvel with young pitchers. He knew how to keep them calm and cool. Pitchers like Atlcy Donald who could win 10 or 12 straight. "We'll have to get the best from every pitcher we've got. If we do, it will make a killing difference. I know they've got plenty." Dickey should be able to bring quick aid to a valuable piece of baseball property known as Yogi Berra. Yogi Is a natural hitter better bet-ter than' .300, and long range to boot. He has a good arm but doesn't know how to throw to second. He can be made into a better outfielder out-fielder than he Is. The Yogi Is a fine competitor, more than willing to learn. Stengel has another badly -underrated ballplayer In Johnny I.lndell. He I better than a .300 hitter who ran alo hit the big an r the long one. He Is a gnnd ou'flrMer with a gnnd arm. lie ran play first. And he could be a urful pltehrr, which he once was. Lindell Is one of the best all around athlrtrs In the game. He Is also one of the best all-around ball players a ballplayer the Yankees, fnr some reason, have never given his full due. |
