BOSTON
BEACONS

BROOKLYN
SUPERBAS

2B
SS
1B
CF
3B
C
LF
RF

SP
SP
SP
SP
CL

Jim Gilliam
Pee Wee Reese
Earl Torgeson
Mickey Mantle
Eddie Mathews
Bruce Edwards
Jim Delsing
Johnny Lindell

Warren Spahn
Fred Hutchinson
Harvey Haddix
Frank Hiller
Hank Borowy

IN: SP Fred Hutchinson, SS Pee Wee Reese, LF Jim Delsing, CF Johnny Lindell, CL Walt Masterson, MR Ernie Johnson
OUT: LF Gus Zernial, SP Ned Garver, MR Jackie Collum, RF Cal Abrams, RF Gene Hermanski, C Clyde McCullough, 1B "Suitcase" Simpson, MR Ray Moore
HOT SPRINGS: CF Mickey Mantle (more power, better eye), 3B Eddie Mathews (better batting, more power, better eye), SS Harvey Kuenn (better eye), CL Leo Kiely (good pitching sessions), 3B Reno Bertoia (better batting, more power), SP Arnie Portocarrero (good pitching sessions)
OUTLOOK: Don't expect a big improvement over last year's 68-86 performance.  The Beacons made some notable changes, none of which significantly addressed the club's two main weaknesses: poor pitching and a lack of power.
   Boston finally moved Gus Zernial, whom they had been shopping for a couple years, and replaced Ned Garver with veteran starter Fred Hutchinson, who should help stabilize the Beacon rotation.  But the addition of Pee Wee Reese was both pricey and unnecessary, with Harvey Kuenn (former batting champion and two-time Gold Glove) entering his prime years.  The addition of Jim Delsing and Johnny Lindell gives Boston one of the best defensive outfields in the league, addressing one sore spot, the second-most 148 errors.
   The club did little to address an aging and lackluster pitching staff that gave up more runs than any team but Louisville and Detroit.  Hutchinson was a good addition.  He had another solid year with 15 wins and a 3.55 ERA, but relievers Walt Masterson and Ernie Johnson are both gambles.  Masterson, 33, has a career line of 6-9, 4.95, but will get $2.3 million for three years; and Johnson never had an ERA under 6.00 until last year, when he posted a 2.60 ERA in 17 innings.  Meanwhile, Qualls will try Hank Borowy, age 37 and with a career total of 3 saves, in the closer role.
   Qualls is hoping his developing young bats will improve on last year's league-worst offense, but barring monster years up and down the lineup, don't expect the Beacons to emerge from the second division.

IN: 3B Eddie Yost, 2B Connie Ryan, MR Jackie Collum
OUT: SP Fred Hutchinson, 2B Johnny Pesky, 2B Danny O'Connell, MR Bob Kuzava, CL Walt Masterson
HOT SPRINGS: 1B Norm Zauchin (better batting), MR Bob Grim (more velocity), SP Curt Simmons (good pitching sessions), SP Paul Foytack (good pitching sessions, more velocity, better control)
OUTLOOK:  This is a rebuilding year for the Superbas, in more ways than one.  There is a youth movement under foot in the pitching ranks, though there are few changes where the offense is concerned.
   The Superbas will open a new ballpark this year -- "The Frank" -- and have begun to piece together a staff that compliments its pitcher-friendly waterfront confines.  With the departure of Fred Hutchinson, 24-year-old Gene Conley, the highest rated prospect in the league, will enter the rotation.  Lefty reliever Jackie Collum was acquired in the Hutch trade and adds depth to a struggling bullpen.  Finally, last year's #1 draft pick Bob Purkey is poised to see some big league action this year.
   The Brooks lost two second basemen to the expansion draft: veteran Johnny Pesky and emerging star Danny O'Connell.  The platoon combo of Pete Runnels and newly acquired Connie Ryan will hold down the spot this year.  Third sacker Eddie  Yost joins the club from the crosstown Gothams.  The "Walking Man" had a dismal 1954 (.214-6-27 in 114 games) after three productive years in the Bronx.  
   The club's defense looks weak, particularly the infield, but the club's improvement (74-80) hinges squarely on the development of their young pitchers, and their adaptation to the new venue.

CHICAGO
COLTS

DETROIT
SOUND

IN: LF Gus Zernial, 2B Johnny Pesky, CF Bill Virdon*, SP Early Wynn, SP Ken Raffensberger, MR Gordon Jones, CL Barney Schultz*
OUT: SS Pee Wee Reese, SP Saul Rogovin, LF Jim Delsing, 2B Connie Ryan, CF Johnny Lindell, MR Willard Schmidt, RF Wally Westlake, 1B Eddie Robinson
HOT SPRINGS: RF Gus Bell (better batting, more power, better eye), CF Bill Virdon (more power, better eye), 1B "Marvelous" Marv Throneberry (better batting, more power), SP Camilo Pascual (better control)
OUTLOOK: The Colts may be the most improved club, having added no fewer than seven new players to their roster, while losing mostly older players who were past their prime.
   The biggest addition was slugging LF Gus  Zernial, who hammered out 112 home runs in four seasons in Boston.  "Ozark Ike" will join Gus Bell (.309-20-67), fresh of a career year and a red-hot spring, and rookie CF Bill Virdon, 23, a good hitter with tremendous range and good speed.
   The Horsies also added a pair of veteran pitchers: Early "Gus" Wynn, who won 17 games last year and is most famous for pitching the UL's first no-hitter on July 27, 1953; and 36-year-old lefthander Ken Raffensberger (13-13, 3.70), who slowed down a bit last year with St. Louis, but managed to post his best ERA in four UL seasons.
   Finally, in addition to Virdon, the Colts will  debut two more rookies in key roles this April.  Cuban sensation Camilo Pascual, 21, joins  the rotation, and second round pick Barney Schultz, 28, gets the closer job ahead of the aging Joe Ostrowski.

IN: 2B Lou Klein
OUT: 2B Jerry Priddy, RF Willard Marshall, MR George Zuverink
HOT SPRINGS: SP Pedro Ramos (good pitching sessions), SP Joey Jay (good pitching sessions), 2B Ted Kazanski (more power), 1B Joe Cunningham (better batting, more power, better eye), CF Lee Walls (more power, better eye), RF Gene "Dead Guy" Stephens (more deceased, more power)
OUTLOOK: Were it not for expansion, Detroit fans would currently be salivating over Vic Wertz and Roberto Clemente in their starting lineup. But expansion meant that the Sound picked third in each draft, instead of first, and the club came away from the Reentry Draft essentially  empty-handed.
   No team did less to shore up its expansion draft losses than Detroit.  First round pick Bob Kelly, a cup-of-coffee reliever from Chicago, will open the season in Milwaukee, and while shortstop Lou Klein is a marginal improvement over Fred Marsh, at 35, he figures to be a short-term investment.
   Of bigger concern for Detroit fans was the careless omission of 2B Jerry Priddy (.313-3-73) and RF Willard Marshall (.268-17-90) from the protected list.  Both players had breakthrough years -- Priddy even took home a Gold Glove -- and were rewarded by being shipped off to San Francisco in the expansion draft.
   Detroit's saving grace may be that LF Dusty Rhodes is ready to contribute as a full time starter, and 2B Davey Williams should replace Priddy's bat, if  not his glove.
   Overall, expect to see Detroit at or near the bottom of the standings again this year, and near the top of the draft order again next year.

LOS ANGELES
OUTLAWS

LOUISVILLE
COLONELS

IN: C Roy Campanella, 3B Willie Jones, RF Cal Abrams, SP Art Houtteman, CL Ray Narleski, RF Roberto Clemente*
OUT: none
HOT SPRINGS: CF Bill Tuttle (better batting, better eye), MR Ray Crone (good pitching sessions, better control), RF Roberto Clemente (more power), RF Jim King (better  batting), C Gus Triandos (more power), SP Johnny Kucks (good pitching sessions, better control), MR Ed Roebuck (more velocity), 1B Gail Harris (more power)
OUTLOOK: The Outlaws look the stronger of the two expansion teams, and could find themselves in the middle of the pack, with a fairly strong pitching staff supporting a sub-par offense.
   GM Chris McCreight invested heavily in relief pitching, with closer Ray Narleski, righthander Joe Black, and lefty Bob "Sarge" Kuzava leading the bullpen corps.  The starting rotation is composed of older pitchers and failed 'projects'.  Saul Rogovin and Don Newcombe were lifted off Chicago, and together will eat about $15 million in payroll, though finances shouldn't be much of an issue in a baseball-starved metropolis and a 90,000-seat Memorial Coliseum.
   Los Angeles assembled a solid defensive infield (Jones, Strickland, Avila, Long), but don't expect a scoring machine, as only Campy and "Puddin Head" Jones surpassed 10 HR and 50 RBI last year.
   Overall, the Outlaws have enough talent to avoid the cellar and could well find themselves near .500.

IN: RF Hank Aaron*, CF Al Kaline*?
OUT: 1B Joe Collins, SP Art Houtteman, SP Ray Herbert, SS Solly Hemus, SP Hal Brown, 2B Lou Klein, SP Ruben Gomez, MR Monte Kennedy
HOT SPRINGS: CF Al Kaline (more power), 1B Bill Skowron (more power), SS Wayne Causey (good batting (better  batting, better eye), 2B Dick Schofield (better batting, more power, better eye), RF Wally Post (better batting, more power, better eye), C Ed Bailey (more power), C Harry Chiti (better batting), SP Vinegar Bend Mizell (more velocity, better control)
OUTLOOK: For a team that lost five starting pitchers to the expansion draft, Louisville's rotation looks surprisingly strong.  Herm Wehmeier (9-6, 3.51) and Johnny Antonelli (13-11, 4.13) are poised to have breakout years.  Strikeout artist "Toothpick" Sam Jones fills the #3 slot, and GM Mark Allen is hoping a full year in the minors will get franchise man Mickey McDermott's career back on track.  The bullpen is still 'the land of bloated ERAs,' starting with closer Tom "Plowboy" Morgan (6-10, 6.80, 17 SV).
   The most significant position player lost to expansion was 1B Joe Collins, whose 21 HR and 71 RBI will be hard to replace, though Bill Skowron, this year's fifth overall pick, may be just the man for the job.  The most exciting new player will be Hank Aaron, last year's first overall pick, who gets the right fielder job after batting .302 with 40 doubles and 60 RBI in Pittsburgh (AAA) last year.  "Moose" and "Hammer" address Louisville's chronic lack of power hitters.
   This year's Colonels are improved, and should break the franchise record of 70 wins and further distance themselves from the league cellar.

NEW YORK
GOTHAMS

ST. LOUIS
MAROONS

IN: 3B Ray Boone, SP Frank Lary*
OUT: 1B Vic Wertz, LF Frank Thomas, SP Early Wynn, SP Ewell Blackwell, 3B Eddie Yost, 1B Dale Long, C Joe Astroth, 3B Bobby Brown
HOT SPRINGS: SP Mike Fornieles (good pitching sessions), SS Roy McMillan (more power, better eye), SP Frank "Mule" Lary (good pitching sessions, better control), MR Chet Nichols (good pitching sessions), SP Art Ditmar (more velocity, more control), 3B Gene "Augie" Freese (more power), CF Bobby Del Greco (better batting, better eye), C Hobie Landrith (more power), SP Tom Poholsky (more velocity), 1B Wally Moon (more power, better eye), MR Ramon Monzant (more velocity), 2B Ted Lepcio (better batting, better eye), SS Milt Bolling (better eye), SS Billy Consolo (better eye)
OUTLOOK: New York lost half of its rotation and two of its best hitters, but is hopeful that it can adequately fill the gaps created by the turmoil of expansion.
   Ewell Blackwell and Early Wynn, who each won 17 games last year, will be replaced in the rotation by Bubba Church, who had a heavenly 3.05 ERA in 14 starts, and Bob "Warrior" Friend, fresh off a career-best 4.15 ERA in relief role last year.  Billy Loes will also return, after spending all of last year with AAA Cleveland, where he excelled (12-6, 2.92).
   Like Priddy and Marshall in Detroit, LF Frank Thomas and 1B Vic Wertz had their best seasons last year and were rewarded by being released.  Thomas was lost to the expansion Spiders, while Wertz' contract lapsed, making him the cream of the Reentry crop.  In their place, Carrington will install veteran bench jockey Pat Mullin in left and rookie Wally Moon at first.  The infield around four-time All-Star Jackie Robinson has completely changed this year.  In addition to Moon, third baseman Sibby Sisti and shortstop Billy Martin will have starting roles.
   The loss of four key players will be difficult to overcome, and New York  will be hard-pressed to match last year's franchise record 85 wins.  The Gothams will need big years from its young starters to avoid sagging below .500.

IN: SP Steve Gromek, 2B Danny O'Connell, C Clyde McCullough
OUT: SP Ken Raffensberger, RF Del Ennis, CL Ray Narleski, MR Gordon Jones, MR Johnny Klippstein, CL Steve Ridzik
HOT SPRINGS: SP Chuck Stobbs (good pitching sessions, better control), SP Vern Law (good pitching sessions), C Del Crandall (better batting, more power, better eye), MR Billy Hoeft (good pitching sessions, more velocity, better control), 3B Andy Carey (better batting, better eye), RF Faye Throneberry (better batting, more power), MR George Susce (better control)
OUTLOOK: St. Louis made some radical moves in the offseason, with the goal of finally dethroning the Washington dynasty.
   The offseason blockbuster that sent All-Star catcher Roy Campanella to Los Angeles also turned the St. Louis rotation into perhaps the finest in the league, with two Cy Young winners (Pierce and Zoldak) buttressed by four-time All-Star Steve Gromek, who led the league with 27 wins last year.   The Maroons bullpen was decimated by the expansion draft and the trade of young closer Ray Narleski, and the shift of Spec Shea to bullpen duty and the introduction of rookie Roy Face in the closer role are areas to watch.
   Offensively, St. Louis  the most prolific offense last year, and despite the loss of Campy, the Maroons still pack considerable punch, despite four new faces in the lineup.  Dick Kokos, the sleeping giant, will play  full time in right field, despite a .171 average in 50 games last year. Del Crandall had a great spring and should be a solid replacement at catcher. Newcomer Danny O'Connell will split 2B duties with Eddie Stanky. And rookie Hector Lopez, one of the sleeper picks of the draft, will bypass the minors to fill "Puddin Head" Jones' shoes at the hot corner.
   Overall, the Maroons look poised to make their strongest pennant challenge since '51.

SAN FRANCISCO
SPIDERS

WASHINGTON
MONUMENTS

IN: 1B Vic Wertz, LF Frank Thomas, 2B Jerry Priddy, RF Willard Marshall, SP Ewell Blackwell, 3B Ken Boyer*
OUT: none
HOT SPRINGS: SP Bob Turley (good pitching sessions, more velocity), SP Ron Kline (good pitching sessions), LF Dick Williams (better eye), LF Frank Thomas (better batting, more power, better eye), 3B Ken Boyer (more power), SP Tom "Smoke" Sturdivant (good pitching sessions), C Hal Smith (better batting, better eye)
OUTLOOK: Unlike Los Angeles, the Spiders went heavily offensive with their draft strategy, picking up a quartet of sluggers: Vic Wertz (.295-29-95), Frank Thomas (.281-17-94), Willard Marshall (.268-17-90), and Joe Collins (.287-21-71).  But the flip side of the coin is a pitching staff full of question marks.  Aside from ace Ewell Blackwell (17-5, 4.44), not a single pitcher won more than 6 games, and even that was Ned Garver, who was 6-15, 5.71.  The Spiders do have some good pitching prospects in the pipeline, and it's not inconceivable that even some Louisville rejects might turn their careers around in the City by the Bay.
   New GM John Nellis inherits not only Mark Cooley's players, but also his mistakes, foremost of which are passing over Steve Gromek in the expansion draft and overstocking first base with two starter-quality players (Collins and Wertz).  The club certainly should have no problems scoring runs, but will need to score plenty to overcome its pitching deficiencies and avoid a finish near the bottom of the league.

IN: CL Ted Abernathy*, RF Wally Westlake
OUT: SP Steve Gromek, MR Ernie Johnson, SP Erv Palica, MR Joe Black
HOT SPRINGS: CF Willie "Say Hey" Mays (more power, better eye), RF Jimmy Piersall (better eye), MR Ted Abernathy (good pitching sessions, more velocity), RF Roman Mejias (more power, better eye), 3B Don Zimmer (better batting, more power), LF Bob Skinner (better batting), SS Dick Groat (better eye), C Hank Foiles (better batting, more power)
OUTLOOK: The expansion draft finally broke up the 'Terrific Trio' of Miller-Jansen-Gromek, aside from Gromek, the Monuments were virtually unaffected by the expansion draft, losing mostly minor leaguers.
   GM Jay Kaplan expects Carl Erskine and rookie Don Larsen to fill the gap created by Gromek's departure.  "Oisk" was 14-13 as a fourth starter in his rookie campaign last year, and will move up a spot.  Larsen, 25, had a tremendous two years at AAA Baltimore, with a 24-10 record and 2.55 ERA in 45 starts.  The Mons did lose Joe Black and Ernie Johnson, but will add rookie righthandder Ted Abernathy this year to compliment All-Star closer Frank Smith.
   Willie Mays continues to develop into a superstar after another solid year (.291-24-97), and the offense is almost totally unchanged, except for rookie Dick Groat, 24, a Gold-Glove caliber infielder who displaces Hank Thompson at third base.
   The loss of a 27-game winner is no small thing to overcome, but Washington didn't win three straight pennants because of lack of depth, and a fourth pennant is certainly in their grasp.