Youth Saves the Day

Long overdue, the world champion Milwaukee Braves were finally on the way to nailing down the National League pennant. But the leaders in Milwaukee's pennant push were not only the big names that carried the Braves to the top last year. Added this year were four strong-armed young pitchers who were major-league unknowns when the season started. Last week Milwaukee's four lads were in fine form as the Braves won seven of nine, moved seven games in front of the pesky Pittsburgh Pirates. 7 1/2 ahead of the sagging San Francisco Giants.

In the spring, it had seemed certain that the veteran starting staff of Warren Spahn, Lew Burdette. Gene Conley, Bob Rush and Bob Buhl would soon put Milwaukee out front. But while the Yankees ran off and out of reach of the rest of the American League by late May. the Braves bumbled along into August without showing championship form. After a fine start, Spahn ran into a temporary slump. Burdette could not manage to win consistently. Conley has yet to win a game. Rush did not finish a game in twelve straight starts. Buhl came up with a shoulder injury, has not pitched since May 13. But Manager Fred Haney's youngsters, carefully nurtured in the talent-rich farm system, were ready. The record at mid-August :

Joey Jay, a husky (6 ft. 4 in., 230 Ibs.) righthander from Lutz, Fla.. matured simultaneously in personality and pitching perspicacity. At Milwaukee's Triple-A Wichita farm (where he won 17, lost ten last year), Joey's temperament was forcibly improved through stern discipline. In 1956 he was socked with a $500 fine (later reduced to $250) for throwing his glove, stalking off the field and out of the park in disgust at an umpire's call. Last year, after a tongue-lashing from Wichita Manager Ben Geraghty for not trying hard enough, Jay took hold and won his last six straight. Since becoming ti Milwaukee starter this June, 23-year-old Jay won seven, including three shutouts, and lost four. Last week, with relief help from Spahn, he shut out Cincinnati with one hit, 3-0. He has the second best earned-run average (ERA) in the league--1.81; his losses, all close (io, 2-1, 3-1, 4-2), have been mainly due to lack of effective hitting support.

Carlton Willey, a 21-game winner for Wichita last year, overcame a lack of confidence in his curve through the efforts of Geraghty and Wichita Pitching Coach Ted Wilks. Righthander Willey was made to throw curves in tight situations. His catcher would insist on the curve, even after Willey shook off the signal. Result: 27-year-old Willey developed the sharp-breaking stuff he needed to become a starter. He went up to the Braves in June, has pitched three shutouts, won eight, lost three. Last week he whipped Philadelphia twice. 14-3 and io. Willey's ERA: a sparkling 2.11.

Juan Pizarro went to the Braves in 1957 with a big buildup after winning 23 games for the Class A farm club at Jacksonville. The easygoing lefthander from Puerto Rico had control trouble with his blazing fast ball, was sent to Wichita to broaden his line of pitches. Explains Pizarro in broken English: "I got screwie [screwball] now. Learn screwie from Ruben Gomez [of the Giants] in winter league in Puerto Rico. Use it all time now." Back with Milwaukee less than a month. 21-year-old Juan Pizarro parlayed his fast one and the "screwie" into three victories, an" ERA of 2.09. Last week he beat Cincinnati, 9-2.

Bob Trowbridge, a bullpen hopeful early in the season, worked long hours with Braves Pitching Coach Whit Wyatt, learned to put a sharper break on his slider. Fortnight ago 28-year-old Trowbridge pitched seven hitless innings against the Giants, is now a valued reliefer with an ERA of 3.17.

Should any of the youngsters falter, Milwaukee's fabulous farms are ready with still more hot prospects. Best of the lot: a pair of 22-year-olds at Wichita, Lefthander Vic Rehm (11-5, ERA 2.87) and Righthander Don Nottebart (4-7, ERA 4.50); and two southpaws at the Class AA Atlanta farm, Bob Hartman, 20 (18-9, ERA 2.55), and Ken MacKenzie, 24 (12-7, ERA 3.36). But Manager Haney thinks that he has all the varsity pitching he needs right now. Says he of his four young pitchers: "Each one pitches a helluva game every time out. They're real good pitchers now, and they're going to be great ones. I hate to think of where we'd be without them."'

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