Montreal has endured a 3-16 Spring thus far, a level of play which does not bode well for the season ahead. And with the minor league clubs beginning their regular season schedules later this week, the active roster is pretty much set.
Batters
Catcher -- 35-year-old
Paul Tattersall (.200/.272/.375, 15, 49) and 25-year-old
Jim Schaffer (.450/.476/.700 in 8 games) will share the catching duties. Tattersall has had a good Spring (.300/.364/.450) but he appeared to lose a good deal of bat speed last season.
First base -- In order to make room for Jim Broome,
Phil Sandman (.335/.394/.475, 3, 39) moves from left field to first base, regulating
Sal Ingalls (.304/.372/.392, 6, 58) to a bench bat.
Second base -- Veteran
Victor Rodding (.337/.395/.495, 3, 45) will handle second base duties. Rookie
Henri Vernon, a Quebec native, won the job as the reserve infielder. The 25-year-old Vernon hit .316 with 21 doubles and 10 home runs between Evansville, Nashville, and Minneapolis in 1926. He can also play all infield positions.
Third base -- It will be interesting to see what the 25-year-old
Bob Clements (.297/.354/.408, 2, 33) can do with a full season. He had 29 stolen bases in 86 games last season. 37-year-old
Joe Ward (.200/.294/.311, 0, 5) will once again serve as player-coach.
Short stop -- 24-year-old
Ernie Woodrow (.295/.337/.415, 2, 38) will be the starter. 30-year-old
Jim Newman (263/.330/.297/, 0, 15) and 27-year-old
Tommy Chandler (.291/.328/.345, 0, 3) will serve as the backups. Newman can also play some first base, and Chandler has spent time at third.
Outfield -- Manning the outfield will be
Jim Broome (.311/.350/466, 6, 37),
Eddie Rodgerson (.252/.324/.319, 1, 44), and
Hal Eason (.266/.342/.456, 24, 89). And after an outstanding Spring during which he hit .324/.385/.382, 24-year-old
Ollie Farley will make the jump from AA Nashville and serve as the club's 4th outfielder.
Pitchers
A balky elbow caused
Ed O'Kelley (11-14, 4.13) to leave his last start early. He's been shutdown, and it's doubtful that he will pitch at all in 1927.
Frank Ellison is making the jump from AA to the starting rotation.
SP -
Wayne Robinson (17-16, 3.32)
SP -
Charlie Stedman (4-5, 4.09)
SP -
Joe Myres (6-11, 3.23)
SP -
Mike Vonderheide (5-10, 4.00)
SP -
Frank Ellison (21-9, 3.56 at Nashville)
The pen will consist of three pitchers who are getting their first taste of FABL action: 25-year-olds
Jack Barnet (11-3, 2.77 at Evansville) and
Jim Walker (19-3, 2.65 at Evansville) and 30-year-old
Rich Fisher (15-5, 3.68 at Minneapolis).