Giants Big Winners in Trade Mart: Gamble Pays off for New Yorkers, Daily Racing Form, 1954-06-28

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Giants Big Winners in Trade Mart Gamble Pays.Off t For New Yorkers Deal for Antonelli, Liddle With Braves Put Durocher Crew in Thick of Flag Race By STEVE SNIDER United Press Sports Writer NEW YORK, N. Y., June 26. The joyous 1 Giants are the big winners so far among major league clubs that gambled in the trading market this season. And the Braves, through no fault of their own, are the big losers. They paid a high price in talent to the Giants to obtain outfielder Bobby Thomson, who was injured in a training accident and has yet to make his first appearance at the plate. Thus, the Giants picked up fofmidable pitching strength in Johnny Antonelli and Don liddle from Milwaukee without Strengthening the rival Braves one whit for at least the first half of the campaign. As a tensed-up bonus baby with the Braves, Antonelli enjoyed only indifferent success and finished last year with a 12-12 record for his third full season in the majors. But now he is Leo Durochers big wheel with a 9-2 record up to this week end and stardom apparently assured. Liddle is a spot starter and reliever, who could turn out to be the surprise package in the deal. In the recent Giants-Braves series, Antonelli arid Liddle figured in two victories of the three-game set, allowing a total of seven hits against their former teammates. Hoyt Wilhelm relieved Antonelli in the ninth and got the decision, but it was Johnnys ball game nearly all the way. OConnell Valuable Hand Its hard to assess Milwaukees other major- deal by which they pulled infielder Danny OConnell away from Pittsburgh for several players, including pitcher Max Sur-kont and slugger Sid Gordon. Danny is a valuable hand for Milwaukee, with a .264 batting average. Gordon has been on and off the bench with injuries while hitting .294. Surkont is just about a .500 pitcher for the Pirates, and thats no mean achievement. The Pirates probably figure theyre ahead on the deal. Both the Red Sox and Washington got less than they bargained for when Jackie Jensen went to Boston for pitcher Mickey McDermott and outfielder Tom Umphlett. Jensen was down around .245 in the weekend averages. McDermott, an 18 -game winner last year, is struggling to get even after losing seven of 12 decisions, and Umphlett is a .232 hitter. The challenging Indians landed a rare bargain in outfielder Dave Philley, for whom they paid off the As with two rookie pitchers Bill Upton and Leroy Wheat. Philleys batting average is low, but his power and value is high to Cleveland. Neither Upton nor Wheat figured with the As. The Yankees seemed assured of their sixth pennant in a row when they grabbed . pitcher Harry Byrd and pinch-hitter Eddie , Robinson from the As in a package deal involving several lesser lights in the Yankee cast. But Byrd dropped five of his first seven and Robinson is unsensational. " Bill Renna is the only ex-Yankee delivering handsomely for the As. Baltimore came up a winner in a deal whereby the Orioles picked up Joe Coleman, erstwhile sore-arm pitcher, for the As, in exchange for Prank Fanovich and Bob Cain. Coleman won seven of his first 13 decisions, but both Fanovich and Cain are out of the majors.


Persistent Link: https://drf.uky.edu/catalog/1950s/drf1954062801/drf1954062801_2_1
Local Identifier: drf1954062801_2_1
Library of Congress Record: https://lccn.loc.gov/unk82075800