May 11, 1964 - “We score 18 runs against San Francisco and lose all three games. We score 12 runs in Philadelphia and lose two. We score five runs in the first inning at Pittsburgh yesterday and lose, 6-5.”
Bobby Bragan was explaining today how things were going with his Milwaukee Braves before he took the club out to see the New York World’s Fair. (Pictured below are Milwaukee’s Phil Roof, Frank Bolling, and Warren Spahn at the New Mexico Pavilion.)
“It doesn’t figure to stay that way,” said Bragan, whose Braves are in third place with a 14-10 record in the National League. “When you score as many runs as that, you expect to win more.”
“Tony Cloninger has arrived,” he continued. “Hank Fischer is doing good. So is Denny Lemaster. The relief men have been having a little trouble, but they ought to straighten out. Two of them, Phil Niekro and Bobby Tiefenauer, are knuckleball pitchers. The other is Jack Smith, a former Dodger.”
Bragan has been impressed by the balance of the league in his first swing around the circuit. He predicted the usual down-to-the-wire scramble for the pennant.
“Pittsburgh could surprise a lot of people,” said Bragan. “I like that Willie Stargell. And that Richie Allen looks good with the Phillies too. We’ve got a good young one also in Rico Carty.
“One thing I’ve noticed is that everybody has a flock of right-handed pitchers who can throw real hard. I also see four or five clubs who are not at their best against left-handed pitching.
“I’d put Philadelphia, Cincinnati, and St. Louis in that league. Also New York and the Dodgers too.”
Bragan said he had been satisfied with the center field play of Felipe Alou but noted the ex-San Francisco Giant had been slow getting started at bat.
“Ed Bailey and Gene Oliver have been hurt, but they are about ready to get back in there,” said Bragan, who expects to send Fischer, Cloninger, and Spahn against the Mets in the three-game series starting tomorrow night.
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