Mar. 27, 1965 - The players call him Gabby, but John Roseboro’s no pop-off when he says the Dodgers can go all the way this season.
“If our defense holds up, we can win this thing,” Roseboro (pictured) said today in St. Petersburg, Fla. “It looks like we might score a few runs for a change, but we’ve still got to make those plays.”Durable Gabby, who’s been the Dodgers’ top dog behind the plate ever since Roy Campanella’s tragic accident eight winters ago, tabs the ’65 Dodger pitching staff as the best he’s handled.
“We have an overabundance of lefthanders,” he said, “But we have more depth now and won’t have to depend just on Drysdale and Koufax like we did most of last year.”
Roseboro then went right down the pitching roster, listing the status of each hurler who figures to be with the club at least until cutdown time 30 days after the season opens April 12. Here’s his rundown:Sandy Koufax — “Sandy’s just about ready to go nine strong innings. He’s throwing well, but his control is off a bit.”
Don Drysdale — “The last time I caught Don, he looked ready for nine. Then he hit the ‘dead arm’ stage against the A’s. His control is good.”
Johnny Podres — “He’s ready; he’s been pitching all winter. Johnny’s curve is better than it was before he got hurt, and his changeup is still the best in the business.”
Claude Osteen — “He’s another lefthander very similar to Podres, although he hasn’t got Johnny’s great changeup. He throws a deceptive slider, has good velocity, and is always around the plate.”Jim Brewer — “I don’t care which side of the plate you bat from, Jim’s hard to hit. After he came up with a screwball late last season, he was one of the most improved pitchers in the league.”
Howie Reed — “A Roger Craig type — not overpowering, but he battles you all the way and has fine control. He’s got a fastball, curve, change, and slider, and he can get all four over the plate.”Joe Moeller — “One of the hardest throwers in camp when his back isn’t bothering him, and he tells me he feels okay now. Joe’s got the stuff to be a righthanded Koufax if he can ever get his big curve over the plate. Sandy wasn’t much until he could do it.”
John Purdin — “Seldom do you see a young pitcher with this fellow’s control. He’s deceptively fast, doesn’t get rattled, and knows what he’s doing out there.”
Ron Perranoski — “Ron’s only problem right now is getting loose. He pitched real well in a camp game Thursday. He’ll be okay.”Bob Miller — “Outside of Drysdale and Bob Gibson, Monk’s probably the toughest righthander in the league to get a hit off of. He throws a hard, heavy fastball and a slider that snaps.”
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