Over the Wire

NEW YORK--The all-confident, swaggering New York Yankees will begin the defense of their world baseball empire tomorrow against the underdog Cincinnati Reds with a sore-arm pitcher on the mound, Red Ruffing.

Under gray skies and on a soggy field, Ruffing had his final test workout today and afterwards told manager Joe McCarthy, "I'm ready."

Opposing Ruffing in the opener at Yankee Stadium before an expected throng of 60,000, weather permitting, will be Paul Derringer, the Reds' lofty righthander, who finished the season with 10 straight victories. Derringer's forte is control. He walked only 35 men in 301 innings during the National League season. His low-breaking curve is one of the toughest pitches in baseball to hit.