One of many young pitchers developed by the Dodgers after WWII, Podbielan finally got a chance to start regularly when he was traded to the Reds. He had little success. One day in June 1953, Reds manager Rogers Hornsby mercilessly left him on the mound into the eighth inning while the powerful Dodgers pounded him for 17 hits, including seven doubles, a triple, and two home runs.