Budget woes once more
Brother & Sister Allred
It was beginning to turn into our busy spell, boys were being told that they had no future as 25, 26 and 27-yr-olds in Double-A, others were finding out that time had moved on and better players had taken their places while it was dawning on some that if nobody wanted them in the Rule 5 or on waivers that they had better start asking McDonalds if some promising openings were about to pop up. Coming into replace any roster holes now were smiling, happy ex-college & high school boys who had thought their chance of a pro career had gone. Undrafted, released or fallen through the cracks, they were being rescued by the worst team in the league, in the hopes that somewhere one of them might have a hidden ounce of ballplaying skill tucked away.
And here I was again, in the Allreds office, discussing money. I’d got the payroll down again, I hadn’t been silly and spent millions on free agents that might be able to play at BBA level (well only a few million, I had to refurbish the bullpen somehow), I had though rashly chucked $5 million in the direction of some 16-yr-old from Turkey who the scouting department had promised he was the Aviators first baseman of the 50’s. Yet here we are, talking money again, and when the Allreds smile and talk money you know it can only be bad for you.
Boy! Does Sister Allred smile sweetly when she tells you the “wonderful” news that as the collection plates haven’t quite been up to scratch recently, and other little happenings that I shouldn’t concern myself about yet, they would be “borrowing” $3 million from my budget for other deserving causes. I was about to explode when the phone rang, Brother Allred answered it on speakerphone as was his wont
“Hey Bro! How they hanging? Look, just a quick call to say the Texas State Governor has received your $3 million and he assures me that you’ll have no problem with them County boys when it comes to planning applic . . . .”
Brother Allred shot forward and picked up the receiver. “Hang on a moment” he said, looking up at me “Nigel, I think our business here is concluded, see you in a day or two”.
With that Sister Allred grabbed my arm and I swiftly found myself standing outside the office. “What had just happened” I thought? “Why was the Texas State Governor getting my $3 million instead of a half-decent pitcher?”
My annoyance was compounded when I reached my office to find that someone had stuck on it one of those crude stickers that was appearing everywhere in Wichita. A mock-up of a 10th anniversary patch that featured a boat flying an Aviators banner disappearing over the rapids to oblivion. We won’t be wearing or needing them I thought as I loudly slammed the door
