Movement of Jah people was written some time in Bob Marley Exodus 1977; same year Mac Scarce signed as a free agent with Minnesota and Larry Hisle with the Brewers and Hisle hit 34 home runs in 1978. Scarce lived up to his name, but the operative word here is free agent because it turned out to be way more than just a curt flood.
It started in 1974 or 73 or not really. It started 100 years before that; unions and organizing and whenever the first organized pitch was thrown; griping over reserve clause,. picking up speed in the late 1960’s and remembered as just a curt flood, but way more than brief and much bigger and still raining 45 years later a Biblical monsoon millions.
Life is great. Free agency has altered the landscape; from the sprawl of kids toys across an Idaho lawn to nay say adults insisting crossing guards should be making as much money as Rico Petrocelli. In fairness to Rico, he never made more than 100 thousand but then again he never stepped foot in the 1980’s either.
But free agency is fun for the whole family. It is the preservation of franchise leader boards. There is no need for cheap poster board or chalk; easy to change the guard gimmicks every few years. Chisel the leaders in to granite or stone.
Maybe not long live the king, but long live Jim Slaton in Milwaukee because Yovani Gallardo was dealt to Texas yesterday in exchange for three prospects and Yo will forever be stuck on 89 wins; two behind Moose Haas and five short of fellow Mexican Teddy Higuera at 94, but Slaton shouldn’t relax; not just yet.
He knows better. In 1977, he was traded to Detroit for Ben Oglivie and he pitched well enough as a Tiger; winning 17 games so the Brewers signed him back as a free agent in 1978. I think that was the Brewers biggest FA in terms of money up until then and well, the rest was Slaton as in he went on to win 66 more games as Brewer to finish with 117 including one in the 1982 world series. Long live the flood!
Prince Fielder performed the same near shatter the franchise record dance. He hit 230 homers or 21 behind Robin Yount and the franchise crown before getting out of dodge; first to Detroit and then Texas and maybe somewhere else. I can’t keep track anymore but just 21 behind Yount when free agency saved the day…Long Live the flood!
And about that trade. The Brewer received two very useful players and one pick lotto prospect. The immediate impact will be Corey Knebel who apparently also lives up to that last name; Knebel as in Knievel, as in fearless edge who fights with coaches and has a huge curve ball and power arm; a possible Chris Bosio ghost.
He slips immediately into the bullpen; one issue resolved. Bad debut last year with Detroit; traded to Texas, but huge numbers at AAA and apparently Brewers have been watching him since his days as a closer with University of Texas.
Brewers also acquired a back up infielder Luis Sardinas; great name for a midnight snack with some elbow pasta and a 7 up, but more importantly he gets on base and steals and apparently plays solid defense at multiple positions and then there’s the pitching prospect Marcos Diplan from the Dominican Republic; raw and dreamy for us to play 2019 in our Brewer minds.
All three are just names for now, but all in all I’m feeling good. Change is good, but Yo will be missed. He was a practical joker; throwing the pies and spraying water at teammates during TV interviews. Of course, the baseball world was deceived because Yo wasn’t the next Bob Gibson, but the baseball world always has over the top expectations and that’s ok too.
Icing on the cake is that Yo is going home; back to Texas where he grew up and went to high school. Maybe the weather will stretch out his pitching career. Gallardo will only be 29 in a couple of weeks and he may climb the leader board there. Rick Helling is 6th on the all time Rangers win list with 68.
brewers baseball and things 
January 21, 2015 at 12:43 pm
“…from the sprawl of kids toys across an Idaho lawn to nay say adults insisting crossing guards should be making as much money as Rico Petrocelli. In fairness to Rico, he never made more than 100 thousand but then again he never stepped foot in the 1980’s either.”
You have a great way of turning a phrase or a double play, for that matter, Steve.
And thanks for pointing out Rico Petrocelli, who bigots would call a mook from Brooklyn. Graduated from Sheepshead Bay High School right here in Brooklyn, and a fine player who eventually had to quit because of inner-ear problems that caused dizziness that was one of the effects of being hit in the head by a Jim Slaton pitch in 1974.
Glen
January 21, 2015 at 9:08 pm
Thanks Glen. I always had a soft spot for Rico. At first it was the name; sounding so exotic to me and then it was those ricola cough drop commercials which had nothing to do with Petrocelli, but when I heard those Switzerland mountain pipers screaming Riiiiicolaaaaaaa, I thought of Rico Petrocelli and Rico Carty who was a big hit in Milwaukee those last three years before the curtains closed on the Braves.
January 21, 2015 at 3:17 pm
Did Slaton sneak into Melvin’s room at night and whisper “Big Game James, Doug. Big Game James”?
January 21, 2015 at 9:01 pm
wk, you inspired me to do a double take right there. It was the sound of “Big Game James” that whiplashed me around; clicking mlb.com; wondering;”did the Brewers pawn the dog and make enough money to splurge on James Shields?” I sure hope not and my wishes came true because they didn’t, but they did invite Dontrelle Willis to spring training and that makes my freaking day, week, and month. Dontrelle remains the only pitcher to ever no hit me in strat-o-matic baseball.
January 22, 2015 at 5:11 am
You took care of today’s earworm in the first line!
Glad to read you today.
January 22, 2015 at 12:27 pm
Good morning and good evening Marie! Music is one thing I struggle or enjoy not savoring slowly over time. I ravish songs for sometimes 2 weeks non stop junky paradise and then suddenly it’s gone for sometimes years. Is there a way, a cure to rid oneself of an earworm? hiccup tactics? If there is I don’t want to know it.
January 23, 2015 at 5:56 am
Loudly sing the opening line of ‘Soul Finger’ by the Bar-Kays. Works for me. “Da Da” it.
January 23, 2015 at 5:18 pm
Feels like the curtains opened up today; a pleasant relief with warming temperatures and Friday.
January 24, 2015 at 12:12 am
Oh man, why oh why would you guys want Papelbon!? There are multiple reasons why that would be the worst thing ever and I can start with his terrible contract!
January 24, 2015 at 11:18 am
The Brewers want a reliever and Papelboob apparently likes to win and if Philly pays for half his salary, then I guess, but still, 60 innings pitched a year? I’m not a big fan of 1 inning relievers, but that’s the way it is today so I get into mustaches and beards and stay hip with the time, but wait a second can Papelboob even grow facial hair?
January 24, 2015 at 11:39 am
Or that’s just silly. Who cares about facial hair. This Papelboob rumor took me by surprise, but Melvin likes veteran closers; Hoffman, Gagne, K-Rod, Papelboon? Still, I’d rather have Rollie Fingers come out out of retirement, but then again when someone puts on a Brewers uniforms, I lose all objectivity. They suddenly become ok. It’s one of my many weaknesses.