Late, Late Saturday night at the Barleymoe

           It's almost closing time and Elijah Craig was about to head to his cot squeezed between the hot water heater closet and the dry storage area. Much to his surprise Johnny Walker and George Dickel walk-in with the Captain.
     Elijah: It's awful late boys why are just showing up now.
     George: I had to make sure Jack was gone.
     Johnny: He can't help himself Elijah. Actually we were waiting for the Captain's ship to dock.
     Elijah: How have you been? It's been years. Have you been keeping up with the Stickball League.
     Captain: It's been real hard. You ever try to get wifi on the high seas. When we pull into port I try to spend my time learning what is going on. Usually I send my pirat uh crew out to sell the things we have acquired on our voyage. While they are doing it I can catch up on the league.
     Elijah: Captain are you ever going to tell us your first name? Are we ever going to be friends?
     Captain: Why don't think my first name isn't Morgan. Morgan is a first name.
     Elijah: So your first name is Morgan?
     Captain: Not necessarily. It just might be.
     Elijah: So we are never going to be friends?
     Captain: Elijah, you don't want to be my friend. Someday you might have something I want. Someday you wouldn't like me as your friend. I take what I want regardless of who possesses it.
     Elijah: Then why are you friends with Johnny?
     Captain: The scotsman he is cheap....
     Johnny: frugal
     Captain:                                              .... frugal as he says. What would he have that I would need? But tonight let us just drink to the new season and have you ask those annoying questions of your's Elijah. I suppose you have questions.
     Elijah: Earlier tonight I asked questions about prospect and scouting budgets. We could talk about organizational cost.
     George: What are organizational cost. Elijah are you making this stuff up?
     Elijah: What do you call Health, Training, Coaching and Advanced Scouting?
     Johnny: I guess now I call them Organizational Cost.
     Elijah: Last season the league averaged 52 million, where do you guys think this money should be spent.
     Johnny: I remember in season 46 Memphis only spent 5.5 million for their major league coaching staff and they won 87 games and won their division.
     George: I think you need to spend money on coaches, at least more than 11 million than the league averaged last season. It is a competitive advantage to have better coaching. It's an advantage that does not go on the DL and it last all season.
     Captain: Speaking of the DL, I was speaking to Dean last month and he was
     Elijah: You were talking to Dean? Dean is lost. We can't find him. How were you talking to Dean.
     Captain: Sometimes the rum it runs away with my words. Did I say Dean or Deanne?
     Johnny: You know damn well you said Dean. Do you have him? Have you captured D
     Captain: My friends, Dean is well. He needed transportation to a new locale. I was happy to help him out for a small fee. Anyway Dean believes that you spend a lot of money on training and when you place someone on the 60 day DL list they become a better player. The better training makes them improve as a player. At least that is what I remember of our conversation.
     Elijah: I'm getting a little uncomfortable with some of these details. Can we get back to the fact that the league averaged 18 million in Training and 15 million in health.
     Johnny: I think those totals are high. If a team considers health when they are drafting, promoting or signing free agents they can spend less in those areas.
     George: That sounds good now but you get in a pennant race and you don't have to rest your best players if you spend the money for good health and training.
     Elijah: Nobody has said a word about advanced scouting?
     Johnny: I think if you like trading and you spend more than 8 million, the league averaged last year, on advanced scouting you have a big advantage. You have better information. If someone is spending next to nothing you can make out like a ban....
     Captain: You can say it my friend, bandit. I am not offended. I am not a bandit. If you thought I was a bandit, I then would be offended. I'm am much classier than a mere bandit.
     Elijah: This is getting a little tense. Does anyone have anything to add before we adjourn.
     George: Captain is there any chance that you've spoken to McBain recently? Maybe helped him to relocate?
     Captain: George you are still my friend. If you weren't still my friend I would take you to see them. I think if you keep asking these stupid questions you will not like to see them because you will no longer be my friend.
     Elijah: Johnny get George the hell out of here. I'll buy the Captain a drink.
     Captain: But if George comes with me think how happy Jack will be.
     Elijah: Good night Johnny and George.