Slaten, who was fired by KFNS (590 AM, 100.7 FM) in April following an on-air dust-up with Cardinals pitching coach Dave Duncan, is set to fill a midday slot at KSLG (1380 AM) starting Oct. 6. That's a Monday and the first weekday after the noncompete clause he has with KFNS expires. That provision, upheld by a judge after Slaten challenged it, has prohibited Slaten from working in a sports capacity at KFNS' competitors for six months from the day he was fired.

Slaten's dismissal came shortly after Duncan was placed on air without his consent, which station management deemed a violation of a Federal Communications Commission rule.

"We think this move will be huge,'' KSLG general manager John Helmkamp said Thursday. "Certainly, there is a little bit of a risk and there will be people who don't like it, but there's always a risk in every move we make.''

One of the dissenters soon will be a Slaten colleague.

"I'm not a fan of the move, but my vote doesn't count,'' said Martin Kilcoyne, who is on KSLG from noon-2 p.m, with Maurice Drummond.

But Helmkamp is undaunted, saying, "You can't argue (Slaten's) impact on revenue and ratings for the stations he's been on and the station he just left.''

Slaten, who could not be reached for comment Thursday, has been controversial throughout his long sports-talk career. He has been critical of local teams, players and management, and his outspoken approach often creates waves. Helmkamp equates adding Slaten to a sports team picking up a maverick player.

"If you can get Manny Ramirez, you sign him,'' he said. "That's what we felt about Kevin.''

Helmkamp said Slaten will have either the mid-morning or early afternoon time slot, with the program hosted by Kilcoyne and Drummond filling the other block. The mid-morning "Sports Buffet'' has been discontinued.

The addition of Slaten follows KSLG's firing of Randy Karraker, who worked with Bernie Miklasz on the afternoon drive-time show, and Ken "Iggy" Strode, a producer who occasionally went on the air. Jay Randolph Jr. has shifted from the "Buffet'' to work with Miklasz.

Helmkamp said those moves were not made to save money to pay Slaten — who it is believed will work primarily on a revenue-sharing basis instead of receiving a traditional straight salary.

"It's a low-risk deal with Kevin for both of us with a high-end potential for both of us,'' Helmkamp said. "I'm comfortable with the protection I have in the deal. The move with those two guys (Karraker and Strode) was planned with or without Kevin coming.''

AFTER THEIR FALL

Strode had been at KSLG for 10 months and has spent 15 years in St. Louis sports-talk radio. Karraker was at the station for 2 1/2 years and in the business for two decades. Strode is looking for work inside and outside the radio business, but Karraker isn't in a hurry to find a new job.

"I was fired on a Friday and I looked at my contract that Saturday and literally had no idea how much money I was making,'' Karraker said. "What I cared about was walking in and talking sports with Bernie. I had a half-inch thick stack of check stubs, and with direct deposit I never even opened them. I literally didn't know how much I was making.''

His wife, Joan, is an attorney who is a consultant for a New York corporation, and he said the family is not hurting financially. Plus, he will continue to do part-time work for Charter Communications, the largest cable-TV provider in the St. Louis market. He does play-by-play of high school football and basketball games, hosts Charter's "Chalk Talk'' program and said he might produce some on-demand programming.

Karraker said he was in the midst of a two-year contract at KSLG with a "30-day out," in which management could terminate the deal by giving him that much notice.

"They told me that in terms of finances and the economy things were tough for them, and I completely understand,'' he said. "If you look at it in terms of a sports salary cap, this move makes sense. I don't know that there was another logical move for them to make. I left with no hard feelings and I think once the economy turns around they will be fine. I still have a great relationships'' with management.

Helmkamp said he hated to cut both men.

"Unfortunately, we had to tighten payroll, and that was a hard one,'' Helmkamp said. "We left on good terms with them.''

Strode echoed that.

"It's bad for me and Randy, but there's nothing John can do when you get the word that you have to cut budget,'' Strode said. "I wish there were other ways to do it, but I have no ill will toward anyone there. They treated me great."

KARRAKER'S CORNER

Karraker left the stability of KMOX (1120 AM) in 2001 after a 17-year run, moving to KTRS (550 AM) because he wanted to be able to do the Charter work that KMOX would not allow. He was fired by KTRS 4 1/2 years later, when the station got the Cardinals' broadcasts and had a major housecleaning of on-air personalities. That move from KMOX drew some "what is he doing?" comments at the time, but Karraker has no regrets.

"If I would have stayed at KMOX, I never would have had the opportunity to work at Charter and I really enjoy working for them," he said. "And the (radio) industry has changed radically there, too. When I left KMOX, they had the Cardinals and it was a stable environment. Now, CBS has said they're going to sell (some) mid-market stations and there are rumors that KMOX might be one of them.''

After leaving KTRS, Karraker quickly ended up at 1380.

"I'm in a situation now where I don't want to be bouncing around from station to station, signal to signal," he said. "I want to find something where there is a level of stability. I'm in no hurry. When you get whacked twice in three years, it's worth waiting for the right scenario to unfold.''

He said he spent about a week deciding if he even wanted to pursue another radio job.

"It's a crazy industry now, but I enjoy it and I enjoyed working with Bernie,'' he said. "I hope that at some point I can get together with somebody and have as much fun as I did with him.''

He's ready for some fun now.

"The timing (of the firing) couldn't be better,'' he said. "My son is playing freshman football; I'll see that. I'm going to ride my bike. I'm going to play some golf. If you're going to be unemployed, this is a great time (of year) to be unemployed."