WGNU-AM shortly after midnight Saturday morning "abruptly announced" that Kevin Slaten and Jack Clark "will not be returning -- after just seven shows" -- following Clark's on-air allegations that Angels 1B Albert Pujols used PEDs during his time with the Cardinals, according to Dan Caesar of the ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH. During the first week of the show, which debuted Aug. 1, Clark "at least twice" said that Pujols' former trainer Chris Mihlfeld "told him in 2000 that he 'shot him up' with steroids." Pujols on Friday said that he "plans to sue" Clark and people connected to WGNU. He said in a statement, "I’ve been tested hundreds of times throughout my career and never once have I tested positive. It is irresponsible and reckless for Jack Clark to have falsely accused me of using PEDs. ... I am currently in the process of taking legal action against Jack Clark and his employers at WGNU. I am going to send a message that you cannot act in a reckless manner, like they have, and get away with it." Caesar noted WGNU "sells its weekday airtime to insideSTL Enterprises, which has a variety of employment deals with the hosts." A source said that the arrangement with Clark and Slaten "did not have them working directly for that company." InsideSTL in announcing it was ending its relationship with Clark and Slaten said, "As independent contractors, we want to make it clear that the opinions expressed do not necessarily reflect the opinions of insideSTL" (STLTODAY.com, 8/10).
SLATEN SUING: Slaten on Saturday afternoon said that he will "sue over his termination," while Clark will make a decision today. Slaten: "I don't know what Albert Pujols' damages are, but there are a lot of damages for me. Albert Pujols didn't even mention my name. Why does this fall on me?" The POST-DISPATCH's Caesar reports Clark "wasn't backing down" from his allegations. Clark on Saturday said, "I stand by what I said. I'm not sure what I'm going to do, but I'm doing something for sure." Slaten: "They teamed Jack Clark up with me so sparks would fly, then when Jack says something they run and hide under their blanket" (ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH, 8/12).
BACKING OFF: In St. Louis, Bernie Miklasz wrote Pujols "wins this round. Big." It is "fair to surmise" that insideSTL "feared getting entangled in legal proceedings and broke off the relationship with Clark and Slaten to appease Pujols." Slaten for years has "been saying he believes Pujols juiced up." If the company "thought it was unethical or improper for Slaten to say these steroids-related things about Pujols, then why was he put on the air in the first place? Why are his comments now suddenly out of bounds and unacceptable? What changed?" (STLTODAY.com, 8/10).
