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Although his last coaching stint was with the Dodgers in the '90s, Davey Johnson says he's doing only consulting work with the Nats. |
By TODD JACOBSON
High school outfielder Chris Marrero and prep right-hander Colton Willems, the Nationals' two first-round draft picks in this year's First-Year Player Draft, say they are eager to sign contracts and quickly start their careers.
But it'll cost the Nationals.
The 15th pick, like Marrero, has received an average signing bonus of $2.39 million in the last three drafts, a number skewed by the $4 million Stephen Drew received in 2004. The 22nd pick, like Willems, has gotten an average of $1.36 million the past three years.
Washington could have a tougher time signing its third pick, second-rounder Sean Black.
Though Nationals scouting director Dana Brown said he didn't see any problems in signing Black, the right-hander told the Philadelphia Inquirer he planned to attend Seton Hall in the fall after he dropped out of the first round of the draft to the 59th pick in the draft.
He backed off those comments yesterday in a phone interview with The Free Lance-Star, but it will likely take more than the average of what the 59th pick has received to sign in the last three drafts ($585,000).
"Pro ball has been a dream of mine," Black said. "If everything works out I am hoping to play pro ball. I am definitely not totally committed to Seton Hall."
It was a different message than what was reported in the Inquirer.
"The money was still good, but we just didn't think it was enough for me to miss out on college," Black told the Inquirer Tuesday. "I'm going to school, and hopefully I'll be going through this in three years in the first round."
It would likely take a signing bonus approaching $1 million to sign Black, and the Nationals might be willing to pay that much as the team tries to rebuild its minor league system.
Washington viewed Black as a potential first-round pick and Brown was thrilled to be able to grab him in the second round.
"Money is definitely a big part of this but I just love playing baseball so I want to get started as soon as I can," Black said. "I want to get down there."
Brown said LSU signee Stephen King, a shortstop taken in the third round, could also be a tough sign. Earlier this season, King was viewed as a first-round pick.
Davey Johnson to NatsThe Nationals hired former big league manager Davey Johnson as a special consultant to general manager Jim Bowden yesterday, but Johnson said he had not talked to Bowden about returning to managing or coaching.
"I like the Washington area, spent a lot of my career in Baltimore and I have a lot of friends in that area, but as far as anything beyond being a consultant to Jim, that would be a stretch," Johnson said in a telephone interview from his home in Winter Park, Fla.
Johnson, 63, last coached in the majors with the Los Angeles Dodgers in 2000, and will advise Bowden regarding potential prospects the team could acquire via trade. Bowden and Johnson have a history together.
Johnson managed the Reds from 1993 to 1995 while Bowden was the general manager. Johnson spent much of his playing career with the Baltimore Orioles, and won 1,148 games with the Mets, Reds, Orioles and Dodgers.
Draft tiesThe Nationals grabbed four local players on the second day of the First-Year Player Draft and two with ties to the organization.
Washington grabbed George Mason first baseman Robbie Jacobsen in the 22nd round, George Washington lefty Dan Pfau in the 27th round, DeMatha (Md.) right-hander Nicholas Pearce in the 40th round and George Mason right-hander Jonathan Pannell in the 50th round.
They also took Arizona high school catcher Joshua Rodriguez (the son of bench coach Eddie Rodriguez) in the 47th round and Brevard Community College outfielder Kyle Page (the son of hitting coach Mitchell Page) in the 48th round.
To reach TODD JACOBSON:
Email: tjacobson@freelancestar.com
