June 4, 1997
Tribe selects `other' Drew
Cleveland makes high school pitcher its No. 1 pick.
Tim Drew is brother of J.D. Drew, second pick in draft
BY SHELDON OCKER
Beacon Journal staff writer


For the umpteenth time in the history of the draft, the Indians selected a first-rounder they expected to be long gone.

Holding the 28th pick overall, the Tribe chose a right-handed high school pitcher from Hahira, Ga., Tim Drew.

``Based on talent alone, he's a mid-first-round guy,'' said Cleveland's scouting director, Lee MacPhail, who is in charge of the Indians' draft. ``We felt that he was a first-rounder from the beginning of the year, and he stayed right there. The other guy I can recall who slipped like this is Mike Mussina.''

As a senior at Lowndes County High School, Drew, 18, posted a 4-2 record and 0.43 earned-run average in six games. In 32 innings, he gave up 14 hits, 11 walks and struck out 62.

``Tim's fastball can run up to 93-94 miles an hour,'' MacPhail said. ``He has flashed an average slider and curve at times. He projects as a No. 2 or No. 3 pitcher in the big leagues.''

Baseball America does a fair job of rating players, but is hardly the last word. That publication ranked Drew as the 74th best player in the draft.

Tulane University outfielder Jason Fitzgerald, Cleveland's sandwich pick for losing Albert Belle to free agency, was rated 77th. The Indians made him the 41st choice yesterday.

MacPhail explained why he thought Drew skidded from the middle to the end of the first round.

``They had to shut him down for a month with a strained right shoulder,'' MacPhail said. ``Also, some teams might have shied away because high school right-handers have not had the greatest success. And there were clubs concerned about his signability because of questions about his agent.''

MacPhail seemed confident that Drew is healthy.

``Our doctor's opinion is that it was not a structural thing,'' MacPhail said. ``It's just a muscle strain caused by his delivery.''

The Indians' medical staff did not examine Drew, but they read reports and spoke to the teen-ager's doctor in Georgia.

Drew, 18, is 6-foot-2, 190 pounds and the brother of J.D. Drew, the highly touted Florida State outfielder who yesterday was the No. 1 pick of the Phillies, the second choice overall. The Drews are the first brothers ever to be taken in the first round of the same draft.

Tim Drew has signed a letter of intent with Florida State, which increases his contract leverage. If the Tribe does not sign him before the start of the fall semester and Drew reports to class, Cleveland loses its rights to him.

J.D. was expected to be the first player taken until it became clear that Scott Boras would be negotiating his contract. Boras is the scourge of front offices across the land. He pushes the envelope more than any other agent.

Last year, he was responsible for inducing expansion franchise Tampa Bay to give high school pitcher Matt White $10.2 million after taking advantage of a technicality that major-league clubs had ignored for years.

Teams must deliver a written offer to all draftees within 15 days after they are picked or the players can become free agents.

When MacPhail said there were questions about Tim Drew's agent, he meant Boras.

``There have been all kinds of rumors,'' MacPhail said. ``But we are confident that Steve Hammond is his real agent.''

Last year, the Indians got away cheaply, paying Kinston outfielder Danny Peoples a mere $400,000 as the 28th overall selection. Peoples currently leads the Carolina League in home runs. The first choice in the draft, right-hander Kris Benson, received $2 million from the Pirates.

Fitzgerald, 21, batted .387 with 20 home runs, 79 RBI and 71 runs for Tulane. At 6-1, 195 pounds, he is skilled with the bat and projects as a right fielder. Baseball America rated him as the No. 3 athlete among draft-eligible collegians.

|::Click here to return to J.D. Drew Online::|