The Atlanta Braves took Todd Van Poppel at his word. The Oakland Athletics, however, did not.
The Braves almost certainly would have made Van Poppel the No. 1 choice in Monday's free agent draft, except the 18-year-old pitcher from Arlington, Texas, convinced them that he is going to the University of Texas. Atlanta then changed direction and made high school shortstop Chipper Jones from Jacksonville, Fla., the No. 1 pick and then promptly signed him late Monday.Oakland was undeterred, though, and when Van Poppel and his 90 mph fastball were still available at No. 14 of the first round, the A's grabbed him.
"As far as we're concerned, it was a wasted pick," Hank Van Poppel, Todd's father, said. "Out of courtesy, we'll permit one visit. Why they drafted him, I'm not sure. He's set to go to Texas."
Jones' contract with the Braves contains a record signing bonus of $275,000. His father, Larry Jones, said that the terms of the contract are "extremely fair," covering $68,000 in college education and a bonus that tops the record $241,000 the Braves gave prep catcher Tyler Houston last year.
"We were in the ballpark right away," Chipper Jones said. "We said what we wanted, and they said what they wanted to give, and I said why don't we split the difference both ways."
The Braves hardly view Jones as a consolation prize, however, not after he hit .488 with 10 doubles, five home runs and 25 RBIs and led The Bolles School to the Florida state finals for the second straight year. He passed up a scholarship waiting at the University of Miami$.
"Chipper is a blue-chip high school talent," Braves' spokesman Paul Snyder said. "The fact that he can switch-hit is a definite bonus, as is his temendous speed. For us, it's a quality draft at a quality position."
Detroit, like Atlanta, was not scared off by a college letter of intent.
Dazzled by Tony Clark's .543 batting average and 10 home runs in 35 at-bats for Christian High School in El Cajon, Calif., the Tigers plunged right after the outfielder, even though he has a commitment to play basketball at the University of Arizona. Unlike Van Poppel, however, Clark has suggested that he might be willing to try pro ball in the off-season - if the price is right.
Van Poppel, Jones and Clark were among 16 high school players chosen in the first round. Of that group, six were pitchers, including Van Poppel, who had a 9-3 record and 0.97 earned run average at Martin High School, and Kurt Miller, 9-1 with a 1.41 ERA at West High School in Bakersfield, Calif., picked No. 5 by Pittsburgh.
The others were Ron Walden, 11-0 with an 0.36 ERA for Blanchard, Okla., High School, picked by the Los Angeles Dodgers at No. 9; Todd Ritchie, 9-1, 0.76 ERA for Duncanville, Texas, High, selected by Minnesota at No. 12; and Steve Karsay, 8-1, 1.13, for Christ the King High in New York City, drafted by Toronto with the 22nd pick.
Among the college players chosen were two involved in the College World Series - Stanford pitcher Mike Mussina, chosen by Baltimore at No. 20, and Oklahoma State outfielder Jeromy Burnitz, picked by the New York Mets at No. 17. Mussina was 11-3 with a 3.33 ERA and Burnitz hit .296 with 11 home runs and 54 RBIs.
The draft continues today and Wednesday with 1,500 players expected to be selected.