Boras Challenge, Clubs' Mistakes Earn Release For Free-Agent Picks

Major-league teams may begin to lose prime draft choices in unprecedented fashion because they can't follow their own rules.

Hard-bargaining agent Scott Boras, who has crafted a lucrative career by cultivating and representing first-round draft choices, is the force behind a challenge to the way clubs deal with draftees.

Boras already has secured the release of left-handed pitcher Bobby Seay, the Chicago White Sox's 12th pick in this year's June free-agent draft. As many as five other first-rounders also could be set free. It's rare that a first-round pick does not sign.

One of the players who may become a free agent is Olympia's Travis Lee, a power-hitting first baseman from San Diego State who was the No. 2 pick in the draft, by Minnesota. Boras is not involved in negotiations for Lee.

Boras noticed a recent change in the draft rules that said a tendered contract must be offered within 15 days of the draft, which was June 4.

The purpose of the rule was to prevent teams from hoarding players merely to retain their rights.

"It's territorializing the player," Boras said. "They have no intention to sign him but it prevents another team from signing him as well. This rule forces the teams to only draft players they intend to sign rather than stockpiling players."

In Seay's case, Boras said the White Sox sent a telegram, which was the way teams traditionally initiated negotiations. General Manager Ron Schueler also visited him at his home in Sarasota, Fla.

"But they offered nothing and never executed a player contract," said Boras, who then took his case to the commissioner's office. The White Sox asked for a hearing, then decided against it, giving Seay his freedom.

The word is that baseball officials, realizing Boras had the legal upper hand and combined with their long, losing litigation history, decided to concede the issue so it wouldn't create more attention.

It may be an avenue to greater riches for these players. Boras said Seay, a high-school pitcher who is considered the draft's best left-hander, already has been offered twice the amount the White Sox offered. Boras would not disclose the figure or the teams.

"We're going to take a more methodical approach. We're going to get him in shape, then have him visit camps in the fall," Boras said. "He's a free agent, like the Cuban or Japanese players. Teams have a chance to sign the best lefty in the draft at no cost of a draft choice. The only thing it will cost them is money."

Baseball officials still contend the rules are being followed, that telegrams or letters effectively serve as contract offers. Boras said they don't, adding, "you can offer $85 a month if you want to. All they have to do is tender a contract and show it formally.

"All the teams have to do is follow the rules, but I'd say only 10 percent of the organizations do."

The Mariners cannot express interest in Lee, or any other player drafted by another team, because of rules against tampering. But Boras said the Mariners should get into the Seay Sweepstakes because of their need for pitching.

"I've made Seattle aware of him," he said. "When a team drafts 20th or higher, it does not have a chance to get the best left-hander in the draft. This is a rare opportunity to do that."

Van Poppel's problems

Boras, whose 50-plus clients range from Greg Maddux and Alex Rodriguez to Jason Varitek, has been criticized for his handling of pitcher Todd Van Poppel.

Despite Van Poppel's stated desire to go to college, the Oakland Athletics drafted him with the 14th pick in 1991. After a difficult summer of negotiations, he signed for a then-outrageous $1.2 million.

Boras also insisted and received a major-league contract. By guaranteeing being called up to the big leagues each season, Van Poppel could gain service time, bringing him to his arbitration years and free agency sooner.

Instead, it may have stunted his development and hurt his earning potential.

Van Poppel was released by Oakland in July and claimed by Detroit.

"It was very foolish to jump like that," A's pitching coach Bob Cluck said. "He did not have time to develop skills to be successful in the big leagues.

"I really think the best place for him is in the minor leagues, starting and building his confidence," Cluck said. "He's not prepared. He's a one-pitch (fastball) pitcher. He's not a big-league pitcher right now."

Boras responded by saying, "The pitching coach's biggest mistake was allowing him to be put on waivers. Fifteen teams tried to claim him.

"The issue is not whether he was in the big leagues too early. The issue is he's a big guy (6 feet 7) and big guys struggle with the strike zone early in their careers. Randy Johnson struggled early in his career."

Boras added that Van Poppel was coming around last season until Art Howe was hired as Oakland's manager. "They changed him, everything he did," he said.

After being pounded in his first two outings with the Tigers, the 24-year-old Van Poppel threw a shutout against Kansas City.

Check out Alex

The Mariners hope that the four-game Texas series will be meaningful when the club returns to Seattle on Sept. 16. Even if it isn't, fans should come out to witness a slice of shortstop Alex Rodriguez's season. Sometimes you can't appreciate history when you are in the middle of it.

"He might be having the best year by a shortstop ever, when you put it all together," said Detroit's Alan Trammell, who knows a little about that position.

Rodriguez, who turned 21 on July 27, became the third youngest player in major-league history to hit 35 home runs. Only Met Ott (who was barely 20 when he hit 35 in 1929) and Frank Robinson (who did it on his 21st birthday in 1956) were younger.

The best average for a player not yet 21 on Opening Day was Ty Cobb's .350 in 1907, 89 years ago. Rodriguez is at a league-leading .375 heading into today's doubleheader. He'd have to hit .158 (15 of 95) this month to slip below .350 for the season. Even if he doesn't get another hit the rest of the season, he'd likely finish at .324. He has gone hitless in back-to back games just once since April 7.

Trammell added, "I've always felt the guy (MVP candidate) should get a little extra credit for being on a first-place team. But not taking anything away from Alex, I think certainly he is the leading candidate."

Marketing A-Rod and Junior

Rodriguez just signed a five-year sponsorship contract with Nike, the same company that uses teammate Ken Griffey Jr. as its baseball showpiece.

There will be no cross-marketing between the two players, at least not initially. Rodriguez, who will film national TV spots during the off-season, will have his own identity, apart from Junior.

Three questions

No. 1: Should the Cy Young Award be handed out in the American League this season? The leading candidate, the Yankees' Andy Pettitte, has a 4.21 earned-run average, not even among the league's top 15. The Yanks' John Wetteland leads in saves with only 38 and he missed nearly month. Juan Guzman is only pitcher with a sub-3.00 ERA and he's 11-8. It may be a good year to pass on the award, conceding that no one has merited it.

No. 2: Can the Mariners play an entire season without ever having a losing record? The Mariners have not been below .500 this season. Their worst record was 4-4 on April 10.

No. 3: Entering Saturday's games, the Twins' Paul Molitor, on the verge of 3,000 hits, has 1,157 hits as a designated hitter. Will that discount his credentials to ultimately be voted into the Hall of Fame?

Shortstops

-- Fernando Valenzuela refuses to fade away. He is 12-7 with a 3.53 ERA with the first-place San Diego Padres. It's his first double-figure win season since 1990 and possibly his first winning season since 1986. He has been released three times this decade and even spent a season pitching for Jalisco in the Mexican League.

-- Pitcher Roger McDowell told Sports Illustrated about his shoulder surgery: "He (Dr. Lewis Yocum) lubed, oiled it and filtered it. I opted for the new-car scent instead of apple cinnamon."

-- The Cardinals were nine games below .500 May 26. Entering yesterday's game, they were 11 games over .500.

-- Cardinal pitcher Andy Benes is 15-2 since his 1-7 start. The right-hander went 7-2 to help the Mariners reach the playoffs a year ago.

-- Cincinnati has been unable to sustain any kind of success this season. The Reds have never been more than three games over .500 and never more than 11 games under. Since July 22, they've been within three games of .500 either way.

-- The Mets' Todd Hundley, with 39 home runs entering last night's games, is one short of Roy Campanella's 1953 major-league record for a catcher. Johnny Bench hit 45 in 1970, but only 38 as a catcher.

Hundley has broken Howard Johnson's NL record for home runs by a switch-hitter in a season, which was 38. If he gets 40, he will become only the second switch-hitter to reach that plateau. Mickey Mantle did it four times.

-- Colorado is the first NL team since 1929 to have four players drive in 100 runs.

-- Cleveland is 23-1 against Detroit and Boston this season. They were 12-0 against the Tigers, leading in 105 of the 111 innings. Going into yesterday's game, the Indians were just 58-53 against the rest of the league.

-- How was David Cone able to return so quickly (two months) from surgery to remove the aneurysm near his right armpit? It's because none of the muscles involved in throwing were cut or displaced.

-- San Francisco is on a pace to break the major-league record for strikeouts. The mark of 1,203 was set by the 1968 New York Mets. The Giants' hitting instructor is Bobby Bonds, who holds the record for strikeouts in a season, with 189.

Bob Sherwin covers the Mariners and major-league baseball for The Seattle Times. Some of the information in this notebook was obtained from other reporters around the country.