Anderson Accepts M’S Offer Of $2 Million, Will Go To Arizona
It was the choice millions of American teenagers would love to have made - Ryan Anderson could either begin attending classes at the University of Michigan today, or agree to take a little more than $2 million from the Seattle Mariners and begin playing professional baseball.
Anderson, a 17-year-old first-round draft choice, took the money.
A 6-foot-10 left-handed pitcher known as the “Little Unit,” Anderson agreed to a contract with the Mariners and will begin his career Sept. 16 in the Arizona Instructional League.
“We made him a good offer; he took it,” said Roger Jongewaard, the Mariners vice president of player development. “We threw in some perks - he’s invited to major league spring training - and he agreed. If he hadn’t liked it, he was going to start school (today).”
And had Anderson done that, the Mariners would have lost the right to negotiate with him.
“We think Ryan can be a dominant pitcher in the major leagues,” Jongewaard said. “He loves Randy (Johnson), and we think he’s a little ahead of where Randy was at the same age.”
Among the lures Seattle baited the deal with - aside from money - was the chance to pitch in a rotation with Johnson one day, the opportunity to play for a winning team and the thought of pitching in a brand new stadium in the summer of 1999.
“He’s a special pitcher,” Jongewaard said.
In high school this year, Anderson was 5-2 in nine games with two saves and a 0.68 earned-run average.
Notes
After weighing offers from three radio stations - KJR, KOMO and KIRO - the Mariners signed a contract extension with KIRO to have their games broadcast through the year 2002.
“It’s the best radio deal we’ve ever had,” team vice president Randy Adamack said. “We had three strong offers. The interest in the team, the connection between our players and our fans and the possibilities in the future made us a team stations wanted to be part of.”
Next up? A television package - KIRO’s TV contract ends at the end of this season.
Randy Johnson flew home to Seattle on Monday to consult with a specialist about the ailing middle finger of his left hand. Barring an unexpected diagnosis, Johnson will throw in the Kingdome on Wednesday and could make his first start since Aug. 20 on Saturday… . To the surprise of no one, Ken Griffey Jr. was named American League Player of the Week for last week, during which he hit six home runs, had 12 RBIs and batted .320. It was his second such award this season and the seventh of his career.
Coming up
Seattle concludes this trip with a 5:05 p.m. game today against the Royals in Kauffman Stadium that will be televised on Fox Sports Northwest. Probable starting pitchers: Ken Cloude (2-2, 5.35) vs. Tim Belcher (12-12, 5.22).