Prep stars try to hammer out deals

Spencer Patterson

Friday, June 26, 1998 | 9 a.m.

It has been less than a month since Mike Nannini and Jason Van Meetren were selected in the Major League Baseball amateur draft. But already the two young prospects are learning that their sport is indeed a business.

While other 1998 local high school graduates such as Joe Orloski and Russell Cleveland have been playing rookie ball for weeks, the area's two highest draft choices still are embroiled in difficult contract negotiations.

And there's no clear end in sight.

Nannini, a right-hander from Green Valley, and Van Meetren, an outfielder/ pitcher from Bishop Gorman, are dealing with the same organization. The Houston Astros selected both area stars, grabbing Nannini with the 37th overall pick in the "sandwich round" (between the first and second rounds) and Van Meetren in the fourth round.

Darren Brombeck, the Astros' regional scout, has been to Las Vegas three times since the draft, including this week. But although both players received better offers this time around, neither heard the right number.

"They're still pretty far apart from what Mike's looking for," Nannini's father, also named Mike, said.

"Jason wants to play professionally," said Van Meetren's father, Steve. "They've just got to make it worth his while."

Because baseball salaries are pre-determined for minor league players according to level (single-A, double-A, etc.), the only negotiable part of a contract is the initial signing bonus.

According to Nannini's father, the Astros are offering Mike a smaller bonus than the San Francisco Giants recently gave to the player taken one pick after him, left-hander Christopher Jones from South Mecklenburg High School in Charlotte, N.C.

"That doesn't make sense to us," the elder Nannini said.

Nannini and Van Meetren have options should they fail to come to terms with Houston. Nannini signed early with Arizona State, while Van Meetren did likewise with Stanford.

To maintain their college eligibility, however, neither player can employ a sports agent to help with negotiations.

Van Meetren's early commitment to Stanford may be working against him, as it did on draft day, when clubs passed him over in the early rounds because of "signability" fears.

Now, because major league clubs are expected to include a four-year scholarship to a player's school of choice as part of their offer, Van Meetren's price tag may be more than the Astros are willing to give a fourth-round selection.

"The offer that they made to Jason is more than fair for the round that he was drafted in," Steve Van Meetren said. "But if he hadn't been rated "difficult to sign," he probably would have been a first- or second-round pick."

To help his son's cause, Nannini's father sent the Astros a copy of a recent Baseball America issue naming Mike to its high school All-American first team.

This past spring, the 5-11, 170-pound Nannini led the Gators to their sixth straight state title, going 10-1 with a 0.58 ERA and 97 strikeouts in 73 innings. He earned Sun Player of the Year honors for his accomplishments.

Van Meetren, the coaches' choice as the Southern Zone Player of the Year, led the Gaels into the state tournament as well. He batted .545 with nine homers and 45 RBIs and went 9-1 with a 1.88 ERA on the mound.

To keep his arm in game shape, Nannini recently joined Green Valley's American Legion summer club. He tossed three scoreless innings in his first appearance, striking out eight and surrendering just one hit in a 9-7 Green Valley win over a club from California.

Van Meetren has been playing for Gorman's Legion squad all summer. He recently earned MVP honors at the 16-team Prescott (Ariz.) Invitational after leading his team to the title.

Despite their respective difficulties coming to terms with the Astros, both families remain confident the deals will get done.

"I think we'll get there, but it might take some time," the younger Nannini said.

"We expect them to continue talking throughout the summer," Steve Van Meetren said. "And I believe they're going to be able to work it out. I think there's a commitment from both sides to work it out."