http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/draft/030527loewen.html

By Will Kimmey
May 27, 2003


As his agent and the Orioles negotiated right up until Monday's midnight
deadline on the East Coast, Adam Loewen passed the time at home in Surrey,
British Columbia, playing a Tiger Woods golf video game with a friend.

His hands soaked with a nervous sweat, Loewen said he could barely hold his
controller. He was able to grab the phone when agent Michael Moye called
about 9 p.m. Pacific, confirming a deal with Baltimore.

"My mind was going 100 miles a minute," Loewen said. "There were times when I
thought it wasn't getting done, and times I thought it was getting done.
There was information that caused me to think it wasn't and information to
make me think it was."

Moye said negotiations heated up in the 24 hours before the deadline for
Loewen to sign or go back into this year's draft. The Orioles offered a major
league contract in the final hour, which was the key to finally signing the
6-foot-6 lefthander they selected fourth overall out of high school last
year.

"That made me think they knew I was going to get (to the majors) and that
they really wanted me by taking an aggressive step at me," Loewen said.

Sources told Baseball America that Loewen, 19, received a total package of
$4.02 million, the figure he sought last summer. Loewen will receive a $3.2
million signing bonus spread over four years and at least $820,000 in salary
over five years. Orioles vice president of baseball operations Mike Flanagan
said those figures were "in the right ballpark."

The Orioles were offering around $2.5 million last year when negotiations
broke down. Loewen headed to Chipola (Fla.) Junior College so he would still
have an opportunity to sign with the Orioles or go right back into the draft
if he didn't sign.

"We threw all of last year's numbers out," Flanagan said. "He was a year
older and had been through a year of junior college baseball against better
competition. It was a different situation."

Loewen signed just before the closed period began today. At this point, teams
may no longer sign eligible players from last year's draft. The only
exceptions are players who are still involved in junior college or college
playoffs. Players who have not signed by now go back into the draft pool.

Loewen went 6-1, 2.47 at Chipola this year, adding a slider to a repertoire
that already included a 90-94 mph fastball with late life, a 12-to-6 power
curveball and average changeup. He was an almost sure top five pick had he
gone back into the draft. If they had not signed him, the Orioles would have
received a supplemental first-round pick, No. 37 overall, as compensation.
They're much happier to have Loewen.

"We're feeling awfully good about it," Flanagan said. "There was a lot of
hard work that went into it from the scouts to the front office . . . Talent
is talent, and we thought Adam was a talent."

Loewen will fly to Baltimore on Friday to take a physical. From there, he
will head to extended spring training in Sarasota, Fla., and begin his
professional career with short-season Aberdeen, which opens June 17 against
Brooklyn. Flanagan said the team was still evaluating Loewen and it wasn't
out of the question for him to begin at low Class A Delmarva.

"I'm really excited," Loewen said. "I've been waiting a long time for this to
happen. It finally got done and now I can go out and play baseball."

Beginning Friday, the Orioles' front office spent much of Memorial Day
weekend working on a deal, and Loewen said he hoped he would be able to reach
one rather than go back into the draft. He didn't want to revisit the
pressure and uncertainty of the draft and signing process for a second time.
He said baseball's attempt to rein in bonuses had an effect on his signing.

"It actually played a major role," he said. "I was hesitant to go back into
the draft. With the uncertainty, it's a mixed bag. The high-profile teams
like the New York Yankees and Atlanta Braves can pay the extra money, but
some other teams probably wouldn't.

"What it came down to was I want to play as soon as possible."

Loewen also acknowledged the role played by Flanagan and Jim Beattie, who
took over the general manager duties from Syd Thrift in December.

"It's quite different," Loewen said. "Last year I didn't really know who the
GM was. They came to most of my games and were nice people and tried to make
the situation more comfortable."

"Jim and Mike were just outstanding," scouting director Tony DeMacio told The
(Baltimore) Sun. "They just did a tremendous job in this process."

By signing a major league contract, Loewen is immediately added to the
Orioles 40-man roster. He will have to make the Orioles' 25-man roster by
Opening Day 2007, or be exposed to waivers if he is sent down.

"We felt there are very few cases for this, but Adam is one of them,"
Flanagan said.

"I can see myself there in three years," Loewen said. "It will depend on how
I do in the minor leagues, but that was what I liked the most (about the
deal). I'm not afraid of anything . . . I don't think I won't be ready."

The beginning of the closed period meant several other significant
draft-and-follow prospects were in the news as well:

The Reds did not sign lefthander Nick Markakis, their 23rd-round pick from
last year who came on strong this spring at Young Harris (Ga.) JC. Cincinnati
offered Markakis a $1.5 million bonus, but he turned it down to try to do
better in this year's draft. He is expected to go in the middle of the first
round.

The Pirates signed Wardell Starling, their fourth-round pick from last year,
to a $500,000 bonus. Starling was drafted out of Elkins High in Missouri
City, Texas, last year and went to Odessa (Texas) JC. Starling has excelled
as both an outfielder and righthander as an amateur, but he is expected to
pitch as a pro.

The Phillies did not sign outfielder Steve Doetsch, considered the best
draft-and-follow position player available. Doetsch was Philadelphia's
eighth-round pick last year out of Dunedin (Fla.) HS, attended Indian River
(Fla.) CC, and apparently never came very close to signing.

The Padres and catcher George Kottaras, their 20th-round pick last year,
agreed to terms. Kottaras signed for $375,000 as a draft-and-follow out of
Connors State (Okla.) JC.

The Indians signed righthander Nicholas Pesco for $460,000 out of Consumnes
River (Calif.) JC.

If a player's team is still alive in the college postseason, his drafting
club will get a narrow window to sign him once his season ends. The most
notable player in that situation is Clemson first baseman Michael Johnson, a
2002 second-round pick of the Padres. If Clemson wins its regional at Auburn
this weekend, San Diego won't get an opportunity to land him.