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By JOHN C. COTEY
© St. Petersburg Times, published June 22, 2001
NEW PORT RICHEY -- Former Ridgewood standout Mike Rabelo has signed with the Detroit Tigers, his father said Thursday.
Though Rabelo was unavailable for comment (he was at the Devil Rays game at Tropicana Field), father Greg said that the Tigers and family adviser Paul Fernandez reached a deal Wednesday.
The Rabelos had rejected the Tigers' first offer and countered with their own late last week.
"They called back and straightened it out with (Mike's) agent, and he signed," Greg said.
Rabelo, Detroit's fourth-round pick, will report to Oneonta, the Tigers' short season Class A team in New York, on Saturday.
Figures weren't released, but the Rabelos were seeking "fair money", believed to be between $250,000 and $350,000.
Rabelo becomes the first Ridgewood player to sign a professional contract since Dave Doorneweerd in 1991 and the fourth overall (joining Doorneweerd, Kevin McGuire and Joe Bertucci).
The former Ridgewood standout and 1998 North Suncoast Player of the Year was a pitcher in high school, setting a slew of school records before switching to catcher at the University of Tampa.
A ninth-round pick of Boston out of high school, Rabelo could not come to terms with the Red Sox and instead became a star with the Spartans and arguably the best catcher in college baseball.
Rabelo hit .371 with 10 home runs and 57 RBI this season and helped lead Tampa to the Division II College World Series.