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By MARC TOPKIN
© St. Petersburg Times, published August 21, 2001
The Rays still are talking with top draft pick Dewon Brazelton.
But it's hard to tell if they're getting anywhere.
Brazelton did not go to class at Middle Tennessee State on Monday and agreed to stay away again today, allowing negotiations to continue. Once the talented right-handed pitcher attends his first class, the Rays lose their rights to him.
Brazelton adviser Bo McKinnis and Rays scouting director Dan Jennings spoke repeatedly Monday but didn't report much progress.
"We're getting closer on a lot of issues and apart on others," Jennings said after concluding the latest round of talks around midnight. "He is not going to class (today), so we'll continue the negotiating process."
McKinnis said Brazelton has until the end of next week to start attending class, but how long he stays out of school depends on what the Rays have to say. He did say Brazelton was on the MTSU campus in Murfreesboro on Monday to attend a meeting with other pitchers on the school team.
The Rays are believed to have offered Brazelton, the third overall pick, a major-league contract and a package worth at least $4-million over five years. Most of the discussions apparently involve the financial structure and may be expanded to include other team executives.
"I think Dan's working hard; I do think he's giving a good effort," McKinnis said. "Now I think it's a matter of communication among themselves."
It is not clear what impact reports of deals in excess of $10-million for No. 2 pick Mark Prior and No. 5 pick Mark Teixeira will have on the talks.