Wednesday, July 7, 1999
Deal may be near for Williams
By Pat Bigold
Star-BulletinJerome Williams, drafted higher than any other Hawaii-born player in the history of the amateur baseball draft, could soon finalize terms on the largest draft bonus ever given a Hawaii baseball player.
Williams, a 6-foot-3, 187-pound right-hander who recently graduated from Waipahu High School, was taken by the San Francisco Giants 39th overall in the draft on June 2. He was the Giants' second pick.
Williams' agent, Reggie Waller of San Diego, said he is optimistic an end can come to the protracted negotiation this week. He said last night he is waiting for Giants management to make one more compromise before the deal is done.
No figure has been revealed, but it is believed Williams could receive $750,000 to $1 million.
Williams and his mother, Deborah, flew into San Diego yesterday and will attend tonight's Giants game against the San Diego Padres before heading to San Francisco.
But San Francisco assistant general manager Ned Colletti said last night a deal is not imminent.
Colletti said he has offered Williams a generous deal, a substantial increase over what last year's 39th pick received. Still Colletti said, "I don't have a good feeling" that a deal is near.
Williams had a 0.30 earned run average and 116 strikeouts in 65 innings.
