Wednesday, July 4, 2001

[ MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL ]

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League signs with
Blue Jays

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By Al Chase
achase@starbulletin.com

Brandon League signed his first professional baseball contract yesterday after reaching an agreement with the Toronto Blue Jays over the weekend.

The Blue Jays selected the 6-foot-2 right-hander in the second round of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft on June 5. He was the 59th player picked overall.

Terms of the agreement were not disclosed.

League has been assigned to Medicine Hat, Alberta, in the short-season, rookie-classified Pioneer League. He leaves tonight and will join the team in Billings, Mont.

"Once I got drafted, I pretty much was thinking pro ball," League said. "All I was asking for was fair second-round money."

Invited to play for the USA White team in the 2001 Tournament of Stars in Joplin, Mo., June 19-23, League declined the invitation when he was drafted, figuring he would soon sign. But the negotiation process took time.

Last November, he signed a national letter of intent to attend Pepperdine University in the fall, but his thinking changed the first day of the draft.

Advised by Danny Horwits of the Beverly Hills Sports Council, they waited to see what other second-round picks received in negotiations.

"That's why it took so long," League said. "I'm happy with everything."

Besides a bonus, Toronto will provide money when and if League decides to pursue a college education.

Toronto's California scouting supervisor Dave Blume came here to handle the signing.

A starting pitcher, League has tried to maintain a regimen similar to what he will experience in pro ball, throwing twice a week and doing his running.

Comments about League on the Major League Baseball Web site were: "Quick arm. Bore, sink life on fastball, will break some bats. Good balance, follow-through and extension out front. Competitive instincts."

Being away from home for the summer is not new to the St. Louis School graduate. He spent most of last summer pitching for the USA Junior National Team.

He is the ninth player drafted out of St. Louis.