[ RAINBOW BASEBALL ]
Parr chooses Braves
over Rainbows
The Hawaii Rainbows lost one of their top 2005 recruits yesterday when James Parr signed with the Atlanta Braves.
The 6-foot-1, right-handed pitcher from La Cuerva (Albuquerque, N.M.) High School was selected Monday in the fourth round, 131st overall, of Major League Baseball's First-Year Player Draft.
Negotiations between Parr and Atlanta had been ongoing since Monday and he agreed to contract terms at noon.
"Basically, money was a good part of my decisions. The Braves made a good and fair offer," said Parr, who leaves for Florida next week and will be assigned to Atlanta's rookie team in the Gulf Coast League.
"Just being with the Atlanta Braves, I'm very confident being with them. They made me feel comfortable and I like the organization. They have a great reputation for developing young players."
The Braves' philosophy revolves around drafting high school players and developing them in their farm system.
Parr realizes his life will undergo a major transition, but looks forward to the challenge.
"I'm real excited to go to Florida," said Parr, who informed UH coach Mike Trapasso of his decision shortly after signing. "Obviously, it will be a big change playing every day. I feel I'm prepared for it and that made my decision a little easier."
Said Trapasso: "We wish James all the luck. We wish he hadn't made that decision, but we hope he makes the big leagues."
Clary Carlsen also signed yesterday after agreeing to terms with the Philadelphia Phillies, who picked the Hawaii right-hander in the 33rd round.
"They gave me a plane ticket and a thousand bucks. I'm rich," said Carlsen, who was 10-11 in two seasons as a starter and a closer for the Rainbows.
Carlsen goes to Florida on Sunday and will be assigned to either Clearwater, Fla., in the Gulf Coast League, or to Batavia, N.Y., in the New York-Penn League, depending on what he shows in workouts at the Phillies' spring training facility.
Another player selected plans to wait until August before making a decision about his future.
Kamaile Santos, a right-hander who pitched and also played in the field for Diablo Valley (Calif.) College this spring, was picked in the 42nd round by the Florida Marlins. The Kailua graduate did not sign last year after being chosen in the 30th round by the Seattle Mariners.
"I'm going to go to summer school and work out with my scout (John Hughes, Florida's area scout in Northern California). I was hurt part of the year, but if I'm ready, I might sign at the end of the summer," said Santos, who still played enough to be named to the Bay Valley Conference East first team as the utility player.
Santos had a 4-2 record with a 4.44 ERA, fanned 44 in 52 2/3 innings and hit .282.
"They thought I had a labrum problem, but an MRI showed no damage," Santos said. "If I don't sign this summer, I'll go back to school in the fall, then transfer to Oklahoma State in the spring."