By Jim Callis
October 14, 2004

Frustrated by their inability to sign No. 2 overall pick Justin Verlander, the Tigers have decided to spend their money elsewhere. Detroit notified Verlander's adviser, Mike Milchin of SFX, that it was officially withdrawing its contract offer on Tuesday.

"We do not have any interest in signing Justin at this point," Tigers scouting director Greg Smith said. "We're extremely disappointed, but we've made an organization decision not to sign him. We're going to turn the page."

Smith wouldn't divulge the specifics of the negotiations, but he did say the Detroit had offered the Old Dominion righthander a major league contract worth significantly more than the $3.35 million bonus it gave Kyle Sleeth as the third overall pick in 2003. Milchin declined to comment.

The Tigers won't officially lose the rights to him until he attends a class at Old Dominion or a week before the June 2005 draft, whichever comes first. While the negotiating window remains open, Smith said he didn't anticipate a deal being reached.

"It's not a ploy, it's not a posturing, it's not a back-you-into-a-corner," Smith said. "It's a decision we've made. We have no plans at this point, unfortunately, to sign Justin Verlander. I'm not happy about it."

Verlander had arguably the best pure stuff of any pitcher in the 2004 draft, featuring a lively fastball that tops out at 99 mph and a power curveball.

If he doesn't sign, Verlander will become just the fifth player taken with one of the top two picks in the 40 years of the draft to not come to terms. The others were Pete Broberg (No. 2, Athletics, 1968), Danny Goodwin (No. 1, White Sox, 1971), Tim Belcher (No. 1, Twins, 1983) and J.D. Drew (No. 2, Phillies, 1997). The Tigers have failed to sign just one first-rounder, Detroit high school first baseman Rick Konik, the 14th overall choice in 1966. Konik never played professional or college baseball.

Five other first-round picks remain unsigned: Rice righthanders Philip Humber (No. 3, Mets), Jeff Niemann (No. 4, Devil Rays) and Wade Townsend (No. 8, Orioles), Long Beach State righthander Jered Weaver (No. 12, Angels) and Florida State shortstop Stephen Drew (No. 15, Diamondbacks). Townsend has returned to classes at Rice and sought a loophole to continue negotiating with Baltimore, but Major League Baseball ruled against him.