By Pat Caputo
October 23, 2004

DETROIT--Just eight days after the Tigers declared they were no longer interested in righthander Justin Verlander, they signed him to a five-year major league contract.

Verlander, the second overall selection in the June draft out of Old Dominion, received a $3.12 million bonus in the deal that is worth a guaranteed $4.5 million with a maximum value of $5.6 million.

Verlander's father Richard, a former union representative with the Communication Workers of America who has participated in numerous negotiations, played a key role in getting the contract negotiated. After the Tigers broke off negotiations, he called scouting director Greg Smith.

"There comes a time when the parties need to reach out personally,'' Richard Verlander said.

Smith said last week that the Tigers had "turned the page" on the Verlander negotiations and had no interest in signing him. The team notified agent Mike Milchin of SFX that it was withdrawing its offer. But the team couldn't officially lose its negotiating rights unless Verlander returned to class at Old Dominion or didn't sign by a week before next year's draft.

Instead, the family contacted the Tigers directly to move the deal forward. Justin Verlander declined comment on the role Milchin played during the negotiations.

"We (in the family) sat down as a group and discussed all the situations and I decided I wanted to become a Detroit Tiger,'' Verlander said. Smith said the Tigers' declaration they were no longer interested in Verlander was not a negotiating ploy.

"It was a very difficult decision to make at the time we made it,'' Smith said. "What happened when Mr. Verlander called is a dialogue was established that hadn't been there before and we were able to get this done.''

Verlander was considered the hardest-throwing college pitcher available in the draft. He routinely registers 99 mph on the radar gun. His mechanics are not particularly refined and he missed the 2004 season and instructional league while waiting for a deal. He'll likely begin his professional career next season with Class A Lakeland.

Still, 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 returned to classes at Rice and sought to continue negotiating with Baltimore by renouncing his college eligibility, but Major League Baseball ruled against him and said he will go into next year's draft pool.