Phone Call Makes Garland Feel Like One in a Million

GRANADA HILLS — Thirty minutes before Jon Garland received the phone call that could eventually make him a millionaire, he was doing what any normal teenager would do to relieve pressure--playing video games.

Surrounded by a half-dozen teammates from the Kennedy High baseball team, Garland and teammate Jack Cassel engaged in a round of Super Nintendo to help pass the time before the major-league draft began at 10 a.m. Tuesday.

After a false alarm, the phone rang and 35 assorted friends, family members and teammates fell silent.

After a brief conversation, Garland--a young man of few words--broke the news to everyone with one.

“Cubs,” he said.

The 6-foot-5 right-hander who has dominated batters the past three seasons and whose stock steadily rose in the months before the draft, was taken by the Chicago Cubs with the 10th overall selection.

He was the highest selection of any area pitcher since Roger Salkeld of Saugus High was taken third by Seattle in 1989.

Over a three-year varsity career, Garland was 27-4 with a 1.67 earned-run average, helping the Golden Cougars to City Section 4-A Division titles in 1995 and ’96. His fastball was consistently clocked between 88-92 mph this season.

Now he must decide between signing with the Cubs (likely) or accepting a full scholarship with USC (longshot).

The 10th selection last year faced a similar proposition.

Eric Chavez of Mt. Carmel High in San Diego spurned the Trojans just before he was about to start classes and signed with the Oakland Athletics for a $1.14 million signing bonus.

Garland hasn’t affiliated himself with a high-profile agent. Instead, he will let his mother, Vikki, and cousin John Bushart, a former minor-league pitcher, handle the negotiations.

“We’re going to have to look at a lot of numbers the next couple of weeks,” Bushart said. “And we’ve got to see what happens [to the players selected ahead of him].”

No serious negotiations are expected before Garland graduates on June 19.

“He’s got a lot of senior activities he wants to go through and enjoy,” Vikki Garland said.

As draft day approached, Garland, who shows little emotion even while pitching in tight situations, was beginning to show a few jitters.

“He was getting a little antsy,” said Cassel, who stayed overnight at the Garlands’ home. “That’s why we played video games. I beat him last night and he wanted revenge.”

Garland, who didn’t attend school Monday or Tuesday, was pacing his house while drinking a glass of orange juice in the minutes before he got the call. He appeared relieved afterward as he watched the Cubs’ cable telecast on WGN.

Announcers Harry Caray and Steve Stone welcomed Garland to the “Cub family” and showed a brief highlight video of Garland pitching, prior to the game between the Cubs and Pittsburgh Pirates.

“I don’t think it’s sunk in yet at all,” Garland said.