Reds sign Milton Loo!

[OnBaseMachine]

Moloka'i's Loo signs with Reds

By Stacy Kaneshiro
Advertiser Staff Writer

Moloka'i's Milton Loo effectively took himself out of tomorrow's Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft by signing with Cincinnati for a $220,000 signing bonus Saturday after his Yavapai team lost to Walters State in the national junior college World Series championship game in Grand Junction, Colo.

Loo, an infielder and 2004 Moloka'i High grad, confirmed the signing last night from Arizona. He plans to return home today.

The MLB draft will be held tomorrow and Wednesday, lasting 50 rounds.

Loo was drafted as a shortstop in 2005 in the sixth round by the Reds. He had 48 hours from his last game to sign or be put back into this year's draft pool. Normally, draft-and-follow prospects have a week before the draft to sign, but since Yavapai was in the World Series, Loo had an extension.

"I'm happy," he said in a telephone interview. "I'm ready to get started."

Loo was drafted by the Reds in the 17th round in 2004 out of Moloka'i High, but opted to play at Yavapai, a junior college in Prescott, Ariz. Junior college players are eligible for the draft each year.

With Loo signed, University of Hawai'i starting pitcher Steven Wright will likely be the highest player selected with a tie to Hawai'i. Wright, a junior right-hander, is projected to be taken within the first five rounds. Baseball America ranked him 50th in its top 200 prospects. He was drafted in the 26th round by the San Diego Padres out of Valley View High (Moreno, Calif.) in 2003.

Wright (11-2 with a 2.30 ERA) developed mononucleosis prior to the start of the Corvallis, Ore., regional and missed his scheduled Friday start.

Also, San Diego junior second baseman Keoni Ruth, a 2003 graduate of The Kamehameha Schools, might be selected again. He was a 17th-round pick by the Kansas City Royals out of high school. He sustained a left shoulder injury in Friday's regional opener against Fresno State in Fullerton, Calif. that forced him to leave the game.

A few college seniors might also be selected, including UH catcher Esteban Lopez and Rainbow outfielder Matt Inouye, as well as San Francisco pitcher Patrick McGuigan, a 2002 Mid-Pacific graduate.

Scouts were not high on this year's Hawai'i high school seniors. Only Iolani left-handed pitcher Wally Marciel's name has been mentioned. Marciel, who signed a letter of intent with Kansas, is the only prep name to pop up in national scouting reports.

Reach Stacy Kaneshiro at skaneshiro@honoluluadvertiser.com.

http://www.honoluluadvertiser.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20060605/SPORTS07/606050344/1052/SPORTS

[edabbs44]

Wow...pretty cheap.

[lollipopcurve]

Nice -- and for a lot less than I thought would be necessary. Like most signees, he's a long shot to make it, but the more good amateur talent you pull in, the better. Gotta like an infielder with some power, speed and good defensive skills.

[Red Heeler]

Wow! Great signing to get Loo at that price. I wonder if this makes Bill Rowell less likely as the 1st round pick?

[zombie-a-go-go]

Thanks for posting this. :)

[dabvu2498]

Is 220,000 really low for the 6th round???

[lollipopcurve]

I wonder if this makes Bill Rowell less likely as the 1st round pick?

Doubt it. Reds like their lefty bats. If he did well in his private tryout, I'm sure he's in the mix. But my guess is that the new regime, with all its talk about pitching and defense, will grab an arm.

[BuckeyeRedleg]

He was taken in the 9th round last year, but was predicted to go in the top 3 rounds this year had he not signed.

Great sign!

I'm surprised he didn't get more.

[NC Reds]

Great news. Glad to see Loo was not greedy and wanted to be a Red.

[GoReds]

Some definite signs coming from the front office that this is not a "business as usual" crowd.

That, more than the Loo signing gives us fans hope.

[traderumor]

This year Loo, next year Lou?

[BuckeyeRedleg]

Updated Reds top prospects list:

1. Bailey
2. Bruce
3. Cueto
4. Wood
5. Votto
6. Loo

:)

[cincy09]

Wow! Great signing to get Loo at that price. I wonder if this makes Bill Rowell less likely as the 1st round pick?

Allows more resources for Hochevar?! ...... I dare to dream

[tbball10]

where will loo start, billings or dayton? and is he a 3b or ss?

[ochre]

where will loo start, billings or dayton? and is he a 3b or ss?
I think he could probably play ss. the kid playing ss for his JC team appeared to cover a lot of ground in the highlights somebody posted in another thread.

[CTA513]

So its rumored the old owners offered what $200,000?
Now the new owners sign him for $220,000...

I wonder if this had to do with the money or the owners, because it would stink if the old owners didnt sign him because he wanted $20,000 more than they offered.

[lollipopcurve]

where will loo start, billings or dayton?

I don't think he has a shot at Dayton. Most likely he'll be at Billings, but I do think he could wind up lower, on the GCL team in Sarasota. May depend on who else is signed and who they're pulling in from extended spring training. They may have promised him Billings as an incentive to sign...

[NewEraReds]

I LOVE KRIVSKY. not only would the morons in the past not be able to sign him or even try, but it would have cost them over the value. krivsky gets him in at a lower value.

personally for me, i see loo maybe getting a little rest and spending a little time at extended or billings. but i think hes ticketed for dayton. hes ahead of the curve big time for normal draftees.

hes played 2 years out of hs and 2 years with WOOD bats, so the adjustment wont be as big. and dayton needs a 3b. i think thats where he will be

[NewEraReds]

So its rumored the old owners offered what $200,000?
Now the new owners sign him for $220,000...

I wonder if this had to do with the money or the owners, because it would stink if the old owners didnt sign him because he wanted $20,000 more than they offered.
owner and gm didnt have a clue of what they were doing. that and with what the new regime can do is the dif.

[OnBaseMachine]

It's nice to add another good bat to the system because after Joey Votto, Jay Bruce, and Chris Denorfia there is nothing. Tonys Gutierrez, BJ Szymanski, and Adam Rosales have had disappointing years either due to injuries or just flat out not hitting well. Hopefully Buckley can add some solid bats in this draft after taking a college pitcher in the first round.

[NewEraReds]

question, anyone know what happened to Jones. hs ss in the top 10 last year who had really good size. i thought he would shock and be the surprise from the draft. had good feelings about him, but i guess i was wrong ?

[M2]

So its rumored the old owners offered what $200,000?
Now the new owners sign him for $220,000...

I wonder if this had to do with the money or the owners, because it would stink if the old owners didnt sign him because he wanted $20,000 more than they offered.

What NewEraReds said for the most part. I'm relatively sure it's not so much what was being offered as it was who was offering it.

Krivsky/Castellini manage to get things done in a way O'Brien/Lindner never could.

[dougdirt]

question, anyone know what happened to Jones. hs ss in the top 10 last year who had really good size. i thought he would shock and be the surprise from the draft. had good feelings about him, but i guess i was wrong ?

Michael Jones, 8th round pick last year?

[BuckeyeRedleg]

Michael Jones, 8th round pick last year?

Yes, where is he now? Injured?

[Az. Reds Fan]

I'd assume Jones is in extended ST, waiting for the short season rookie leagues to start.

[dougdirt]

He is probably waiting around for SS to start. He played briefly in Billings last year after the GCL season ended. I would imagine that is where he will start off this year.

[NewEraReds]

k, thats what i figured, just thought he would be good enough to be up to dayton by now, once janish was moved up to sarasota

[Betterread]

This is good news. We need more infield prospects and Loo sounds like he can hit. The bonus was smaller than I thought he would command. I hope this means than we can pay slot bonuses for our first five rounds.

[Doc. Scott]

Jones got some sort of Most Improved award within the organization... for Florida Instructional League, I guess. But he should be back in rookie ball this year when those seasons get going.

[NewEraReds]

Jones got some sort of Most Improved award within the organization... for Florida Instructional League, I guess. But he should be back in rookie ball this year when those seasons get going.
he just had the measurables and look and i got a good feeling when i would read about him. just one of those gut things, just think he will be good some day

[NewEraReds]

This is good news. We need more infield prospects and Loo sounds like he can hit. The bonus was smaller than I thought he would command. I hope this means than we can pay slot bonuses for our first five rounds.
plus loo swiped more than 30 bases this year. he has speed too

[Danny Serafini]

Personally I'm just thrilled he signed because if he hadn't he would've joined Ben Broussard, Chris Reitsma and Scott Kazmir in the RedsZone Pantheon of Yearning, and had constant Milton Loo updates wherever he was. :laugh:

[pedro]

plus it would have spawned some new vernacular. "that pick just went down the Loo"

[M2]

plus it would have spawned some new vernacular. "that pick just went down the Loo"

I had that one totally queued up if he didn't sign.

Mainly I'm glad that the Reds signed a guy they drafted twice. If only he turns out as well as that SS the club drafted twice in the 1980s.

[Mario-Rijo]

As far as the Bonus going up goes, could it be that maybe Milton just wanted to represent his JC team thinking that they had a shot at winning it all? Maybe that was his motivation for sticking w/ Yavapai, and perhaps he told the former FO this so they were waiting on him to finish up. the extra 20K may have come as a result of his continual improvement.

[lollipopcurve]

Michael Jones was very raw -- at the end of last year they were saying he'd be back in rookie ball this year. No surprise we haven't seen him yet.

[NewEraReds]

Michael Jones was very raw -- at the end of last year they were saying he'd be back in rookie ball this year. No surprise we haven't seen him yet.
yea, its just, dayton isnt lighting it up with great infielders outside of janish(now gone) and griffin(who i love. kid is just so consistant)

[NewEraReds]

As far as the Bonus going up goes, could it be that maybe Milton just wanted to represent his JC team thinking that they had a shot at winning it all? Maybe that was his motivation for sticking Yavapai, and perhaps he told the former FO this so they were waiting on him to finish up. the extra 20K may have come as aresult of his continual improvement.
could be, but i doubt it. i just think krivsky is very good at contract negotiations and past fo was morons :)

[KronoRed]

Glad to hear the long nightmare is finally over

[Slider]

Wow...Great News !

It's like getting a bonus draft pick now that we don't have to pick Milton again this year...:D

[klw]

Personally I'm just thrilled he signed because if he hadn't he would've joined Ben Broussard, Chris Reitsma and Scott Kazmir in the RedsZone Pantheon of Yearning, and had constant Milton Loo updates wherever he was. :laugh:

You forgot Jeremy Sowers.:)

[gm]

plus it would have spawned some new vernacular. "that pick just went down the Loo"

So, now it's "skip to mah Loo" instead?

[Topcat]

Fantastic news, I am truly stoked at how the new regime is getting things done:D

[Caveat Emperor]

So, now it's "skip to mah Loo" instead?

Now all we need is a loud DJ to hold a microphone and yell whenever he does something.

"Loo got the ball...what's he gonna do? What's he gonna do?! He gotta play at first base! OHHHH BABY!!!"

[IslandRed]

Fantastic news, I am truly stoked at how the new regime is getting things done:D

It's been so long since we've seen simple, everyday basic competence out of the front office and ownership... sigh... even if Krivsky doesn't turn out to be the next great GM, it's good to at least be a functioning organization again.

[Topcat]

It's been so long since we've seen simple, everyday basic competence out of the front office and ownership... sigh... even if Krivsky doesn't turn out to be the next great GM, it's good to at least be a functioning organization again.

I also wonder what part Kullman had in negotiations. From what I have heard in the past, I kind of question his interpersonal skills and ability to stay calm and objective.

[Marty and Joe]

This is great news. Hopefully - we get more today with the draft. I'm hoping for a Boras-fall out of Hochevar all the way to the Reds' spot in Round 1. Doubt it, but, we shall see.

Getting Loo signed is definitely a bonus heading into today. Hope to see him in Dayton later this summer.

[OnBaseMachine]

Molokai’s Loo signs with Reds
By ROBERT COLLIAS, Staff Writer
Milton Loo has had a busy week.

The 2004 Molokai High School graduate just finished a 70-game baseball season with Yavapai College with a 7-6 loss to Walters (Tenn.) Community College in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division I tournament late Saturday in Grand Junction, Colo.

Moments after the game, with family, friends, teammates and fans watching, Loo signed with the Cincinnati Reds organization for a $220,000 signing bonus. Loo was drafted in the 17th round by the Reds out of high school in 2004, but decided instead to attend Yavapai.

The Reds drafted him again in the 2005 draft, in the ninth round. Loo had a

48-hour window to sign with the Reds after his last game with Yavapai (58-12), re-enter the draft or honor a national letter of intent he signed with NCAA power Louisiana State in December.

He took about 20 minutes to act and it came in a relief role.

“Yeah, it definitely feels good to get it done,’’ Loo said via telephone from Arizona on Monday. “There was so much weight on my shoulders, so many things in my head. I finally got it done and my future is baseball now.’’

As mom, Dodie, and dad, Clarence, looked on with former Molokai standout Kelii Alcon and his family of four, the Yavapai team saluted Loo as he signed his contract.

While doubt has surrounded Loo around draft time the last two years – the 2006 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft is today and Wednesday – this time, he knew it was the right time.

“I just felt like I was ready,’’ Loo said. “I wanted to do it in front of the team, my family and all of the supporters. So I did it right after the game.’’

With Loo’s departure from the draft, Maui’s top prospect is Kanekoa Texeira. Texeira is from Makawao, attended Kamehameha Schools Oahu and has been at Saddleback College, a California junior college, the last two seasons.

Loo, the highest drafted player in Molokai history and the third-highest ever in Maui County behind St. Anthony’s Shane Victorino (sixth round, Los Angeles Dodgers, 1999) and Baldwin’s Kurt Suzki (second round, Oakland A’s, 2004), looks at what his former Maui Interscholastic League brethren have done and gets a sense of what it possible. Victorino is currently hitting .316 with the Philadelphia Phillies after spending most of his first seven years as a professional in the minors.

“I never did think that I would get an opportunity to do this,’’ Loo said. “In Hawaii, back when I was playing ball in high school, you are out there for the team and stuff. I didn’t ever think that I would get this opportunity to play pro ball.

“Just looking at Hawaiian players and seeing what they are doing, it gives me something to motivate me,’’ he said. “Knowing that they can make it, I say, ’Hey, why not me?’ It is all about how much I want it and how much I really desire to play in the bigs.’’

Loo will have to wait a couple of days to find out where his professional career will begin. He injured his right throwing elbow in a game in March and has been playing with an ulnar collateral ligament strain ever since. The Reds sent him to a doctor in Phoenix to check out the injury and Loo expects the report in a couple of days.

A good report will send him to Billings, Mont., of the Rookie-level Pioneer League.

A bad report on the elbow would send him to extended spring training in Florida. Victorino started his professional career with Great Falls, Mont., in the Pioneer League in 1999.

Loo, a third baseman for Yavapai after playing shortstop for Molokai, said he is not worried about the elbow in the long run.

“It happened in a game in March,’’ Loo said. “There was a ball hit down the line and I backhanded it. Halfway through my motion (to throw to first base) the umpire called foul and I just felt something pinch in my elbow. I have been playing with it all year, so I know I can do it.’’

Loo hit 6-for-22 in six games in the national tournament with seven runs, 12 RBIs, a double and three homers. He hit .351 for the regular season with 14 doubles, four triples, five homers, 53 RBIs, 43 runs and 32 stolen bases in 55 games.

In 2005, he earned national junior college honorable mention All-America status after hitting .404 with 14 doubles, six triples, five homers and 38 RBIs as a freshman for a 44-12 team in a wood-bat league.

He started the national tournament this year 1-for-7 through two games hitting with an aluminum bat and then started taking batting practice with his wooden bat. It turned him around in a big way as he had a three-game streak at the tournament with homers in each game and was 5-for-11 at the plate with 12 RBIs.

“It was the best experience of my life,’’ Loo said. “Playing in front of 10,000 people, signing autographs every game, just hearing your name yelled by the crowd, it was all so awesome.’’

http://www.mauinews.com/story.aspx?id=20401