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Pitcher Gavin. 18, gets The Sun: Friday, August 24,2001: Page 3: $4.2M up front., record 3 A S E B A L L for high school draIte Instead, the two will begin their this has happened," Michael said. pro baseball careers next month as Of his brother, he said, "We have By PAT O'MALLEY eammates in Clearwater, Fla., on been getting closer and closer as SUN STAFF the Phillies' Instructional League the days go by. We're so much alike, same taste in clothes, hair- It's the dream of many team. people to play professional b Philhies officials confirmed that cuts..." ball, but to do it with your brol :.hey gave Gavin Floyd $4.2 million The opportunity didn't look like as a teammate is almost too g tip front, the largest signing bonus it would happen after the Phillies to be true. aver awarded a drafted high school announced what they said was "It's like two dreams come Player. their final offer Tuesday at $4 mil- true," Severna Park's Gavin Floyd Floyd, a 6-foot-6, 215-pound lion. That was until Ron Shap1io said at the Ravens' preseason ight-hander with command of called scouting director Mike Ar- game at PSINet Stadium with his :hree pitches - a fastball in the buckle Wednesday night and e older brother Michael last night. mid-90s, a biting curve and imn- pressed Interest in resuming tall- "I had dreamed of playing witI 7roving - also has a col- Arbuckle, who said on p1 my brother and this couldn't be ege scholarship included in the Ues.com that Gavin "has the : better. leal if he so desires to pursue a de- tential to be the No. 1 o The brothers, who rode in style ree in the off-season, according to major-league staff," jumped at' to Baltimore In a limo donated by a gent Ira Raines of Shapiro and chance. After a consultation wit: Glen Burnie company after driving general manager Ed Wade, the nine hours from South Carolina, .obinson Associates. "His signing bonus is the high- Phillies offered an additional] reached agreements to sign with $200,000 and got the ball rolling. - the late st a drafted high school player Wednesday night. ias ever received," said Rainess, "I truly believe Gavin Floyd The official signing ceremony i vhose company also negotiated really wanted to play baseball and set for today at Veterans Stadiun :he deferred $5.15 million deal that I think that played a significant in the City of Brotherly Love, tatcher received from part in what (followed]," Arbuckle moniker that could not be mor , us hometown as said. appropos for the two Mount St. Jo ::he top pick in the draft. The Floyds were in no hurry to seph graduates. Michael Floyd, who was about go to school, anyway. Gavin, an 18-year-old pitchex :0 start his senior year at South "We were willing to go to Friday was the PhIllies' No. 1 pick and th Carolina, is believed to have [not attend class] if it came down fourth overall in the draft. Michael agreed to a $65,000-$70,000 deal to getting it done," Michael said. a 21-year-old outfielder, wa= with the Phililes. Instead, today brings "two drafted on the 22nd round by tb: now that dreams come true." Phillies. Had it not been for flnal-hou= negotiations, the two, who hay: never played on the same team to- gether, might have done so for th first time as South Carolina Game cocks. They were in Columbia S.C.. Wednesday night when tb deal was struck, scheduled to star - classes yesterday that would havi. made them ineligible to sign witl