The Sta. Lucia management at the same time dangled a P5-million, three-year deal to another draftee Ercito Victolero.
Meanwhile, as the future PBA stars continue to savor juicy offers, the same can’t be said of veteran player Nelson Asaytono.
Waived by Coca Cola, Asaytono, many-time contender for the MVP plum, ironically has yet to find any takers with three weeks left before the start of the 2002 PBA season on Feb. 10.
Actually, there are ballclubs expressing interest in getting the services of Asaytono but they’re pegging their offer to no more than P300,000 a month. The bullstrong 6-foot-3 forward used to receive over P400,000 with his old team.
The changing of the guard in the league is getting clearer with Ato Agustin again packing his bag for the MBA and Bong Hawkins, Noli Locsin and Zaldy Realubit finding themselves unwelcome to the Airfreight 2100/FedEx ballclub.
FedEx president Lito Alvarez said they have decided to buy out what’s remained in the contracts of Hawkins, Locsin and Realubit.
Sta. Lucia team manager Buddy Encarnado expected his transactions with Rodriguez and Victolero to be closed today, leaving him with only the deals with Gerald Francisco and Chris Tan to work on. Earlier, Encarnado extended Dennis Espino’s contract to five more years, increasing his ace player’s monthly pay to P500,000 or a total salary of P30 million from 2002 to 2006.
Under the contracts being offered by Encarnado, Rodriguez will be paid an average of P250,000 a month and Victolero an average of P140,000 this year until 2004.
Curiously, Rodriguez and Victolero both played for Mapua in college ball, saw action for Andok’s San Juan in the MBA and were also teammates in the Philippine team that reigned supreme in the last Southeast Asian Games in Kuala Lumpur. Rodriguez was picked No. 3 overall in the recent PBA draft while Victolero came in No. 13.
Encarnado said he may also sign up former Ateneo player Brandon Sison – the team’s third-round choice.
Out of the 49 players picked in the recent PBA draft, no more than 20 have been guaranteed playing spots by the 10 PBA ballclubs.
Purefoods didn’t tender contract to any of its four draftees in Junel Mendiola, Dexter Racho, William Moody and Eugene Tan. The team management waived its rights on the four but Mendiola continues to work out with the Hotdogs, hoping to win the last remaining spot in the team lineup over Mon Jose – a former Pop Cola Panther.