Cey Hey for Twins in Round 3

Amends three years in the making came for Dan Cey on Tuesday when the telephone rang and he learned he’d been drafted in the third round by the Minnesota Twins.

They didn’t say: Will you sign if we draft you?

They didn’t say: How much money will it take to sign you?

This was plain and simple: Hello, Dan? Congratulations, you’ve been selected by the Twins.

“I’m glad something went well,” Cey said. “This has turned out exactly as I hoped.”

In 1993, the San Diego Padres called the El Camino Real High shortstop before making their second pick and asked how much it would take for him to sign.

Cey responded with a figure he thought reasonable and the next thing he knew he wasn’t drafted until the 20th round.

Cey took a scholarship to California instead of signing and after three solid seasons will begin his professional career. He was the 67th player drafted overall.

“I will cherish those three years at Cal forever,” he said. “I wanted to sign out of high school and didn’t because of a huge misunderstanding, but it’s all worked for the best.”

Cey, 20, son of former Dodger Ron Cey, is one of 12 players from the region chosen on the first day of the amateur draft. Only the first round was released, but scouts and players confirmed the selections.

* Junior Brignac, third round, Atlanta Braves.

The stock of the Cleveland High shortstop, regarded as one of the best high school athletes in the nation, might have fallen because he has accepted a football scholarship to Washington.

Nevertheless, Brignac, the 92nd player drafted, is intrigued about beginning his baseball career with the Braves.

“The Braves are my favorite team,” he said. “I was pleased with where I went. This is cool.”

Braves’ scout John Ramey met with Brignac and his mother, Janice, Tuesday night but did not get his signature on a contract.

“There is no hurry with this decision,” Janice said. “The Braves are a quality organization, but Washington has been very classy. We want to weigh everything.”

* Ryan Stromsborg, fourth round, Toronto Blue Jays

Stromsborg, formerly of Notre Dame High, batted .354 this season for USC. Still, his selection this high was the major surprise among area players.

“A lot of scouts didn’t even turn in reports on him,” one scout said. “But he’s a high-achieving kid who can run, throw and play infield or outfield.”

* Robert Fick, fifth round, Detroit Tigers

Fick, a consensus All-American after batting .420 for Cal State Northridge, was the fifth catcher drafted behind Stanford’s A.J. Hinch and three high school players.

Detroit also drafted him last season, in the 44th round, and he was pushed again by Tigers’ area scout Dennis Lieberthal, father of Philadelphia Phillies’ catcher Mike Lieberthal.

“He was the first catcher on our list,” Lieberthal said. “We would have taken him ahead of all the other guys. Robert’s got great mental makeup and a bat that can take him to the big leagues.”

* Keith Evans, eighth round, Montreal Expos

A 6-foot-5 right-hander for Cal who needs to fill out, Evans possesses one of the best curveballs among college players. Evans, who played at Chaminade and Crespi highs, is eager to sign.

“This is what he worked toward since he was 8 years old,” said Janelle Evans, his mother.

* Mike Glendenning, 10th round, San Francisco Giants

Because they drafted Glendenning last year, the St. Louis Cardinals owned the rights to the Pierce College slugger until Tuesday, and made a serious attempt to sign him last month.

Glendenning opted to go back into the draft and has a difficult decision between signing or accepting ing a scholarship from Cal State Northridge.

“I’m real happy about this,” said Glendenning, a third baseman. “But I’ve got to sit down with my dad and my advisor and talk it over.”

* Eric Gillespie, 10th round, Angels

Funny how the draft works. The Angels contacted the Cal State Northridge third baseman only once before Tuesday.

“They were the last team I thought would get me,” said Gillespie, who hit 23 home runs this season. “I’m excited.”

Gillespie, a junior who can also catch, is certain to sign and probably will be sent to the Angels’ short season Class-A team in Boise, Idaho.

* Garrett Lee, 10th round, Atlanta Braves

Lee, a 6-5 right-handed pitcher from Glendale College with great command of his curve and changeup, will choose between the Braves and Long Beach State. Let the negotiations begin.

“I’ll listen to what they have to say and make a decision,” Lee said. “The Braves are a top team to begin a career with.”

* Josh Towers, 15th round, Baltimore Orioles

Like Lee, Towers is a tall junior college pitcher who possesses vast potential to improve. Unlike Lee, Towers is a freshman who will either sign or return to Oxnard College.

“I’m not sure if I am going to sign,” he said. “I’ll talk it over with my parents and my uncle.”

* Stacy Kleiner, 16th round, St. Louis Cardinals

Kleiner, a catcher at Nevada Las Vegas, probably will be converted to second base by the Cardinals should he sign. The former Taft High player batted better than .300 for three years at UNLV.

* Chris Garza, 18th round, Minnesota Twins

Garza, a left-handed pitcher at Nevada from Notre Dame High, possesses a fastball clocked at nearly 90 mph.

“His strikeouts to innings ratio is impressive but he had some real average outings,” said John Savage, a Nevada assistant coach.

* Gabe Crecion, 19th round, Baltimore Orioles

Crecion, a right-handed pitcher from Chaminade High with a live arm, is a gamble because he has accepted a football scholarship from UCLA. In order for him to sign, the Orioles will have to offer him substantially more than a 19th-round pick typically gets.