Turn Off Ads?
Page 1 of 4 1234 LastLast
Results 1 to 15 of 52

Thread: Nats make record offer to Strasburg

  1. #1
    Member
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    New York, NY
    Posts
    9,419

    Nats make record offer to Strasburg

    Surprised this hasn't been posted anywhere here...

    Do you think he'll sign??

    http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=4401500

    Associated Press

    WASHINGTON -- Nationals president Stan Kasten acknowledged Saturday there is a "very real possibility" the team will not reach an agreement with No. 1 overall draft pick Stephen Strasburg despite offering him a record-breaking contract.

    The Nationals face a deadline of midnight on Monday night to sign Strasburg, a right-handed pitcher from San Diego State whose fastball has been clocked at 102 mph.

    He is represented by uber-agent Scott Boras, who has the top three players in this year's draft -- all of whom were unsigned as of Saturday afternoon.

    "With 48 hours to go, I simply have no idea whether we're going to be able to reach a deal," Kasten said in an interview with The Associated Press.

    Kasten said the Nationals offered Strasburg a major league contract more than the record $10.5 million pitcher Mark Prior got from the Chicago Cubs after being the second pick in the 2001 amateur draft.

    Washington's offer came more than a week ago during a face-to-face meeting in California that included Strasburg, Boras, Kasten, Nationals acting general manager Mike Rizzo and team owners Ted and Mark Lerner.

    Kasten wouldn't reveal the exact amount of Washington's offer nor would he say what, if any, counteroffer Boras had made. But Kasten characterized Boras' approach as "advocating a new methodology for evaluating draft picks" -- changing the way a draft pick's worth is determined.

    "This kid is so impressive. We have nothing but the highest regard for him. If he wants to come and begin his career right now -- and do so with the largest contract ever given to any drafted player in the history of Major League Baseball -- we can help him accomplish that," Kasten told the AP. "But if this is more about changing the whole way an industry does business, then we won't be able to reach a deal."

    Failing to sign Strasburg would be a blow to a franchise that finished last in the majors with 102 losses last season -- which is why they had the top pick in June's amateur draft -- and has the worst record in baseball in 2009, again on pace for 100 losses. Washington also recently lost rookie starter Jordan Zimmermann for at least a year because of a torn elbow ligament.

    A year ago, the Nationals had the No. 9 overall pick and selected pitcher Aaron Crow of Missouri, whom they did not sign. Crow went back into the draft this year, was taken 12th overall by Kansas City, and had yet to reach a deal with the Royals as of Saturday.

    If there's no deal between Washington and Strasburg, he would go back into the 2010 draft, and the team would be awarded the No. 2 pick in 2010.

    Strasburg has been labeled a once-in-a-generation talent. He went 13-1 this season, leading Division I pitchers with a 1.32 ERA and 195 strikeouts. Last month, he won the Golden Spikes Award as the top amateur player in the United States, and was the only amateur on the U.S. Olympic baseball team that won a bronze medal at the 2008 Beijing Games.

    "Very, very impressive young man. We'd be very proud to have him as a National," Kasten said. "Very mature. Clearly ready to begin life as a professional. And I hope he signs with us because of that, because I think it really would be a mistake for him to put his career off for another year."

    The Nationals executive laid out a scenario in which Strasburg could be in the majors on opening day next season -- if a deal were reached by Monday's deadline.

    "We think he's not just a draft pick -- we think he's a special player, which is why we extended ourselves as much as we did, and will continue to entertain any other issues or concerns he might have in order to get him signed," Kasten said.

    But he also said there is a "very real possibility, with 48 hours to go, that Stephen may choose not to sign with us. We remain hopeful. But ... all of baseball history, both long-standing and our own recent history with Jordan Zimmermann, has cautioned us about the risks inherent in signing any young player, particularly pitchers."

    Copyright 2009 by The Associated Press


  2. Turn Off Ads?
  3. #2
    Et tu, Brutus? Brutus's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Atlanta, Ga.
    Posts
    10,904

    Re: Nats make record offer to Strasburg

    Kasten is doing a lot of posturing, or embracing his fan base. I'm not sure which.

    I still think something will get done, but I don't get the sense Washington is willing to wiggle much more than they have. Giving a Major League deal and a record signing bonus is a pretty good start. It sickens me that is not enough for Boras.

    I'm not which I hate more: using one terribly ridiculous negotiation and then trying to subsequently use the ridiculous contract that resulted as justification for another ridiculous contract, or the fact that it actually works repeatedly.

    The man gets results. His methods work repeatedly. But I loathe every fiber of his methodology to insinuate that his inane ability to rip people off in the past is a reason to rip people off even more at a time.
    "No matter how good you are, you're going to lose one-third of your games. No matter how bad you are you're going to win one-third of your games. It's the other third that makes the difference." ~Tommy Lasorda

  4. #3
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta, aka, the most prosperous city in the world.
    Posts
    13,308

    Re: Nats make record offer to Strasburg

    Boras always said he wanyed about $50M in guaranteed money for the Kid.

    With the previous record at $10.5M, saying they are ready to give him a record contract really doesn't say much.

    I alwasy assumed it would take at least $20-25M to sign him. I wonder what they are offering?

  5. #4
    Sprinkles are for winners dougdirt's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2006
    Posts
    49,393

    Re: Nats make record offer to Strasburg

    Quote Originally Posted by PuffyPig View Post
    Boras always said he wanyed about $50M in guaranteed money for the Kid.

    With the previous record at $10.5M, saying they are ready to give him a record contract really doesn't say much.

    I alwasy assumed it would take at least $20-25M to sign him. I wonder what they are offering?
    Rumor has it its in the 15-17M range.

  6. #5
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2001
    Posts
    10,079

    Re: Nats make record offer to Strasburg

    To me it says he does not want the guy to sign with WAS......he wants to put a figure so stupidly obscene that they will not do it and he can find another way out of playing for that team.

    The players he represents on the major league ..... do they ever ask this guy why take money away from the guys that are up here already? Do they even think without consulting Boras on anything?

  7. #6
    Redsmetz redsmetz's Avatar
    Join Date
    Feb 2006
    Location
    Winton Place
    Posts
    12,908

    Re: Nats make record offer to Strasburg

    From a Washington Post blog:

    Aug.17. Welcome. This is one of those dates that we've all awaited for quite some time now. Stephen Strasburg Deadline Day is the baseball human equivalent of the iPhone launch and the "Star Wars" premiere and, heck, we might as well throw Christmas onto the list, too -- though Christmas never ends without presents. Except maybe at the Scott Boras household.

    We've known for quite some time this day was coming. I still remember the final weeks of the 2008 season, as the Nats ably jostled for the league's worst record. I even remember then-GM Jim Bowden sitting in the dugout one day talking about how he wanted the league's worst record, because he wanted a particular pitcher named Stephen Strasburg.

    Think about this. Because college baseball is obscure (but for a week or two when teams heads to Omaha and ESPN pays attention), and because high school baseball attracts interest from only parents and scouts, the average list of drafted players is, with few exceptions, anonymous. Even a stud -- a first-round pick -- is generally unknown to fans until the minute he's drafted. How many in NatsTown, for instance, knew of Aaron Crow in May 2008?

    But Strasburg, he's been the most famous quasi-component of the Washington Nationals for almost a year now. We have observed every second of his junior year at college. We have enough material for a full "ESPN SportsCentury" special, full with retrospective I-knew-him-when interviews and grainy, sepia-toned footage of the innocent early times.

    Just one random quote from way back when:

    Bowden, speaking in front of hundreds of fans at the team's late-January fanfest: "Well, you never get it done as quickly as possible when Scott Boras is the agent, but that being said, yeah, it's phenomenal to sit here picking 1-1 because you know you can get a game-changer. Just like when Tampa Bay took David Price. Strasburg, if he stays healthy, is as good a pitcher as we've seen in the draft in 10 or 15 years. Our people saw him pitch two days ago. Every pitch was 98 to 100 mph throughout the game. He's got great size, a great breaking ball, great change-up. He's a pure No. 1 by 12 of our scouts."

    So now, we have deadline day. Strasburg must make up his mind. Most who read the tea leaves believe a deal will get done. At least one who knows Strasburg hopes a deal will get done. My advice for the day: Don't worry too much about what gets said, if anything, anytime before 8 p.m. I've talked to execs who've tried to sign Boras players in previous years, and several have shared the story: Until the final, frantic hours, there's just no freakin' way to know what will happen. Boras has an extensive history of creative tactics with amateurs and down-to-the-wire negotiating. Both sides have their leverage points -- to an extent.

    But both sides also have plenty to lose, which is why I think Strasburg signs at the last minute. That's just a guess, nothing more.

    Stay tuned.
    “In the same way that a baseball season never really begins, it never really ends either.” - Lonnie Wheeler, "Bleachers, A Summer in Wrigley Field"

    The Baseball Emporium - Books & Things.

    The Baseball Bookstore

    http://tsc-sales.com/
    http://tscsales.blogspot.com/
    http://silverscreenbooks.com/

  8. #7
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    6,419

    Re: Nats make record offer to Strasburg

    I dont think he signs.

  9. #8
    He has the Evil Eye! flyer85's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    south of the border
    Posts
    23,858

    Re: Nats make record offer to Strasburg

    Quote Originally Posted by dougdirt View Post
    Rumor has it its in the 15-17M range.
    the movement by Washington won't happen until the last few hours as they know Boras will take it to the deadline to squeeze every last dollar.

    My guess is that Strasburg will end up over $20M and closer to $25M.

  10. #9
    He has the Evil Eye! flyer85's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    south of the border
    Posts
    23,858

    Re: Nats make record offer to Strasburg

    Quote Originally Posted by GIDP View Post
    I dont think he signs.
    it would be an extremely risky move for the player. I can't imagine advising a kid to turn down a record bonus of over $20M for a payday a year from now with no ability to say if it will be larger.

  11. #10
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    6,419

    Re: Nats make record offer to Strasburg

    Quote Originally Posted by flyer85 View Post
    it would be an extremely risky move for the player. I can't imagine advising a kid to turn down a record bonus of over $20M for a payday a year from now with no ability to say if it will be larger.
    Sure it is but we all said that about Aaron Crow who didnt sign over what 300k? Players and agents are silly. Boras isnt just working for Strasburg here. Hes going to push it as far as he can and prove a point if he has to. Plus Strasburg might not even want to play for the Nationals and wouldnt have a problem tossing a couple million away just to get out from that trainwreck. Who really knows what the reasoning is behind it but I would be surprised if he signed. Id even go as far to say I'd be surprised if he didnt go pitch in another country to try to become a free agent.

  12. #11
    He has the Evil Eye! flyer85's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2004
    Location
    south of the border
    Posts
    23,858

    Re: Nats make record offer to Strasburg

    Quote Originally Posted by GIDP View Post
    Boras isnt just working for Strasburg here.
    and Strasburg has to be smart enough to understand when their interests start to diverge.

  13. #12
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    6,419

    Re: Nats make record offer to Strasburg

    Quote Originally Posted by flyer85 View Post
    and Strasburg has to be smart enough to understand when their interests start to diverge.
    No doubt but players are crazy.

  14. #13
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2002
    Location
    Calgary, Alberta, aka, the most prosperous city in the world.
    Posts
    13,308

    Re: Nats make record offer to Strasburg

    Quote Originally Posted by GIDP View Post
    Sure it is but we all said that about Aaron Crow who didnt sign over what 300k? Players and agents are silly.
    Presumably, the Nats didn't sign Crow for that same $300,000. Why aren't they just as silly?

  15. #14
    Member
    Join Date
    Mar 2009
    Posts
    6,419

    Re: Nats make record offer to Strasburg

    Quote Originally Posted by PuffyPig View Post
    Presumably, the Nats didn't sign Crow for that same $300,000. Why aren't they just as silly?
    Very good question. I tend to think the player is ultimately the greedy one when he was already getting offered a good chunk of money. Its not like he was getting low balled.

  16. #15
    Kmac5 KoryMac5's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jul 2005
    Location
    Waterloo, NY
    Posts
    4,038

    Re: Nats make record offer to Strasburg

    Quote Originally Posted by dougdirt View Post
    Rumor has it its in the 15-17M range.
    Heyman of SI says the Nats have offered 12.5 million. A record deal but probably not going to get it done. The Nats may offer a bit more, say 14 million, don't know if Boras will bite. I think the Nats have the leverage here as I can't see the Pads or Pirates offering more next year.
    If you have a losing record at Reds games, please stop going.


Turn Off Ads?

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •  

Board Moderators may, at their discretion and judgment, delete and/or edit any messages that violate any of the following guidelines: 1. Explicit references to alleged illegal or unlawful acts. 2. Graphic sexual descriptions. 3. Racial or ethnic slurs. 4. Use of edgy language (including masked profanity). 5. Direct personal attacks, flames, fights, trolling, baiting, name-calling, general nuisance, excessive player criticism or anything along those lines. 6. Posting spam. 7. Each person may have only one user account. It is fine to be critical here - that's what this board is for. But let's not beat a subject or a player to death, please.

Thank you, and most importantly, enjoy yourselves!


RedsZone.com is a privately owned website and is not affiliated with the Cincinnati Reds or Major League Baseball


Contact us: Boss | Gallen5862 | Plus Plus | Powel Crosley | RedlegJake | The Operator