When a team drafts a player, as the Orioles did McDonald 20 years ago and the Nationals will...

When a team drafts a player, as the Orioles did McDonald 20 years ago and the Nationals will Strasburg tonight, it's not paying for the entirety of a career. It's paying to control the player's first six years of major-league service time. So before we start worrying whether Strasburg will be an all-time great, let's focus on his first six major-league years. Because that's what the Nationals will be contemplating as they negotiate a price.

Ken Davidoff of Newsday

5 months ago James Kannengieser 1 comment 0 recs |

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I wonder if the Nats are contemplating the 1990 draft and the Todd Van Poppel/Chipper Jones situation?

“Jones was selected by the Atlanta Braves with the 1st pick overall in the 1990 amateur draft.4 Jones was not the Braves original choice in the draft. General Manager Bobby Cox had been looking at Todd Van Poppel, but Van Poppel said he would not sign if he was drafted by Atlanta.” -wikipedia

“And if [a contract agreement] doesn’t happen, and we have to take the second pick next year [as compensation], so be it.” – Kasten, June 2009.

"It's just too bad, because it reflects on us, the coaching staff." -Manny Acta
"So it's clowns for the next two months, then?" by Graysnail on Jun 7, 2009

by cat daddy3000 on Jun 9, 2009 12:04 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs