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What Ryan Zimmerman And Drew Storen Have To Teach Stephen Strasburg And Aaron Crow.

• Last Night's Game Report: Reds 7, Nationals 0.

BACKPAGE: 

• Aaron Crow Cries Over The Cornfields.

According to ESPN.com's Keith Law, the Kansas City Royals, (who selected the Washington Nationals' unsigned '08 1st Round pick Aaron Crow with the 12th pick of the '09 Draft), have placed a $3.0M dollar offer on the table for the 22-year-old right-hander, formerly of the University of Missouri and the independent Ft. Worth Cats. Former DC GM Jim Bowden told the Washington Post's Chico Harlan, in a Nationals Journal post from August 16th '08 entitled, "More than 3700 words from Jim Bowden on Aaron Crow", that Crow's camp wanted $9 million dollars from the Nationals, and dropped the number to $4.4 million a little more than 15 minutes before last year's midnight deadline, while Washington intially offered $2.1 million and went as high as $3.5 million at the very end. In Mr. Law's opinion, the Royals' offer to Crow, "...is more than generous considering (Crow's) lack of leverage at this point." Crow, according to Mr. Law, believes that offer is, "...not sufficient to get him to sign."...Good luck getting back to that $3.5M you could have had from DC, Mr. Crow.

(Segue: Speaking Of Washington's 1st Round Picks...)

• Strasburg Offer On Table? According to Report...

Star-divide

ESPN.com's Jayson Stark wrote earlier this morning, in an article entitled, "Clock ticking on Strasburg negotiations", that "an official of one AL club" puts the odds at 50/50 of the Washington Nationals reaching an agreement with the number one overall pick in the '09 MLB draft, SDSU pitcher Stephen Strasburg. Mr. Stark's source claims to have based his opinion on what he/she's heard, "...from people who have spoken with Boras, about the negativity (he's) spewing about the Nationals..." over the fact that, in Mr. Stark's words:

"...the Nationals haven't budged at all off their initial offer, believed to be somewhere in the neighborhood of the $9.5 million package the Rangers gave to Mark Teixeira eight long years ago."

The other reasons that Boras is "spewing" negativity about the Nationals? According to ESPN.com's Mr. Stark:

  • "...the Nationals are a lousy team with no fans and a bleak future."
  • "...Strasburg has tremendous incentive not to sign..." (ed. note - "tremendous incentive = maybe going to SD in 2010 Draft.")
  • Further Reading:

    • MLB Draft Blog - ESPN - Jason A. Churchill - "Can Nationals pass on Strasburg this year and draft him and Bryce Harper in 2010?"

    "One reader e-mailed to ask the following question: "What is stopping Washington from manipulating the system, purposely not giving in to [Scott] Boras' demands for [Stephen] Strasburg, getting the No. 2 pick next year as compensation and drafting both Bryce Harper and Strasburg again, leaving Boras with no leverage at all?"

    The Face Of The Franchise Wants Strasburg Signed...

    At least one Washington National is expressing his opinion on the Strasburg situation. Ryan Zimmerman, Washington's '05 1st Round pick and the current Face Of the Franchise™ tells MLB.com's Bill Ladson, in an article entitled, "Zimmerman hoping Nats sign Straburg", that, "This organization...(the Nationals)":
    "'...(are) going in the right direction...If you want to keep going in the right direction, you sign your top picks. That's how you get better. That's why the Draft is there. That's why the team with the worst record gets the first pick and the best player. Hopefully, he will make the team better, compete and make the playoffs.'"

    Zimmerman's advice for Strasburg? 

    "'(D.C.'s) a good place to play. I understand that it's a business. You obviously have to get what you think is fair for you. At the same time, you did what you did to sign and you make your real money when you make it [in the big leagues].'"

    ZImmerman knows real money...According to MLB.com's Stephanie Storm's August '05 article entitled, "Zimmerman taking short path to Majors", the then-20-year-old infielder was eager to get his career started, so he:

    "...quickly signed for $2.975 million because he didn't want to waste any time away from the field haggling over money..."

    Zimmerman debuted in the Majors in September '05 and by the beginning of the '06 campaign, he was the Nationals' starting third baseman. In the middle of his 5th season, Zimmerman received the first payoff for his performance, agreeing, as reported by Washington Post writer Chico Harlan in a Nationals Journal post entitled, "The Zimmerman Deal, In Detail", to a 5-year/$45 million dollar deal which will leave him a free agent when he turns 29. 

    The Nationals' second '09 1st Round pick Drew Storen, taken 10th overall, agreed to sign with the Nationals for a $1.6 million dollar bonus almost immediately after the draft, telling MLB.com's Bill Ladson, as quoted in an article entitled, "Nationals sign reliever Storen", that he made the decision to do so because:

    "I want to get going. I miss playing. We missed the playoffs at school. My arm is feeling great," Storen said. "I want to get that chance to help the Nationals this year."

    Storen is already 20 games and 26.2 innings into his first professional season, pitching with the Double-AA Harrisburg Senators after brief stops with the Class-A Hagerstown Suns and Potomac Nationals. Storen's (1-1) with a 2.70 ERA thus far, with 38 K's and just 3 walks allowed.  

    Strasburg...? Last I heard he was getting some traveling done...The next time the fans of the Washington should expect to hear from him is around 11:30-11:45 pm EST on Monday night...

    Further Reading:

    When I was given the opportunity to conduct an email interview with Ryan Zimmerman in advance of his first All-Star selection, I made sure to ask his opinion on Stephen Strasburg and wondered what, if any, advice the Face of the Franchise™ might have for DC's first '09 1st Round pick, Zimmerman's response:

    "Strasburg is clearly a very talented pitcher, and one that we hope will pitch with the Nationals for a long, long time.  With that said, it’s tough to put such huge pressure/expectations on a young man who has never pitched in professional baseball.  However, we believe he has the skill and makeup to be a star for us.  We’re all excited to follow his progress and hopefully help our club out sooner rather than later. I will give him a hard time for his only loss coming against my alma mater, the University of Virginia, in the Regionals in Irvine.  I’m not going to let him down for that one.  Haha."

    Get it done, Strasburg...

    Poll
    Will The Washington Nationals Sign Stephen Strasburg? Yes Or No?
    Yes. Stephen Strasburg Will Be A National On August 18th.
    794 votes
    No. The Nationals Will Not Be Able To Reach An Agreement With Stephen Strasburg.
    813 votes

    1607 votes | Poll has closed

    0 recs  |  Comment 5 comments |

    Story-email Email Printer Print

    Comments

    Display:

    "So be it..."........just sayin'....

    June 9, 2009
    “We intend to be aggressive, and we have every intention of signing the pick,” Kasten said last week at Nationals Park. “We know what [top picks] have made [in the past]. We know the risks associated with any draft pick, much less a pitcher. It’s why they get what they get. And we’re going to be consistent with that. And if [a contract agreement] doesn’t happen, and we have to take the second pick next year [as compensation], so be it.”

    "He's just a draft pick"... "It's not the end of the world if he doesn't sign"
    FB dot com taking the right tone for the Strasburg issue. 8 Aug 09.

    by cat daddy3000 on Aug 14, 2009 1:49 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

    Yeah yeah

    We’ll see what happens. Personally I laughed the most at:

    that “an official of one AL club”

    WTF? I wasn’t aware that the Nats were an AL club? (ie…where is the credibility in this source? So someone…who allegedly spoke to Boras?… Phlease!)

    We’ll all know the real deal on the 17th. This kind of journalism is pretty weak – I think they are desperately digging for information and the best they can do is “someone who spoke to someone…”.

    In some ways, while I know it still hurts – I think the Nats are bit vindicated by the Crow negotiations. Clearly this kid has the baseball equivilent of a ‘god complex’ and is really out to fleece as much as he can. I’d personally would now take Storen over this gump any day of the week.

    Padilla walked into the Nats' clubhouse for the first time and said, "My God. I'm in heaven."

    by Mezza on Aug 14, 2009 2:20 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

    I feel compelled to note that Zimmerman's pitch was basically the same as mine.

    Eric Berry for sending the guy who wins the Heisman spinning 720 degrees in the air at the podium - or for intercepting it and returning it to where it rightfully belongs

    by Graysnail on Aug 14, 2009 6:21 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

    I'm finding it harder to take any of these reports for real.

    I keep asking myself why we, as fans, waste our time with all these speculations. I not mean to be rude but why stir up the pot. I’ll start listening on Monday. C-y’all..

    by Berndaddy on Aug 14, 2009 10:44 AM EDT reply actions   0 recs

    Comments For This Post Are Closed


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