We should have had a friendly wager…

If he walks from $20m… have the Nats tried hard enough? Or do we hold out for $30m?

This one is quite funny.

EAST HAMPTON, NY—Scott Boras has long been known as a tough negotiator. That reputation was bolstered yesterday when the super agent demanded $35 million to rescue a small child drowning in the ocean near Boras’s home in East Hampton, New York.

The child, an eight-year-old named Danny Corgin, was swimming at a private beach when he was caught in the undertow and dragged away. As he flailed and cried for help, Boras relaxed on the deck of his luxury yacht. The boy’s grandmother pleaded with Boras to help, but the agent steadfastly refused, holding steady to his demand for $35 million dollars.

"My grandson was swimming around when all of a sudden he was caught in a riptide and dragged out to sea," said Ethel Corgin, the boy’s grandmother. "I didn’t know what to do. There was nobody else around and I certainly couldn’t help him. I saw that man relaxing on his yacht, reading a book like there was nothing going on. When I asked for his help, he just said ‘You want me to save a drowning child? Hmmm…that kind of thing will run you around 35 million.’ I tried to negotiate with him, but he was unwavering. I’ve never seen anyone so stubborn, greedy, and heartless in my life. What is he, a sports agent?"

Corgin said that she was struck by Boras’s casual demeanor, even as her grandson struggled to stay afloat in the vicious riptide.

"He was panicking, the poor thing. He thought he was going to drown, I’m sure," she said. "There was nothing I could do but pray. I thought for sure that [Boras] would help but he really wanted that money. He said I could give him 10 million up front and sign a written guarantee to deliver the rest within a week. He had the contracts already made up. He just whited out ‘third baseman’ and added ‘drowning child.’"

In the end, a deal was not struck. Fortunately, a fishing boat came by and plucked young Danny out of the water before he could drown. Corgin was relieved, but still outraged over Boras’s refusal to rescue her grandson.

For his part, Boras explained that he was just exercising good business sense and prudent negotiating.

"How much is an eight-year old boy’s life worth?" asked Boras. "Can you really ever say ‘No- that’s too expensive. I’d rather just let the boy drown?’ No, of course not. I was shocked when Mrs. Keelan refused my offer to save the boy. If you’re not willing to shell out a few bucks to save the life of a child, you’ve got to take a long look in the mirror. Nothing’s free in this world. If you want something, you have to pay for it. It’s called ‘capitalism.’ Obviously Mrs. Corgin is some kind of godless commie freak."

kingclip Scouts think Bryce Harper is awesome, but he’s not the best HS player ever, or even of the decade. #1 pick in ’10? Sure. Historic? no way.

The author of the above is…Bio National Writer, Scouting and Player Development for Baseball Prospectus

1.Washington Nationals – Stephen Strasburg
2.Seattle Mariners – Dustin Ackley
3.San Diego Padres – Donavan Tate
4.Pittsburgh Pirates – Tony Sanchez – Agreed on a bonus of about $2.5MM.
5.Baltimore Orioles – Matt Hobgood – Agreed to sign for about $2.4MM.
6.San Francisco Giants – Zack Wheeler
7.Atlanta Braves – Mike Minor – Agreed to terms on a $2.42MM bonus.
8.Cincinnati Reds – Mike Leake – Signed to a bonus of $2.27MM.
9.Detroit Tigers – Jacob Turner
10.Washington Nationals – Drew Storen – Agreed on a bonus of about $1.6MM.
11.Colorado Rockies – Tyler Matzek
12.Kansas City Royals – Aaron Crow
13.Oakland A’s – Grant Green
14.Texas Rangers – Matt Purke
15.Cleveland Indians – Alex White
16.Arizona Diamondbacks – Bobby Borchering – Signed for $1.8MM.
17.Arizona Diamondbacks – A.J. Pollock – Signed, bonus believed to be $1.4MM.
18.Florida Marlins – Chad James – Agreed to terms on a $1.7MM bonus.
19.St. Louis Cardinals – Shelby Miller
20.Toronto Blue Jays – Chad Jenkins – Agreed to sign for a bonus of $1.36MM.