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Around SBN: Raiders' GM Begins The Purge

Washington Nationals Sign Bryce Harper, Sammy Solis, A.J. Cole, Robbie Ray.

Update: 12:41 am EST: Yahoo!Sports.com's Tim Brown via Twitter (@tbrownyahoo):

"Final on Harper: $9.9 million over five years, $6.25 million as bonus. Plus $500,000 roster bonuses in '14 and '15."

• 12:01 pm EST: There were rumors floating around Nationals Park all weekend. Draft picks spotted at BP, Twitter messages from national baseball writers, and some mixed messages about when the Nats could announce deals they may have already signed, but before the night was over on Monday, the Washington Nationals had announced that they'd agreed to deals with all four of their top remaining 2010 Draft picks: the No.1 overall pick, OF Bryce Harper, 2nd Round pick LHP Sammy Solis, the Nats' 4th Round pick RHP A.J. Cole and 12th Round pick LHP Robbie Ray, so that the Nats had 14 of their top 15 and 25 of the top 26 draft picks from the 2010 class under contract. 

Robbie Ray's $799,000 deal was the first one confirmed by the Nats, who sent the message out on Twitter via their account @NatsTownNews, writing simply,"#Nationals agree to terms with 12th rounder, LHP Robbie Ray," who was described in a follow-up tweet, "As part of Baseball America’s 2010 Draft Preview, Ray was rated as No. 6 prospect in Tennessee, 2nd among high school players." 

Star-divide

Up next was the Nats' 2nd Round pick, University of San Diego left-hander Sammy Solis, whose signing (and rumored $1M deal) was announced along with the following info @NatsTownNews on Twitter:

"Solis went 9-2 with a 3.42 ERA in 15 games/14 starts for University of San Diego to garner All-West Coast Conf. honors in 2010...

"Solis was rated as No. 7 prospect, 3rd-best college player, in California among 2010 Draft class as part of Baseball America’s Draft Preview"

And then the Nats' 4th Round pick A.J. Cole, projected as a 1st Round talent, who'd fallen to the fourth round because of his commitment to the University of Miami, but had somehow been convinced, (hint: $2M dollars) to forgo the college experience and sign out of high school. According to the Nats, again on @NatsTownNews

"Cole, 18, was rated by Baseball America as the No. 16 overall player, the 8th-best pitcher, among 2010 Draft-eligible prospects."

Then the DC Faithful waited...Cole's signing was made official about an hour before the 11:59:59 deadline to sign 2010 picks, and there was no word on the no.1 overall pick, though there was little doubt a deal would get done either. In the final minutes a bit of panic may have set in for some, but most Nats fans who sat through the Aaron Crow negotiations in 2008 and the Stephen Strasburg talks last season were prepared, but maybe not for the source of the first reports that a deal was done: 

@JimBowdenXMFOX: "Nationals and Bryce Harper have agreed to terms...waiting on final numbers and details."

BOWDEN!!

The Nats made the news official several minutes later, with an official @NatsTownNews release which read, "#Nationals agree to terms on a major league contract with OF Bryce Harper, 1st overall selection in 2010 First-Year Player Draft." There are reports that it's a 5-year deal at somewhere around $9.9M dollars, not yet confirmed....

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AP has reported $9.9M

He gets a $6.25 million signing bonus in five equal payments of $1.25 million: 30 days after appoval and each July 1 from 2011 through 2014.
Harper receives salaries of $500,000 each in 2011 and 2012, $750,000 in 2013, $900,000 in 2014 and $1 million in 2015.

Rob

"Ninety feet between home plate and first base may be the closest man has ever come to perfection." -- Red Smith

by RobBobS on Aug 17, 2010 12:44 AM EDT reply actions  

Imagine:

Harper hits 30 HR in 2013, and gets paid $750,000.

I could live with that.

Rob

"Ninety feet between home plate and first base may be the closest man has ever come to perfection." -- Red Smith

by RobBobS on Aug 17, 2010 12:47 AM EDT up reply actions  

I definitely could like with that.

Rizzo points to head and earns a bobblehead night as we chant his name

um, please visit my soccer (football) blog. it's interesting, I promise. por favor? (filbertway.com)
Sunshine will come to Nats Park, I promise. (visit por favor? my website)

by ajk9hy on Aug 17, 2010 12:51 AM EDT up reply actions  

I hope not

It would lead to a $20m arbitration call…

Ian Desmond is my hero!

by Mezza on Aug 17, 2010 1:25 AM EDT up reply actions  

I'd prefer it he hit 100 doubles instead

Arbiters don’t pay attention to that.

um, please visit my soccer (football) blog. it's interesting, I promise. por favor? (filbertway.com)
Sunshine will come to Nats Park, I promise. (visit por favor? my website)

by ajk9hy on Aug 17, 2010 1:35 AM EDT up reply actions  

Just don't let him record any saves...

"And everybody lived happily ever after. Except the Phillies and the Mets. The End." --Sasskuash
Friend of Dukes and Desmond #3

by Doghouse on Aug 17, 2010 8:44 AM EDT up reply actions  

Just added that too, from Tim Brown at Yahoo...

And from the Twitterers, Kasten hit Rizzo in face with Whipcream pie…

Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."

by Patrick Reddington on Aug 17, 2010 12:50 AM EDT up reply actions  

Kasten slamming a pie in Rizzo's face?
Mark Zuckerman MarkZuckerman
  
Of all the things I expected to see happen tonight, Stan Kasten slamming a whipped cream pie in Mike Rizzo’s face was not among them.

http://twitter.com/MarkZuckerman

I wanna see this. Video plz.

Needs moar dingerz.

by Blicks on Aug 17, 2010 12:48 AM EDT reply actions  

Makes my life

http://twitpic.com/2fi4wo

um, please visit my soccer (football) blog. it's interesting, I promise. por favor? (filbertway.com)
Sunshine will come to Nats Park, I promise. (visit por favor? my website)

by ajk9hy on Aug 17, 2010 12:53 AM EDT up reply actions  

BTW, Robbie Ray is probably the best baseball name I’ve heard tonight.

by lynxtheone on Aug 17, 2010 12:49 AM EDT reply actions  

Sing me a song Robbie Ray

Most bloggers probably don’t watch much “Hannah Montanna” but Billy Ray Cyrus plays the dad and his name on the show is…Robbie Ray. Poor kid, he’s probably been teased for years about that!

by dunbard on Aug 17, 2010 12:52 AM EDT reply actions  

That was the first thing i thought of...

when I saw his name. Yes, that means I watch Hannah Montana

Go Redskins! Go Wizards! Go Nationals! Go Capitals! Vamos United!

by SkinsWizStangs on Aug 17, 2010 2:04 PM EDT up reply actions  

Rizzo said NO EYEBLACK the moment he drafted Harper...

Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."

by Patrick Reddington on Aug 17, 2010 12:59 AM EDT up reply actions  

Yep

And Harper will oblige

um, please visit my soccer (football) blog. it's interesting, I promise. por favor? (filbertway.com)
Sunshine will come to Nats Park, I promise. (visit por favor? my website)

by ajk9hy on Aug 17, 2010 1:01 AM EDT up reply actions  

They did a phone interview with him

Nothing exciting. Harper heading to GCL and instructional league.

by The Herndon Kid on Aug 17, 2010 1:05 AM EDT reply actions  

I've got to say,

I’m highly disappointed with MLB Network’s coverage of the deadline dealings. Or, should I say, the MLB Network’s near-criminal lack of coverage. Baseball Tonight did a much better job.

Rob

"Ninety feet between home plate and first base may be the closest man has ever come to perfection." -- Red Smith

by RobBobS on Aug 17, 2010 1:08 AM EDT reply actions  

Yeah it's been so minimal

No talk of it until 1.5 minutes after the deadline

um, please visit my soccer (football) blog. it's interesting, I promise. por favor? (filbertway.com)
Sunshine will come to Nats Park, I promise. (visit por favor? my website)

by ajk9hy on Aug 17, 2010 1:10 AM EDT up reply actions  

I think the problems are 3fold

1) Bud doesn’t want a festival of agent supremacy
2) They genuinely want to keep the focus on the games tonight
3) They have almost no qualified personnel with enough college knowledge to intelligently comment on the draft

MLBnetwork doesn’t do minors but so well yet, and that hurts them a smidge. I’ll still take them over BBtonight most of the time.

On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park. In Rizzo and Ramos we trust.

by souldrummer on Aug 17, 2010 1:25 AM EDT up reply actions  

It's hard to find anywhere with good college knowledge

Besides BA and Kendall Rogers, and maybe us over at CBI, and Keith Law. Not surprised that any guys don’t know college, the game doesn’t matter until June of course— unfortunate.

um, please visit my soccer (football) blog. it's interesting, I promise. por favor? (filbertway.com)
Sunshine will come to Nats Park, I promise. (visit por favor? my website)

by ajk9hy on Aug 17, 2010 1:37 AM EDT up reply actions  

Wow, 9.9 for a man that hasn't taken a single ab in the majors

wishing the best for ya, but still…

"Skillet, we just spent $64,000 in that bar. So we're gonna have to get jobs to cover up the fact that we rob banks" -Mouse Fitzgerald

by joe579 on Aug 17, 2010 1:09 AM EDT reply actions  

Haha

Man Harper brings out the lurkers

um, please visit my soccer (football) blog. it's interesting, I promise. por favor? (filbertway.com)
Sunshine will come to Nats Park, I promise. (visit por favor? my website)

by ajk9hy on Aug 17, 2010 1:11 AM EDT up reply actions  

I had a soft spot for the expos as a tiny little lad

so I wish the best for ya, also strasburg is impressive but not worth 14M, I aint trolling, but man if these two arent the two prophets of the baseball apocalypse, things are looking very poor for the Nats in the long term.

"Skillet, we just spent $64,000 in that bar. So we're gonna have to get jobs to cover up the fact that we rob banks" -Mouse Fitzgerald

by joe579 on Aug 17, 2010 1:14 AM EDT up reply actions  

Though I hope they are

photoshopping epic beards on them will be most splendifirous!

"Skillet, we just spent $64,000 in that bar. So we're gonna have to get jobs to cover up the fact that we rob banks" -Mouse Fitzgerald

by joe579 on Aug 17, 2010 1:15 AM EDT up reply actions  

Strasburg has ALREADY earned his salary this year

Just with increased attendance and #37 jersey sales. So, yes, he IS worth it.

Rob

"Ninety feet between home plate and first base may be the closest man has ever come to perfection." -- Red Smith

by RobBobS on Aug 17, 2010 1:17 AM EDT up reply actions  

14M for one of the most marketable people in baseball

And a guy who is already ace-material?

Give me a break— who do I trust, you or Nats fans that have seen him actually pitch throughout our system and my own eyes that saw me throw long toss with him in high school, pitch and become a man at SDSU, and become a legit MLB pitcher with the Nats.

Your opinion is your opinion and you’re entitled to it, but I think you’re calling bull.

um, please visit my soccer (football) blog. it's interesting, I promise. por favor? (filbertway.com)
Sunshine will come to Nats Park, I promise. (visit por favor? my website)

by ajk9hy on Aug 17, 2010 1:18 AM EDT up reply actions  

So, did you make a similar remark when Strasburg signed for $14M

without pitching to a single major league hitter? (??!!)

Rob

"Ninety feet between home plate and first base may be the closest man has ever come to perfection." -- Red Smith

by RobBobS on Aug 17, 2010 1:11 AM EDT up reply actions  

It's been a great night for the Nats and NatsTown, so .......

(with a HT to Mrs. D for HARPERween):

Harperween

P.S. Enjoy/hate the eye black for this one night only. Rizzo nixes it from here on out.

Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes. Oscar Wilde

by MissB on Aug 17, 2010 1:11 AM EDT reply actions  

Let's hear it for Eyeblack-oozing cyborgs!

Rob

"Ninety feet between home plate and first base may be the closest man has ever come to perfection." -- Red Smith

by RobBobS on Aug 17, 2010 1:13 AM EDT up reply actions  

Heh.

New Nats need to strike fear and TERROR in the hearts of opposing pitchers!

MOAR Eyeblack; MOAR Cyborgs!

Experience is the name everyone gives to their mistakes. Oscar Wilde

by MissB on Aug 17, 2010 1:14 AM EDT up reply actions  

Heeeeeeere's the pic.

From Kilgore.

On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park. In Rizzo and Ramos we trust.

by souldrummer on Aug 17, 2010 1:22 AM EDT reply actions  

Beautiful picture

And also bandwidth sucking

um, please visit my soccer (football) blog. it's interesting, I promise. por favor? (filbertway.com)
Sunshine will come to Nats Park, I promise. (visit por favor? my website)

by ajk9hy on Aug 17, 2010 1:24 AM EDT up reply actions  

Click title?

On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park. In Rizzo and Ramos we trust.

by souldrummer on Aug 17, 2010 1:26 AM EDT up reply actions  

AWESOME !

This is super endearing to me as a fan….go RIZOO go !

by NewJerseyAveSE on Aug 17, 2010 8:15 AM EDT up reply actions  

This has to be the weirdest line I've ever seen.

Hitting .203/.347/.284 in 24 games. — Kevin Keyes

Screech's Godson
UMD Class of 2014! GO TERPS!!!

by grizzy on Aug 17, 2010 1:26 AM EDT reply actions  

If Bryce Harper was as good as Bryce Harper thinks he is he would be sarting tonight.

by David Huzzard on Aug 17, 2010 8:31 AM EDT reply actions  

Love the Cole signing

Potential to be an ace, definite #2 ceiling behind Strasburg. I wonder if he wouldnt have fallen to the 4th if teams knew they could have signed him for $2 million (especially the Brewers after what happened with Dylan Covey).

by backtocali on Aug 17, 2010 10:20 AM EDT reply actions  

Well Covey was a health issue, so I give the Brewers the ultimate BOTD there.

But the thing is, I’m pretty sure it was just his hard commit to the ’Canes rather than the money. Rizzo paid almost twice over spot for where he probably would have been drafted in the first round and a bazillion times more than his slot where he was drafted.

Cole may be an awesome pitcher, but we did pay a steep price.

um, please visit my soccer (football) blog. it's interesting, I promise. por favor? (filbertway.com)
Sunshine will come to Nats Park, I promise. (visit por favor? my website)

by ajk9hy on Aug 17, 2010 10:39 AM EDT up reply actions  

Who's Cole's agent?

I wouldn’t be surprised if some of this overslot stuff at this point is a way of getting around getting drafted to 6 years of what might seem to a kid to be MLB-Siberia. In other words, an overslot guy may look at what the Brewers are doing this year and say “naw, don’t want to go there too much” and may demand an even higher price with the Brewers than the Nats. I am completely talking out of my behind here, though, and feel free to disagree or dismiss.

On a desperate search for Sunshine at Nats Park. In Rizzo and Ramos we trust.

by souldrummer on Aug 17, 2010 11:40 AM EDT up reply actions  

Jeff Berry, good agent

And while I can see what you’re saying, every team passed on him for at least three rounds— so I’m not sure if the Siberia thing is as plausible. Otherwise Fielder and Braun wouldn’t have signed either. imo

um, please visit my soccer (football) blog. it's interesting, I promise. por favor? (filbertway.com)
Sunshine will come to Nats Park, I promise. (visit por favor? my website)

by ajk9hy on Aug 17, 2010 11:48 AM EDT up reply actions  

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