STRASBURG FILES...
The last time a pitching prospect connected to the Washington Nationals appeared on Eric SanInocencio's Baseball Digest Daily Live, it was to discuss that prospect's plans for the future after he was unable to reach an agreement with the DC franchise, and Aaron Crow, who was selected 9th overall by the Nationals in 2008, told the host, Mr. SanInocencio, that he would rather play out the 2009 season with the independent Ft. Worth Cats and hope for a better situation next year because he was unhappy with the Nationals:
"...the way that they dealt, handled everything, with the way they kinda like...talked to me and my family, I just think any of the other 29 teams would have handled it a lot better."
This stands in stark contrast to the Washington organization super agent Scott "Maximum" Boras described in a recent Washington Post, Nationals Journal post by Chico Harlan entitled, "Boras: For Teixeira It Just Came Down To Winning", where Mr. Boras told Mr. Harlan of his client, Mark Te - - - - ra's experience dealing with DC:
"From the ownership level to the baseball level, it was a very concerted and professional approach they took to Mark, he was very impressed with what Washington did."
Washington Post writer Dave Sheinin's recent Nationals Journal post, (with its Werner Herzog-ish title), "Strasburg", confirms that, in Mr. Sheinin's words, "The Nationals almost certainly have a better relationship now with Scott Boras," after the aforementioned free agent negotiations, which Washington hopes will help them in the next significant conversation they're likely to have with Mr. Boras, when they hopefully choose the projected #1 overall prospect, San Diego State starter and '08 US Olympian, Stephen Strasburg, with the first pick in the 2009 Draft.
We've been over all this several times recently here at federalbaseball.com, but for a reason, an interview with Stephen Strasburg is set to air on Baseball Digest Daily Live this Saturday afternoon (1/24/08) as part of their "College Baseball Preview", and host Eric SanInoncencio emailed me one last time before the show runs tomorrow at 12:00 pm EST with the news that the Strasburg interview was edited, uploaded and ready to go tomorrow. The only detail Mr. SanInocencio leaked in our correspondence, (which I hope he won't mind me mentioning) is that Strasburg, "...said he patterns himself after Jake Peavy and Josh Beckett."
It'll be interesting to hear what the focus of the interview is, if it sticks to the upcoming college season, or if Strasburg's got the draft and possibly his MLB debut on his mind. As I wrote yesterday, Baseball America's JIm Callis praised Strasburg recently, in an online chat at ESPN.com entitled, "Chat With Baseball America's Jim Callis", when asked which '09 pick might reach the Majors first, responding, "...Stephen Strasburg of San Diego State is clearly the No. 1 talent in the draft and will move quickly."
Check out Baseball DIgest Daily Live's College Preview, with host Eric SanInocencio...today at 12:00 with Stephen Strasburg.
(ed. note - "I'm going to be at work tomorrow afternoon. If anyone is listening live when the Strasburg interview airs, feel free to add a FANPOST about what you hear. I've got our editor Winston Smith on the job too, but the more opinions the better...")