I've had the lastest edition of ESPN the Magazine sitting on my counter for a week now and hadn't yet read it before I came across the lastest installment of SB Nation.com's weekly MLB SBN Power Rankings which has the Washington Nationals ranked 23rd overall this week, up from 26th last week, and includes a quote from ESPN.com's Buster Olney, who is in turn quoting an unnamed rival general manager who says that DC GM Mike Rizzo is the kind of negotiator who'll, "...give you the kind of proposals that just end conversations. They're very one-sided." The quote is an outtake from a feature entitled, "GM Confidential: Peer Review", in the July 12th issue's MLB section at the back of ESPN the Magazine, but Mr. Olney posts all of the quotes on his blog (For INSIDERS ONLY). In light of revelations (or rumors at least) out of Chicago that have the White Sox balking at the Nats' front office's requests for one or both of 23-year-old '08 1st Round pick and Sox' 2B Gordon Beckham and/or 27-year-old outfielder Carlos Quentin in potential deals for the Nationals' big middle-of-the-order-bat, it's not too surprising that either Chicago GM Kenny Williams or anyone else who's dealt with The RZO comes away thinking Washington's too aggressive or aiming to high in the return they're seeking should they decide to deal Adam Dunn...From what we heard yesterday though, Dunn doesn't like being dangled...
After the JUMP: Bryce Harper Wins Golden Spikes...
• Bryce Harper Wins Golden Spikes...
• (Watch Golden Spikes Award Show HERE)
Stephen Strasburg was still the Nats' unsigned no.1 overall pick last July when he was was given the 2009 Golden Spikes Award by USA Baseball after completing his junior season at San Diego State University with a (13-1) record and a 1.32 ERA in 15 starts, 2 of which were complete games. Strasburg threw 109.0 innings total in '09 at SDSU, allowing 59 hits, 16 earned runs and 19 walks (1.57 BB/9) while piling up strikeouts, 195 K's total or (16.1K/9).
The Nationals' 2010 no.1 overall pick, Bryce Harper, (still unsigned) became the second-straight Nats' Draft pick to win the Golden Spikes when he was chosen from amongst a list of finalists that included INF/OF Chris Duffy from Central Florida, catcher Yasmani Grandal from Miami, left-hander Drew Pomeranz from Ole Miss and lefty Chris Sale from Florida Gulf Coast. Harper, 17, completed his freshman year at the College of Southern Nevada with an absurd .443/.526/.987 slash line, 23 doubles, 4 triples, 31 HR's, 98 RBI's and 20 steals in 66 games and 228 at bats against competition that was for the most part two years older than the SI.cover kid/YouTube sensation.
• Link: MLB.com's Jonathan Mayo talks about Harper winning the award in an article entitled, "Harper named Golden Spikes Award winner", in which Mr. Mayo writes that though some questioned Harper's decision to leave high school early for JUCO ball and the first possible Draft date:
"Going on to have one of the better offensive seasons in collegiate history and being selected No. 1 overall by the Washington Nationals in the 2010 First-Year Player Draft made the decision seem like a good one."
• Former Golden Spikes Award winners? Before Strasburg, SF Giants' catcher and FSU alumnus Buster Posey, Vanderbilt and Tampa Bay lefty David Price and another young Giant, former University of Washington righty Tim Lincecum...those are the last four at least...HERE's the entire list.