If you'd recently read what is supposedly Bryce Harper's Facebook page, where he and the 3rd overall pick in the 2010 Draft Manny Machado (BAL) plot LeBron-Bosh-Wade-style to go back to school next year together at Harper's College of Southern Nevada rather than sign with their respective teams, (a plot which I've neglected to mention here thus far, because...c'mon, really? Facebook negotiating ploys?), you might believe there's a chance the no.1 overall pick isn't going to sign with the Washington Nationals. But even after MLB.com's Bill Ladson's article yesterday entitled, "Harper enrolls, but Nats still negotiating", which reported that the 17-year-old catcher-turned-outfielder had enrolled in classes at CSN, ESPN.com's Keith Law writes this morning in a feature article on his MLB Draft Blog entitled, "A crucial stretch for the Nationals", that, "...coming off an unbelievable spring that would be hard for him to top next year," faced with a strong class of college-age prospects eligible in 2011 and after all the trouble he went through to get himself picked first overall by the Nationals, Harper is, "...likely to sign for a figure that exceeds several teams' total draft budgets," which may, Mr. Law reasons, make it difficult for the Nats to sign their remaining top picks: 4th Round pick A.J. Cole, who's commitment to the University of Miami caused his stock to drop; Sammy Solis, a lefty out of San Diego University Mr. Law says is a "quick-to-the-majors pitcher"; and the Nats' 12th Round pick Robbie Ray, a left-hander out of Vanderbilt...(oh, and #signAdamDunn, not a draft pick, I know)...but if they sign all the picks, ESPN.com's Keith Law says the Nats would, "...have a legitimate claim to having one of the best draft classes overall."
See you all on August 16 at about 11:58 and change...In Rizzo We Trust.