Strasburg and The Nationals

Nationals Team President Stan Kasten said yesterday that the Nationals might not reach an agreement with Stephen Strasburg, whom they drafted #1 overall in the MLB Draft in June. Strasburg's agent Scott Boras had stated prior to the draft that he was looking for a $50 million contract. Most people in the industry laughed at that thought, but the precedent was set that this player was going to shatter the previous record bonus of $10.5 million that Mark Prior received in 2001. The prevailing notion was that it was going to take at least $20 million to get Strasburg signed. If no agreement is reached, the question becomes whose fault was it?

The Nationals have claimed to have offered Strasburg more money than any player has ever gotten through the draft. While I am certain that is the case, I think the Nationals are making a mistake by not making the offer public knowledge. It is important to remember that the Nationals weren't able to come to an agreement with last year's 1st round pick, Aaron Crow. Their fan base was skeptical about whether the team was even going to draft Strasburg because of the type of money it would cost to get him signed. The Nationals can't afford to not sign Strasburg and keep their fan base believing in the plan to build through scouting and player development. Losing a pitcher of Strasburg's talent would be a devastating blow to the future of the organization in more ways than one. If the Nationals go down this route 2 years in a row, it might kill what credibility they still have in the community.

The Nationals would then most likely have the #1 and #2 picks in the 2010 draft. That draft would include arguably the best pitching prospect ever (Strasburg) and the best hitting prospect of the last decade (Bryce Harper). Seeing as Boras will most likely represent Harper, it would be catastrophic for the Nationals to not come to terms with Strasburg. For this reason alone, it is in the best interest of the organization to make the offer public and put the pressure on Boras. They can't hide behind the blanket statement of "record deal offered". They need to make the offer public or forever be haunted by the reputation of being cheap and not caring about their fans.