Nats spend $16.5 million on the draft?!?

I have to admit I look at the way the Nats are doing things in the draft with envy as an O's fan. They spent $16.5 million according to reports and even got Purke! Wow.

http://www.masnsports.com/the_goessling_game/2011/08/nationals-make-themselves-talk-of-the-industry-with-expensive-night.html

Gutsy draft but with the injury histories of Rendon and Purke it could really blow up in their faces.

The Nats are spending as if they have this whole MLB thing figured out. It will be interesting to see if they are right.

It will also be interesting to see what happens if they are middling, spending tons of money, and still not drawing that well. New owners will often splurge when they first get into the game and then become more conservative once the debt mounts.

This quote from the article is awfully cocky.

"We develop players, we develop them well, and we've got a system that's second-to-none," Rizzo said, in possibly as energetic a tone as he's ever used with reporters. "We're the talk of the industry right now. Before we signed these players, we had a minor league system where the needle was heading north in a big, big way. This solidifies us as, to me, one of the great scouting and player development organizations in baseball. We feel really good about ourselves tonight."

I don't know how you can attribute their signings to any great scouting. A monkey could have picked Rendon and Purke at their respective spots. Moreover, Harper and Strasburg were huge no-brainers. I also would question their great development. Storen basically came right to the majors. Desmond has sort of flopped. Espinosa has been pretty good, but you have to have some concerns that his low batting average is sign that there are holes in his swing that could be further exploited.

This isn't to pick on the Nats. I wish the Orioles had selected Purke. But they have also been exceedingly lucky that two once in a generation talents were there for them and then a guy that may have been the best player in the draft fell to them at a spot where it made little sense to take anyone else.

This quote from the article is awfully cocky.

"We develop players, we develop them well, and we've got a system that's second-to-none," Rizzo said, in possibly as energetic a tone as he's ever used with reporters. "We're the talk of the industry right now. Before we signed these players, we had a minor league system where the needle was heading north in a big, big way. This solidifies us as, to me, one of the great scouting and player development organizations in baseball. We feel really good about ourselves tonight."

I don't know how you can attribute their signings to any great scouting. A monkey could have picked Rendon and Purke at their respective spots. Moreover, Harper and Strasburg were huge no-brainers. I also would question their great development. Storen basically came right to the majors. Desmond has sort of flopped. Espinosa has been pretty good, but you have to have some concerns that his low batting average is sign that there are holes in his swing that could be further exploited.

This isn't to pick on the Nats. I wish the Orioles had selected Purke. But they have also been exceedingly lucky that two once in a generation talents were there for them and then a guy that may have been the best player in the draft fell to them at a spot where it made little sense to take anyone else.

What about grabbing and signing kids like AJ Cole, Robbie Ray, and Sammy Solis -- all of whom had strong debuts? Or the growth in guys like Peacock and Kimball?

To be honest, their draft haul was strong again up top -- largely because they had the extra two picks to spend on Meyer and Goodwin. But to their credit they didn't shy away from big money guys despite realizing Rendon was going to be expensive. It can be debated whether giving that much to Purke or Goodwin makes sense, but they are clearly "all in" for the draft formerly known as "Rule 4".

Time will tell if they sustain their momentum, but it'd be tough to argue that they are not moving their system in the right direction.

The Nats are spending as if they have this whole MLB thing figured out. It will be interesting to see if they are right.

It will also be interesting to see what happens if they are middling, spending tons of money, and still not drawing that well. New owners will often splurge when they first get into the game and then become more conservative once the debt mounts.

They are the richest owners in baseball. They also sit in one of the biggest markets in baseball and have a relatively low payroll this year. The Orioles are spending more on their major league payroll than the Nats are spending on their major league payroll AND what they spent in signing bonuses for the draft this year.

What about grabbing and signing kids like AJ Cole, Robbie Ray, and Sammy Solis -- all of whom had strong debuts? Or the growth in guys like Peacock and Kimball?

To be honest, their draft haul was strong again up top -- largely because they had the extra two picks to spend on Meyer and Goodwin. But to their credit they didn't shy away from big money guys despite realizing Rendon was going to be expensive. It can be debated whether giving that much to Purke or Goodwin makes sense, but they are clearly "all in" for the draft formerly known as "Rule 4".

Time will tell if they sustain their momentum, but it'd be tough to argue that they are not moving their system in the right direction.

I agree with what you say that it seems they are moving in the right direction. You make a good point on Peacock being a development success. I am not as convinced by Kimball. Anyhow, between the Pirates and the Nationals the going all-in on the draft theory is being tested pretty thoroughly.

The Orioles are spending more on their major league payroll than the Nats are spending on their major league payroll AND what they spent in signing bonuses for the draft this year.

That just absolutely kills me. We've said it a million times, but you can't win if you don't play the compensation game and you don't finish last to get really high picks AND you rely on Rule 4 as basically your only source of high end talent.

Other than the stupid Werth contract, Rizzo is doing a very good job of building the Nats. They should be poised to pounce when the Phillies start to decline.

And look at teams like Toronto and Pitt...They are spending huge as well.

And these teams are doing it on an International level as well.

I mean, look at us here. People are happy because we signed our "big three".

I am happy we got them signed but we left a lot of draft picks on the table. We could have drafted guys that were more highly touted, guys like Bell and Norris.

We could have spent a lot more money and gotten more talent in here.

Instead, we are excited that we signed our second round pick(a guy that may not have been worthy of that selection) and a HS third baseman with good upside.

Its good that the Orioles got this stuff done but when you look at what other teams are doing, some of those teams with less resources than ours, it just kind of gives you an empty feeling.

And look at teams like Toronto and Pitt...They are spending huge as well.

And these teams are doing it on an International level as well.

I mean, look at us here. People are happy because we signed our "big three".

I am happy we got them signed but we left a lot of draft picks on the table. We could have drafted guys that were more highly touted, guys like Bell and Norris.

We could have spent a lot more money and gotten more talent in here.

Instead, we are excited that we signed our second round pick(a guy that may not have been worthy of that selection) and a HS third baseman with good upside.

Its good that the Orioles got this stuff done but when you look at what other teams are doing, some of those teams with less resources than ours, it just kind of gives you an empty feeling.

Wasn't Bell drafted before us in Round 2? Not that we would've signed him anyway, but I don't think he was even available by that point.

And look at teams like Toronto and Pitt...They are spending huge as well.

And these teams are doing it on an International level as well.

I mean, look at us here. People are happy because we signed our "big three".

I am happy we got them signed but we left a lot of draft picks on the table. We could have drafted guys that were more highly touted, guys like Bell and Norris.

We could have spent a lot more money and gotten more talent in here.

Instead, we are excited that we signed our second round pick(a guy that may not have been worthy of that selection) and a HS third baseman with good upside.

Its good that the Orioles got this stuff done but when you look at what other teams are doing, some of those teams with less resources than ours, it just kind of gives you an empty feeling.

Picking nits, but Baltimore could not have drafted Bell unless they took him in the first. He came off the board at 2:1 before Baltimore's second pick (2:4).

Other than the stupid Werth contract, Rizzo is doing a very good job of building the Nats. They should be poised to pounce when the Phillies start to decline.

Atlanta is building a beast of a pitching staff. That's going to be a very tough division starting 2012. Nats/Phils/Braves all look well set up for the next few years.

Other than the stupid Werth contract, Rizzo is doing a very good job of building the Nats. They should be poised to pounce when the Phillies start to decline.

Should be fun watching the Braves and the Nats brawl it out.

And look at teams like Toronto and Pitt...They are spending huge as well.

And these teams are doing it on an International level as well.

I mean, look at us here. People are happy because we signed our "big three".

I am happy we got them signed but we left a lot of draft picks on the table. We could have drafted guys that were more highly touted, guys like Bell and Norris.

We could have spent a lot more money and gotten more talent in here.

Instead, we are excited that we signed our second round pick(a guy that may not have been worthy of that selection) and a HS third baseman with good upside.

Its good that the Orioles got this stuff done but when you look at what other teams are doing, some of those teams with less resources than ours, it just kind of gives you an empty feeling.

I'm not knowledgeable enough about amateur talent to judge Jordan's picks when they're made. I can only judge after the fact when I see how they do. I do agree that the budget for amateur signings should be set at a level where Jordan has very little constraint on getting the best players available.