Gammons: Steven Strasburg demands

[allstar1579]

If it were another team at no. 1 you wouldn't hear this. But the Nats are desperate after last season's debacle, and Boras knows he can fully take advantage. The problem is are lesser players going to try to raise their demands now as response?

[DocJJ]

Fair Enough.

I guess wishing a career-ending injury on anyone is pretty low (unless they sign with the Yankees. I will always hope for career ending injuries for players who sign with them).

Still, the only way GM's will stand up to Boreass is if they get burned bad a few times....

[CharmCityHokie]

Fair Enough.

I guess wishing a career-ending injury on anyone is pretty low (unless they sign with the Yankees. I will always hope for career ending injuries for players who sign with them).

Still, the only way GM's will stand up to Boreass is if they get burned bad a few times....

Do you wish we didnt take Wieters for the sole reason he was represented by Boras? This isnt a shot at you, I was wondering if youd have the same opinion if the O's were in the position to take Strasburg

[mweb]

As we've seen many times, what Boras demands, is not what he typically gets, just where his side of the negotiations start.

[mweb]

And if you are going to throw that kind of money at a college kid, would you prefer to throw more at Darvish and draft someone else?

You could likely get Strasburg and Lackey for considerably less than what it would cost to get Darvish and whoever was picked 5th in the draft.

[Sports Guy]

You could likely get Strasburg and Lackey for considerably less than what it would cost to get Darvish and whoever was picked 5th in the draft.

You are probably right here.

End of the day though, you are right about Boras.

But you have to wonder, what is a better investment...Strasburg, a total unknown, for 6/50 or Sabathia for what he got?

[alexei606]

You are probably right here.

End of the day though, you are right about Boras.

But you have to wonder, what is a better investment...Strasburg, a total unknown, for 6/50 or Sabathia for what he got?

This is what scouts are saying about Strasburg - he may be the greatest player ever. I have never heard anything like this before for any potential draftee or international player and that includes Griffey, Jr., Bonds Jr., whomever. Sabathia has a lot of mileage on his arm, especially last year with the Brewers and his frame is not of the good type. I would take Strasburg any day of the week over Sabathia, in fact, I would take him over any other pitcher now.

I agree with Greg - I hope he falls to the O's and McPhail better have Angelos' check in hand. This would be an unbelievable rotation with him at the TOR, with Matusz, Tillman, Arrieta or whomever of our young stable of pitchers. Add that with Wieters, Markakis and Jones headlining our position players - wow, just wow.

If the Nationals do decide to pass on Strasburg due to these demands, I believe that the Padres and Pirates will certainly do so as well and the Mariners will probably do the same, although the new FO has stat guy Tango on board and their GM built the Brewers system. Plus, the owners aren't afraid to supply the cash and usually don't interfere. The Nats might believe that it would be better (certainly less risky) to pay top dollar for two prospects since they are the first team ever to have two top ten picks. Sure would like to see who has helium to help the Nats justify doing just that and also someone that the Mariners would covet. Any good candidates? This is just an attempt at a fun type of exercise, I really think like Greg, it is a huge if for him to fall to the O's, unless McPhail makes an offer Boras can't refuse.

[TyCobb]

This kid is going to blow out his arm if he keeps trying to throw as hard as he does. No way in a million years do I give Strasburg 50 million. I won't even give him more than what Wieters got. What kind of bluff is that? If you don't give him this he will go to Japan? LoL that is BS. Boras should go to jail with that advice with pitchers being as fragile as they are these days.

SG is right. You could get Lackey with a little more money who is a much better pitcher than this kid.

[SteveA]

This is what scouts are saying about Strasburg - he may be the greatest player ever. I have never heard anything like this before for any potential draftee or international player

I have. Ben McDonald. He was universally described as the greatest pitcher ever to come out of college.

[Sports Guy]

I have. Ben McDonald. He was universally described as the greatest pitcher ever to come out of college.

And of course, you have Prior...Who was awesome but the injuries stopped him from being one of the best.

[Ruzious]

If he's as good as Mark Prior was, then there's no doubt I would pay the 6/50. At the age of 22, Prior was arguably the best pitcher in the majors.

Maybe there's a compromise that could be worked out - where he's got to get a certain number of innings... nah, the way AM manipulates that sort of thing - Boras wouldn't trust him - and rightly so, frankly. I'd pay him.

[Hank Scorpio]

Boras makes me sick.

[DocJJ]

Regarding Boras, I'd certainly want him to represent ME in any negotiations. So you can call me a hypocrite if you like...I'm happy we signed Wieters, but with Boras representing him, you can kiss him goodbye in 6 years.

By holding out for the moon during negotiations, even if he doesn't get what he wants, he continually increases the amounts of signings up and up and up....

Great for his clients. Bad for you and me, since WE end up paying higher and higher prices at the ticket booths all the time.

Bore-Ass. Bad for ticket prices. Bad for baseball.

[zff4]

No one is going to ante up 50 for him. But Boras will happily sit him out the season after establishing a price - say 20 million that one or two teams might seriously think about: Yankees for one.

If he falls to us on the first round this season do we bite if we think we can lower his price to 20? Is it worth the risk of losing the draft pick?

AM won't do it.

[Lt Melmo]

No one is going to ante up 50 for him. But Boras will happily sit him out the season after establishing a price - say 20 million that one or two teams might seriously think about: Yankees for one.

If he falls to us on the first round this season do we bite if we think we can lower his price to 20? Is it worth the risk of losing the draft pick?

AM won't do it.

If he falls to us, which he will never ever ever do, we pay him 50 if we have to. If scouts are saying he's better than AJ Burnett right now, that would be something of a bargain.