Nats offer to Strasburg is *roughly* $20 million

[ChaosLex]

Sources close to the negotiations say the Nats have a $17 million deal on the table for pitcher Stephen Strasburg, with easily attainable incentives that could push it beyond $20 million.

http://masnsports.com/2009/08/fit-to-be-tied-2.html

Let's say Strasburg declines the Nats offer and goes back into the draft for next year. If he were to fall to the O's, do you think the O's would draft him, knowing these outrageous demands?

Thoughts!?

[OriolesHangout3]

Yes.

If he doesn't sign this year, he'll be desperate enough to accept a "lighter" deal. Therefore the chances of us having to pay less are greater. I'd like to think he won't want to sit out another year without millions being deposited into his bank account.

[Mackus]

I would be willing to go just a tad higher on a contract for him, but obviously not into the $30s and $40s of millions.

That said, if the Nats have offered him $17M, he's going to sign. No chance he turns that down. He won't sign until 11:59pm, and we won't hear about it for a good thirty minutes after that, but he'll sign on the dotted line for that or for however many more dollars Boras can squeeze out of them. I wouldn't expect them to panic and go much higher, though.

[clapdiddy]

He would be an idiot to turn down 17 million guaranteed dollars.

[caljr]

I don't think anyone would give him that kind of money next year. If I am Strasburg I am telling Boras to get me a deal before midnight tonight. If he has to re-enter the draft next year - he will no longer be the #1 pick (Harper will) and he will be labeled as someone who cares more about money than playing baseball. I think his value be down.

[wickedwitch]

Yes. We can use the money we get from the ticket sales in the playoffs.

[alexei606]

I would be willing to go just a tad higher on a contract for him, but obviously not into the $30s and $40s of millions.

That said, if the Nats have offered him $17M, he's going to sign. No chance he turns that down. He won't sign until 11:59pm, and we won't hear about it for a good thirty minutes after that, but he'll sign on the dotted line for that or for however many more dollars Boras can squeeze out of them. I wouldn't expect them to panic and go much higher, though.

Offer w/incentives up to $20 million which is what I thought it would be. I don't think that Strasburg will walk if the offer is in that range - agree sign very late and hear about 12:30 am. To the question, yes if he doesn't sign, I would hope the Orioles take him if he isn't declared a free agent.

[Satyr3206]

I hope they wouldn't. Pitchers taken #1 don't have a very good track record and I think Strasburg will be seeing a surgeon in the next few years. I can't believe the Nats are letting Boras bend them over like this.

[jerios55]

Yes.

If he doesn't sign this year, he'll be desperate enough to accept a "lighter" deal. Therefore the chances of us having to pay less are greater. I'd like to think he won't want to sit out another year without millions being deposited into his bank account.

You should have a talk with Crow.

[Tony-OH]

You should have a talk with Crow.

These guys and their crazy demands are outrageous. If he dosn't sign, I wouldn't want anything to do with him if he were available. Any kids that doesn't sign for that kind of money has his priorities in the wrong order.

[blueberryale77]

Or Matt White.... These guys and their crazy demands are outrageous. If he dosn't sign, I wouldn't want anything to do with him if were available. Any kids that doesn't sign for that kind of money has his priorities in the wrong order.

Somebody with that inflated of an opinion of himself before he's thrown a professional pitch isn't likely to be a team player, listen to coaches' advice, etc. Never mind the risk of a career-ending injury before any of the massive investment can pay off. That's just too much money to gamble with and it makes you question his character right off the bat.

[Mackus]

Somebody with that inflated of an opinion of himself before he's thrown a professional pitch isn't likely to be a team player, listen to coaches' advice, etc.

I don't see the need to make blanket statements about his character over his approach to negotiations.

You could easily make the argument that he's much MORE likely to listen to the coaches advice and be a team player. He's clearly listening very closely to his advisers in terms of what type of money he should be getting offered. He's very loyal to whatever they say. Sure he's clearly listening to the wrong people, but that doesn't mean he isn't a loyal guy who can take direction. If he signed, why do you assume he'd all of a sudden stop listening to other people, in this case namely his coaches?

I think Crow's making a big mistake if he doesn't sign this year, but I think its rash at best to just go throwing around these judgments of his character. I bet you've never even read anything he's said in a newspaper yet alone heard him speak, and you're already making judgments on how good of a team player he is and how open to instruction he is?

[AlBumbry]

That's too generous an offer IMO. I would have offered $14 - 14.5 million and not budged.

[FutureOwner]

He's going to sign if the contratc is over $15m. Theres no way he doesn't. He know's that the $5m he wants is not guaranteed to be there next year and the year he sits out could cost him $20m+ if he plays as well as he think he will.

If the Nats were taking a hard line and offering like $12m tops I could see him going back into the draft, but if he is getting something like $15-20m he runs the risk of becoming a guy no one wants.

The Nats ponying up is good for us because I really cant see them giving back to back $15m+ contracts to #1 draft picks. That means Harper could fall in our laps.

[FutureOwner]

I don't see the need to make blanket statements about his character over his approach to negotiations.

You could easily make the argument that he's much MORE likely to listen to the coaches advice and be a team player. He's clearly listening very closely to his advisers in terms of what type of money he should be getting offered. He's very loyal to whatever they say. Sure he's clearly listening to the wrong people, but that doesn't mean he isn't a loyal guy who can take direction. If he signed, why do you assume he'd all of a sudden stop listening to other people, in this case namely his coaches?

I think Crow's making a big mistake if he doesn't sign this year, but I think its rash at best to just go throwing around these judgments of his character. I bet you've never even read anything he's said in a newspaper yet alone heard him speak, and you're already making judgments on how good of a team player he is and how open to instruction he is?

How is he listening to the wrong people? Sure, he could have probably worked out a predraft deal with the Nats for $10.5m but he's probably going to be guaranteed another $5m+.

That's $5m, for waiting to sign.

If anyone here had the option of making $5m by not working I think they would take it.

We can call it whatever we want from our perspective, but when it's your bank account and your future anything that can cost you $5m when you currently have no millions can only be classified as reckless.