Saturday, August 16, 2008

Nationals Fall on their Sword over $700k, BA Says

From Baseball America:
Nats No Go On Crow, Sign Ramirez Instead


The Nationals signed 15th round pick J.P. Ramirez, a lefthanded-hitting outfielder with a smooth stroke and a Tulane commitment, for $1 million.

Ramirez is a solid consolation prize, but the Nats missed on their top pick. Washington failed to sign Missouri righthander Aaron Crow, according to industry sources. One source indicated the Crow camp, led by his agents the Hendricks Brothers, dropped their demands to $4 million from the $8-$10 million range, and that the Nationals came up from slot to $3.3 million, but that the two sides ran out of time and wiggle room and couldn’t work out a compromise.

If this is true, that the team refused to signed a top ten pick over $700k, I really feel tempted to just start rooting for the Mets or Phillies. I'm not saying it yet. But if this is true, well, I don't have to be a fan of this team. I really don't.

4 comments:

Anonymous said...

What a debacle if it's true. I know they're trying to spin the Ramirez signing as a consolation prize, but it's hard to get excited about a player that will likely be a fourth-outfielder type at best.

Steven said...

Fuck that. Since when is it a zero sum game that you can only sign one of them.

Fuck these motherfuckers.

I'm serious. I think they had sex with their mothers.

Fuck them.

Pardon me, but I'm quite peeved.

Anonymous said...

Well, it looks like the BA story isn't far off(if at all depending on shich side you believe):

"The difference?

Somewhere between $900,000 and $700,000, depending on the side you listen to.

GM Jim Bowden just said that the team offered $3.5 million plus a major league contract, but that Crow wanted $4.4 million.

According to Crow's agent, Randy Hendricks, Crow would have taken $4 million. The team was willing to go no higher than $3.3 million."

Ridiculous. I don't even know what to say anymore.

Anonymous said...

GAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH. I hate watching this putrid "MLB" team, but I have held out hope that the FO might be competent enough to field a winning team in the future. Really it's all we have to look forward to as fans of a last place team. I know not signing the #1 pick does not mean the minor leagues will be barren for years to come as a result, but this just points to a larger problem within the organization. Not signing your #1 pick over a few hundred thousand, or more importantly not being able to work out a deal when the parties are that close, is simply unacceptable. I have no hope for this team so long as a certain person remains in a decision-making position within the FO. *withholds right to recant some or all of this statement in the morning*