tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post5599789815959626407..comments2023-10-17T10:45:07.796-04:00Comments on FJB: If Whining and Finger-Pointing Was an Olympic Event, the Nationals Would Be Michael PhelpsUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger9125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-21791199721573679882008-08-18T23:40:00.000-04:002008-08-18T23:40:00.000-04:00This comment has been removed by the author.Missy Ward Gracehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02956485340561156607noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-9512305163350521042008-08-18T21:27:00.000-04:002008-08-18T21:27:00.000-04:00Hm. I misremembered Detwiler's draft spot. Oh we...Hm. I misremembered Detwiler's draft spot. Oh well. Thanks for the catch.Stevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14109288910583404941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-25137368863815195962008-08-18T08:32:00.000-04:002008-08-18T08:32:00.000-04:00I think you can make the case that Crow was though...I think you can make the case that Crow was thought of in higher regard than Detwiler, but he wasn't picked higher than Detwiler was.<BR/><BR/>Interestingly enough, there was an article in the Pittsburgh paper yesterday with this about Pedro Alvarez:<BR/><BR/>"Boras' asking price for months had been a major league contract worth $9.5 million"<BR/><BR/>Sound familiar?<BR/><BR/>I think the Nationals will sign Strasburg when and if the time comes. I'd guess that it will take an MLB deal to get it done, but by all accounts, Strasburg should come fast. The real test to me will be to see them not make it drag out until the deadline.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-78869773762849708972008-08-17T23:17:00.000-04:002008-08-17T23:17:00.000-04:00@anon--but you are right that there will be more p...@anon--but you are right that there will be more pressure on the Nats to sign next year, if nothing else to save face. But STrasburg is reported to be one of the top picks in several years, and if they don't sign 9A they lose that pick--you can't get the compensatory pick twice. So the Nats will pay more next time, no doubt.<BR/><BR/>That's why there's no argument coming from the team defending he actual decision to not sign Crow. It's not credible to say that they were *right* to walk away over 700k. Not from a baseball perspective, not from a business perspective, not long term nor short. It's just bad bad bad. the only way it works out is if somehow we luck out and strike gold with 9A next year and/or Crow gets hurt or something.<BR/><BR/>All they can do now is demonize the agent and portray themselves as the victim. It's insulting to our intelligence that they are even trying, but judging by some of the message boards, some fans are buying it.Stevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14109288910583404941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-41577203902120970442008-08-17T23:11:00.000-04:002008-08-17T23:11:00.000-04:00The Nationals will still have a ton of leverage wi...The Nationals will still have a ton of leverage with Strasburg. The have the same position with him that they have over Crow. Strasburg has to accept whatever he is offered or risk sitting out of MLB for a year, pushing back his progress towards FA for a year, all that. There's the 1-year injury risk that everyone's focused on, but really if he gets hurt anywhere along the line in his next 5-6 years it will hurt his chances in FA. Look at Cordero and how much earning he lost in FA by tearing his labrum. Imagine if that injury happens to Crow one year from FA. Then this little meltdown will end up costing him potentially tens of millions.<BR/><BR/>You're right that the Crow situation I think generally reflects badly on the team and weakens our hand in many negotiations. But draft picks still basically take what they are given and not a fraction of their market value. If Strasburg arrived as an FA next year, he'd command (guessing out of my butt) 5-6 years and over 100 million. At most we'll pay him 1/10 of that.Stevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14109288910583404941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-85118268363346779032008-08-17T19:00:00.000-04:002008-08-17T19:00:00.000-04:00Another concern to have is the impact this will ha...Another concern to have is the impact this will have on next years draft. While the Nats think they have done something noble by sticking to their guns, good luck negiotiating next year. Should they get the #1 pick and pick Stromberg, be ready to deal with Boras and demands of $10-12 million. The Nats will have zero leverage in dealing with signing either the #1 or #9A picks. The agents whose players are selected their will be licking their chops because they can ask for ridiculous (according to the Nats) amounts and they will almost have to agree to them. Could you imagine if they didnt sign one of those guys or passed on Stromsberg because they wont want to pay $10 million? Would not want to be on the Nats side in those negiotiations.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-40634676756548620852008-08-17T16:09:00.000-04:002008-08-17T16:09:00.000-04:00@Ben--You could say the same thing about the Natio...@Ben--<BR/><BR/>You could say the same thing about the Nationals, that if the team really wanted a deal that they would have gone up to 3.5 million a week ago.<BR/><BR/>The point is that the team would have you believe that the agent was some irrational nut who would only communicate via email and refused to negotiate at all. That's BS. Their error, the same as the team's, is that they didn't start talking turkey till it was too late. They played a risky game of chicken, and neither side really thought the other side would drive off the cliff, and they both did. It was a delicate negotiation that required intelligence and maturity and it was allowed to devolve into a dick measuring contest. Just a complete incompetent bungling on both ends.<BR/><BR/>There's no way either the player or the team can be happy over this or would really in retrospect defend falling on their swords over 700-900k. That's why the team isn't trying to defend their 'decision.' They aren't even saying "4.4 million is unreasonable, but 3.5 is ok," because that's not credible. You're wrong that the team is cheap in this situation. The team didn't lose Crow because the Lerners or Kasten insisted on saving the 700k. They lost Crow because the negotiation was bungled. So now they're trying to convince you that there was only one incompetent fuck up in this situation, and that none of it was their fault. But had the team done their job right, Crow would be a National right now. This is Cordero part 2. Simple, easy player management bungled because the guy in charge of the negotiation is not up to the job.<BR/><BR/>The MRI was just one more thing that got lost in the game of chicken. Crow's side was overplaying their bluff and lost the oppy for a major league deal because of it.Stevenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14109288910583404941noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-29223076067210198142008-08-17T15:24:00.000-04:002008-08-17T15:24:00.000-04:00I gotta disagree with most of this. I think that ...I gotta disagree with most of this. I think that you really hit on what was going on only in the last portion of the post: Crow didn't want to marry this dysfunctional, losing organization unless he was getting ridiculous money.<BR/><BR/>I think both sides overplayed their hands, yes - but really, that starting point is ludicrous given the deals given other players in this draft. The fact that Hendricks only went down to $4.4 million right at the end shows that they didn't really want a deal. My point is this: If they had wanted a deal, they would've gone down to $4.4 million a week ago.<BR/><BR/>So, yes, the Nats are cheap - but I think what was really going on here was that Crow told Hendricks he didn't want to come to a franchise that looks like it's going to be a perennial 4th or 5th place finisher unless he got bank. And you elide right over the MRI thing, which frankly raises the red flag right off the bat.benhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10571211369056169151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2074246508221440257.post-75246434377447620712008-08-17T11:49:00.000-04:002008-08-17T11:49:00.000-04:00Thank you.Thank you.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com