Posted without comment.

That $50 million figure that's being attached to ballyhooed college-pitching prospect Stephen Strasburg is no joke. Baseball people who have spoken to Strasburg's adviser Scott Boras say they believe that's the figure Boras has in mind for Strasburg, the San Diego State pitcher some are calling a once-in-a-decade talent.

 

Whether Boras is naming the figure or just dropping hints isn't known. What is known is that big-league execs are bracing for the $50 million bomb to be dropped come June's amateur draft.

 

Boras isn't speaking about this publicly. But in discussions with other baseball people, he's saying quite a bit apparently. One club executive said Boras has found at least one comparable hurler for the right-hander Strasburg, who is said to have clocked between 100 and 103 mph 14 times in one recent game.

 

"He is Sidd [bleeping] Finch," Boras allegedly said to this one executive, referring to the first true fantasy player, invented for Sports Illustrated back in 1985.

 

Well, at these prices, he had better be.

 

The ceiling for drafted players historically has been about $10 million. Mark Prior ($10.5 million), Mark Teixeira ($9.5 million) and David Price ($8.8 million) were all very high draft choices seen as big-time future stars who commanded close to $10 million (though only Price went No. 1-overall due to monetary considerations). Most No. 1-overall picks go for between $3 million and $7 million, with only that oh-so-rare handful coming close to that $10-million ceiling.

 

Now Boras is said to want $50 million on a six-year contract, a contract proposal that was first floated as a possibility by Peter Gammons. It seemed fanciful when it was first thrown out there. But apparently it's deadly serious.

R E C E S S I O N

 

Not in Boras greedy world

The only way you need to think about it is this...if you were the Yankees, would you give him that contract?

The only way you need to think about it is this...if you were the Yankees, would you give him that contract?

No.

 

Think about how much was paid for Kei Igawa.

 

Id rather have Strasbourg.

And if the Yankees would be willing to pay it, then Boras can hold the kid out for a year or two until he winds up with a team willing to pay it. It delays his arb clock a year but if the kid is getting $50 million anyway...

And if the Yankees would be willing to pay it, then Boras can hold the kid out for a year or two until he winds up with a team willing to pay it. It delays his arb clock a year but if the kid is getting $50 million anyway...

 

He wouldnt even have to hold out. If there was just one team willing to pay it then he'd go to them in the first round. If that ends up being a serious asking price, team's unwilling to even go anywhere near that number wont even bother drafting him.

He wouldnt even have to hold out. If there was just one team willing to pay it then he'd go to them in the first round. If that ends up being a serious asking price, team's unwilling to even go anywhere near that number wont even bother drafting him.

I think he'll probably go #1 this year, but if the Nats simply don't want to go that high he'll go in to next year's draft with everyone knowing the kind of money he wants, and wind up with the Yankees or BoSox or Tigers or someone like that.

I think he'll probably go #1 this year, but if the Nats simply don't want to go that high he'll go in to next year's draft with everyone knowing the kind of money he wants, and wind up with the Yankees or BoSox or Tigers or someone like that.

 

Maybe, but if i'm the Nats or any other team with a high pick and Boras makes some statement prior to the draft I wouldnt even bother. No point in making a pick you know you wont sign. Yes you'd get a comp pick the next year but that just gives you one less prospect in your system for the time being

Maybe, but if i'm the Nats or any other team with a high pick and Boras makes some statement prior to the draft I wouldnt even bother. No point in making a pick you know you wont sign. Yes you'd get a comp pick the next year but that just gives you one less prospect in your system for the time being

 

You also prevent your competition from getting that kind of a player for at least a year, plus you still keep the #1 pick in 2010. Like I said in the other thread when this was brought up, this case makes the perfect arguement for why draft picks should be able to be traded. Instead of Washington either having to pass on SS or pick him knowing that they can't sign him, they could put the pick on the auction block and see who comes calling. Could the Yankees or Red Sox be willing to clean out there farm system for this kid? It could very well have meant that Washington would have gotten on its way to recovery quicker with the multiple players someone would potentially pay for the pick, than picking Stausbourg and spending $50,000,000 on him.

You also prevent your competition from getting that kind of a player for at least a year, plus you still keep the #1 pick in 2010. Like I said in the other thread when this was brought up, this case makes the perfect arguement for why draft picks should be able to be traded. Instead of Washington either having to pass on SS or pick him knowing that they can't sign him, they could put the pick on the auction block and see who comes calling. Could the Yankees or Red Sox be willing to clean out there farm system for this kid? It could very well have meant that Washington would have gotten on its way to recovery quicker with the multiple players someone would potentially pay for the pick, than picking Stausbourg and spending $50,000,000 on him.

 

Id much prefer there just to be a limit on how much these kids can get paid like in the nba.

Id much prefer there just to be a limit on how much these kids can get paid like in the nba.

 

That would be my first choice, but there is no way that the players association would agree to limit compenstation like that. Trading picks is a much more realistic scenario.

Id much prefer there just to be a limit on how much these kids can get paid like in the nba.

 

That would be my first choice, but there is no way that the players association would agree to limit compenstation like that. Trading picks is a much more realistic scenario.

R E C E S S I O N

 

Not in Boras greedy world

R-E-A-L-I-T-Y

 

Not in Boras greedy world

Where are the kid's parents? They should be advising him to find a nice agent that will get him $3,000,000

That would be my first choice, but there is no way that the players association would agree to limit compenstation like that. Trading picks is a much more realistic scenario.

 

Agreed.

MLB needs to come up with caps based on position, much like the NBA.

You also prevent your competition from getting that kind of a player for at least a year, plus you still keep the #1 pick in 2010. Like I said in the other thread when this was brought up, this case makes the perfect arguement for why draft picks should be able to be traded. Instead of Washington either having to pass on SS or pick him knowing that they can't sign him, they could put the pick on the auction block and see who comes calling. Could the Yankees or Red Sox be willing to clean out there farm system for this kid? It could very well have meant that Washington would have gotten on its way to recovery quicker with the multiple players someone would potentially pay for the pick, than picking Stausbourg and spending $50,000,000 on him.

 

The Nats are going to have quite the dilemma. The 2010 draft is stacking up to be quite weak. No elite/clear #1's like the previous handful of years. Take Strasburg, and shell out the money (I can see both sides agreeing in the ~$20 mil range).