The Plan for Strasburg

http://www.baseballamerica.com/blog/draft/?p=1760

Cheap Lerners set new Record for Bonus money given in a Single Draft.

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We don’t have all the signing information for all 50 rounds yet, but we have enough to know that the Nationals have spent more money on bonuses than any team ever has in a single draft.

No. 1 overall pick Stephen Strasburg’s $7.5 million was a draft record in itself, and the Nationals also paid $1.6 million to No. 10 choice Drew Storen. Washington spent $1,769,500 million on bonuses for its picks in rounds 2-10, despite not signing fifth-rounder Miguel Pena.

The Nationals signed 12th-rounder Nathan Karns for $225,000 and 27th-rounder Brandon King for $100,000, bringing the total of their known bonus expenditures to $11,194,500. The Royals established the previous draft record last year, when they spent $11,148,000.

In additions to Karns and King, Washington signed at least 18 additional players after the 10th round for whom bonus information isn’t available.
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so at least they are spending money on something.

note: that ONLY pertains to BONUS money, not the entire contract.

Thanks, Ted.

They are spending money on pitching ... first and foremost. Young pitching. Makes sense. Bats are mostly obtained through the FA market.

All I can say is, it's a good thing they didn't listen to all the people telling them to trade the pick. I'm just sayin.

So the fall league is Oct.-Nov., mostly, spread out all across the valley.
Hello, Ma?

Ted, I add my thanks to those of 1a and so many here.

Mike, an (interim) job well done.

Ted, We don't need no stinkin' "interim" around here, how about replacing it with a "permanent".

Let's play two!

Sec3, Arizona Fall League info is at:

http://www.mlb.com/mlb/events/winterleagues/?league=afl

Willie is ready. Willie always brings a spare baseball, in case he has to throw an opponent's HR back. (Old Wrigley field bleacher bum trick. You didn't think they threw the real one back?)

Thank you gdub.

Karns has been pitching ... abeit in an athletes for life league, but he has been pitching. I wonder where they will send him?

[Revised repost from prior string]
Regarding Strasburg, depending on what his three pitches look like in Viera in February 2010, I'd think he'll probably catch an assignment to either High-A or AA to begin next year, then move up from there.

On a side note, I wonder if Blogfather Barry will ask to get transferred back to baseball coverage after this signing - there could be another book in this.

The plan for Strasburg makes sense because most of the minor league seasons will be shutting down in 3 weeks or less.

@periculum: A best-guess on Karns would be an assignment to the GCL.

Don't the florida facilities stay open?

Hawiian and Carribean leagues are available as well?

Re: "The team is tentatively planning on having SS fly to Washington, D.C., on Thursday."
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What mode of transportation is he using? Will he be taking an airplane or using his cape?

I hope this means he will at least throw out the first pitch on friday night. What a great night even that would be, and I'll be there...woo hoo.

I think he will be coming on the SS Teddy 1.

Like I said time to focus on the task at hand the Rockies, ok the SS party is over for the time being back to work everybody!

@periculum: Hawaii & the Carribean are available if the team has a working agreement in place. The Nationals have an agreement with the AZL; Strasburg is eligible because he's at AA or higher (40-man).

Strasburg is at least a year+ out. They have other guys to work with ... some of whom have #1 pitcher potential. JZimm was one. And there are issues with the positions/bats as well that need to ironed out if a playoff drive were to happen next year.

Still think they should consider resurrecting the Hawaii AAA franchise. The old senators had it briefly. Makes it easier to take when you get sent down ... of spend additional time working down there ... certainly wives/fiances/gfs would like that better ...

OK: The "A" squad is starting tonight - they need to get to Jimenez early to give Stammen a cushion to work with.

Let's go Nats!

Hey Chico

Do you know if he will be introduced to the crowd on Thursday or Friday night? (which night?).

Thanks for all the great reporting!

Re: "The team is tentatively planning on having SS fly to Washington, D.C., on Thursday."

One hopes the Nats send an equipment manager to put his bags in the overhead bin. Hate to see him tear a rotator cuff the first week.

All right...Stammen helps his own cause!

Need to keep winning ... ignore the record. Just keep winning. You never know what that might bring?

nats website says SS introduction at Nats Park is scheduled for Friday. Damn, i was hoping he'd be at the park tomorrow.

$10 bucks says he's at the STH picnic Saturday.

Debbi tried to get Stan K to committ to Rizzo as GM. He wouldn't take the bait "for now".

what's wrong with the pitchers today? they're hitting a combined 2 for 2...

That's Mark and Ted Lerner not Kasten who will make that call. Although they were supposed to make the call after the Strasburg signing ...

I think JD Martin is hitting .300 right now.

ahhhh, I been 86'd from better places than those martinets will ever get into.

I'd like to see MJ Morse at 2nd base for his bat. Might have helped last inning.

What time is the press conference and will MASN have it on??? I can't miss it.

No, I blame Dukes for that one. All he needed was a Sac Fly.

As much as we should win, don't we all want Harper????? We're closing in on the KC Royals.

Stammen is sending Strasburg a message ... :) That's what you want ... definitely what you want.

"As much as we should win, don't we all want Harper????? We're closing in on the KC Royals.

Posted by: rachel216 | August 18, 2009"

A high school junior with his GED ... and Boras' brochures on safe sex and the use of rubbers?

No, I think the right approach was taken this year: pitchers college seniors or juniors ...

Win, win, win, win, win now ... you never know what might happen ...

periculum- are you thinking about playoffs? ;)

periculum- are you thinking about playoffs? ;)

Posted by: rachel216 | August 18, 2009 8:30 PM

[JimMora]Playoffs? PLAYOFFS? what, you're talkin...PLAYOFFS??[/JimMora]

Crap, bases loaded.

The walk did it ... there goes Stammen.

Playoffs? ... given the records of the teams in the Nat's division they might be able to really scare some people. They could end up on network televised games a lot in September. If they continue to win ... as they have this month.

Think of it like this: Revenge of the Natty Pirats ... or the Belliard Black-hearts Strike Back ...

Oh well, good job by Jason keeping the score tied.

For example: consider the Rockies record if the Nats could somehow sweep the series?

Be nice to see them fear coming to the "friendly confines" of Nationals Field.

Is Villone a LOOGY? I thought he was capable of more than that.

What happen to our offense?

STOP walking batters!!!!!!!!!!

Will Nieves is catching tonight. Who? Will Nieves

Nice hit Willie Harris

come on guzzie

Am I the only one whose Comcast has gone out? Been out since about 8:30. Now calling to complain.

Burnett :( ughhhhhhhhh

Comcast says there's an outage in Silver Spring and the District. Maybe no one else is complaining because they've got Comcast as their Internet provider too. :-)

so let me get this right. Guzzie is 0 for, like, August and his batting average is DOWN to .306?

Burnett's been really bad lately. Only Bergmann is reliable. With our offense tonight, we don't stand a chance.

i was hoping for tomorrow too. hadn't thought of the picnic - i hope to get SS's autograph then!

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nats website says SS introduction at Nats Park is scheduled for Friday. Damn, i was hoping he'd be at the park tomorrow.

$10 bucks says he's at the STH picnic Saturday.

Didn't Guzman just recently have like a 15 game hitting streak? He lsot it the same day Zimm lost his 17 gamer.

We have no offense going tonight.

We need some consistency ... winning wise. Bryce Harper would be 3-4 years from the majors. The Nats need that sort of consistency NOW.

one of the reasons why they have no offense is because they are facing a really tough pitcher.

Ricky Vaughn er Tyler Clippard is dealing tonight.

So, let's look at the big picture ... not streaks, or Guzman ... okay well Guzman batting second ...

Nats: 1 walk tonight.
Rockies: 4 walks.

It makes a difference when your pitchers do not allow walks but your batter especially #1-#2 do walk.

G'night, Gracie.

Clippard gives up homer also. game over.

But Morgan gets excluded because he was 2 for 3.

5 walks, 3 home runs ... not a good night for the Nats pitching staff.

RALLY TIME!!!!!

(thought it might be worth a shot)

BELLIARD is worst than any little leaguer!

BELLIARD Bella Legosi!

Not on the ground Josh...please.

Belliard ate a little leaguer

Good going, Nyjer. OK, Guz. DO IT.

ATTA BOY, GUZZZZ!!!

Thank you, Guz. Good time to break the 0-fer.

Oh, break my heart, Nats. :(((((((((

Let's go RZim ... Belliard is a gargoyle on the National Cathedral.

Oh well ... Balester is next.

SUCKS that clip gave up that homer, we'd still be playin'. still hate the bullpen.

5 walks, 3 home runs. Nats pitching.

1 walk, 0 home runs. Rockies pitching.

Still a close game.

Jimenez was a little wild in spots but he pitched really well and don't forget, The Rockies are battling for their lives in the wildcard race. No shame in this loss. I wish Zim would have come through, But things are looking up. I can live with a loss like this as opposed to a lot of the early season losses.

Bingo, Chris88. I don't believe in "moral victories," but it's nice to see the guys fighting to the end. Back at 'em tomorrow.

MLBRUMORS says that Rizzo will be fired.

According to Gordon Edes of Yahoo.com, "multiple sources insisted" today that the Nationals are about to replace interim GM Mike Rizzo with Diamondbacks vice president Jerry DiPoto.

Rizzo can't be "fired". He is still the assistant GM. That title never disappeared. He would have to resign I guess ... unless DiPoto decided he couldn't work with him.

You have to be impressed with the Rockies' Jimenez. He was tough. The Nats did a good job to hit him as well as they did. A difficult but hard fought game. I thought for a split second that Zim might have gotten it all, but no. Let's win tomorrow!

Why on Earth would they fire Rizzo...ridiculous. can't think of a better way to destroy the soaring morale that was built here over that last few months.

Geez, I hope that's not true. I think Rizzo has done a lot of things right. He got strasburg signed, along with most of the draftpicks. The Morgan-burnett for a steaming pile of dung has worked out pretty well. He got something for NJ and Beimel. I really feel like he has earned the job and I hope he gets it. I hope this is just a case of someone going "Rosenthal" and spreading rumors based on questionable sources.

Here's one way: 86 perfectly good paying customers just because they leaned over a railing onto the grass. OK, maybe the foot touched down for a second.
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can't think of a better way to destroy the soaring morale that was built here over that last few months.
Posted by: Naugatuck-Nats | August 18, 2009 11:10 PM

i'm not in favor of replacing rizzo, but let's not get carried away with giving him all the credit for the SS signing. realistically, that one came down as much, or more, on kasten/lerners. they took a much larger presence in that negotiation/signing than they would with most.

still, he's done a much better job with what he was handed than bowden and has made some positive strides with this team.