Final-hour drama ends as Nationals sign Bryce Harper

Why draft this kid if you can't or won't sign him?

they'll sign him, they're just playing harder ball than last year because they are less desperate and Harper is less accomplished than Strasburg, who was 21 at the time of the draft.

Ever sold a house? Sometimes the other party isn't reasonable.

He will sign. He loses a lot of leverage next season.

This is Scottie being Scottie.

Why post stupid questions dc kid??? If you know anything about Boras, this is what is expected!! If he doesn't sign, the decision will be Harper's and not the fault of the Nats!!

>The Nationals have allocated $3,799,000

Does this mean they're only offering him in the neighborhood of 4 million or what? You're kidding, right?

>If he doesn't sign, the decision will be Harper's and not the fault of the Nats!!

Posted by: dkidwell6

No, THAT'S stupid.

Brue. Allocates means they are going to spend that much already, on the players they have agreements with. It has nothing to do with any offer to Harper.

It means that they've already spent 3.8 million on their draft picks.

No, Brue. He means that's what they've spent on the other guys they've signed so far - which means they could drop another $11M on Harper and still only be up to what they spent on Strasburg last year. Relax.

It has to be at least $7 million for Bora$$ to set another record so get ready for some big numbers!

That "allocated number" doesn't make sense -- they've given $3.8 million to only 3 players.

Did he turn back into a pumpkin yet, or what?

>Relax.

Posted by: nunof1

That's rich coming from you. Thanks for the explanation though. I still don't feel any better.

Man, the waiting's driving me nuts. I really think they'll make a deal, but what happens if Rizzo's cell phone dies at 11:50? That's what I hate about this approach.

They have signed 24 of their 26 top draft picks thus far. The kid from Tech is a no go, and the other is Harper!!
If you say the Nats are not serious about signing their draft picks, you are just crazy!

Yeah, it is kind of silly that the process has evolved into this. I wonder how much more money the agents are really getting these kids by going down to the wire like this.

Last year someone posted that Strassburg had signed before it was officially announced. That guy around tonight?

I've got a bad Aaron Crow feeling about this kid.

I bet Aaron Crowe has a bad feeling about NOT signing.

AK's post just changed slightly. It now says, "The Nationals have allocated $3,799,000 tonight alone..." instead of, "The Nationals have allocated $3,799,000 to signings so far..."

That last is my best approximation of the original wording. It matches the sense of the original post.

I've got a bad Aaron Crow feeling about this kid.

Posted by: PNatsFan | August 16, 2010 11:35 PM |
_________________

Boras is many things, but stupid isn't one of them.
Harper loses leverage over the next year and Boras loses $$$$ if his client does't sign now.

You must have had the same "Aaron Crowe" feeling last year as well and see how that worked out!

I wish they'd sign him already so I could stop fretting about Harper....and start fretting about signing Dunn.

Aaron Crow is a doofus. Didn't want to be here, so he played in the Independent league, got drafted by the Royals and now is getting shelled in the minors...and making a lot less money in a smaller market. Great job. He's eating himself these days. :)

15 more minutes!! i was here this time last year and its worked out beautifully. lets go back to back!

I will guess $10.25M at 11:58 meaning we will hear about it around 12:10.

Get it done Nationals.

Post first? Nats web site? ESPN?

i guess 9M

10.5 million
Nats Insider gets the scoop.

SI_JonHeyman
.bryce harper said getting "close'' to a deal with #nats. believed worth close to $10 million in total. story soon on si.com.

Getting close? Better get it done in the next 5 minutes.

link to si.com story
http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2010/baseball/mlb/08/16/harper/index.html?eref=sihp

Trying to check in on all blogs at once, as well as watching MLB network, as they're teasing the results (if any) prior to every commercial break... oy, my eyes hurt.

mlb network reporting still unsigned

midnight

Another signing for the Washington Borases .... Er, Nationals.

boras gives jimbo the scoop?

http://twitter.com/JimBowdenXMFOX

Through twitter, found out that Harper updated his facebook with Nats as his employer. Ugh, I hate the 21st century sometimes - but happy if there is fire behind the smoke.

Look at Bowden, breaking the news
http://twitter.com/JimBowdenXMFOX

The Nationals signed first-overall pick Bryce Harper for about $6.5MM,  according to Jim Bowden of Sirius XM Radio (Twitter links). As expected, the sides did not announce a deal until the last minute.

According to mlbtraderumors.com

While waiting, just felt slightly older, seeing the name Delino DeShields Jr. in the list on MLB Network.

Wow, 6.5 million? That is far less than I thought it would be.

mlbtraderumors.com:

The Nationals signed first-overall pick Bryce Harper for about $6.5MM, according to Jim Bowden of Sirius XM Radio (Twitter links). As expected, the sides did not announce a deal until the last minute.

The buzz surrounding Harper started last year, when he appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated as a 16-year-old. Harper, still just 17, got his GED early, enrolled at the College of Southern Nevada and won the 2010 Golden Spikes Award as the country’s top amateur player

If $6.5M is the number, then Rizzo got the best of Boras for the second straight year. That may only be slightly more than the Pirates paid to sign Taillon.

Too soon to chalk up another win for Mike Rizzo?

MLBTrade Rumors says he signed for $6.5
http://www.mlbtraderumors.com/

Now Bowden is saying closer to $10M.

what is Harper's twitter - not convinced he has one.

Hooray...

welcome to natstown bryce harper!! hope you have a long career here!

Kudos to Harper. Welcome aboard.

just got an email from the nats saying they signed him.

Woo hoo! What a day. What a draft!

Kilgore you could have provided some more up to date posts rather than modifying an hour old post. Other sources beat you. I thought I could count on the Nats guy to get first scoop but apparently not. Sort of disappointed...and I honestly don't complain much.

Now the Nationals finally have a position player who is a real prospect.

$9.9 million

Yes!!

Ah, the Kabuki theater, where eveyone knows their ancient and traditional role. I give some credit to the O's for giving Harper the specter of the Pittsburgh Pirates with next years's #1 pick.