Not only did they lose 102 games, but then won the last 3 to ruin there chance of getting maybe one of the best pitching prospects ever!!!

We got it from both ends!

Please explain, How come the NCAA allows student athletes to sign with agents in baseball but not with any other sport?

They can’t. Boras is still “an advisor”– he can become Strasburg’s agent after the season, once his collegiate eligibility ends.

Much. And less risk too.

maybe it is the best thing to use our pick on a stud hitter, and spend our extra cash on Darvish or a International Phenom.

What stud hitter, the Fighters aren’t posting Darvish (and he’d cost more than Strasburg), and you seriously think an international prospect will ever be the equivalent of the best college pitcher since Mark Prior?

There are more Strasburg’s in Venezuela and Puerto Rico for quite a bit less.

Based on?

The problem is, with a young guy like Strasburg, professionals have seen everything. If he were to never play in the minors I would be shocked if he had immense success right away. Remember, the two years or so in the minors are meant to refine your game. Nearly ALL College pitchers tip their hand in one way or another, do not protect the arm as they should, and it is hard for me to compare Matsuzaka, who was 8 years older than Stras.

All that being said, would I pay him $50 million, no. $25 million, I still think it is pretty nuts, but if you do the math against signing an average MLB pitcher for $8-$9 million per year, it does not sound as absurd. If you give him $25 million and he doesn’t pan out worth a lick, that is $4 million per year. However, how much better is Stras than the kid the Mariners turned down last summer who received a $4 million dollar bonus? I am blanking on name, but he is 19 and throws 95MPH and A’s jumped in. So, looks as though the baseball draft is looking more and more like NFL draft. The success of the last 4-5 MLB drafts, or even going back longer, makes giving Strasburg the big money look somewhat sane. With the Nationals beginning to spend and the need to create a better relationship and atmosphere for fans, signing Strasburg would make sense. We all know it will be a “Pay to Play” campaign by Boras and we certainly cannot waste the second pick.

To me he is worth $15 million, a 50% jump over previous highest dollar amount. The funny thing is in 5 years, we are ALL going to be so pissed off if Washington signs Strasburg and he is the second coming of Christ. Yet, we probably won’t be saying a damn word if he turns into Ryan Anderson or former Mariner top pick Roger Salkeld, and doesn’t turn into a damn thing. Pitchers are VERY HARD to judge because of injuries and more. It is hard to turn away from Stras, but maybe it is the best thing to use our pick on a stud hitter, and spend our extra cash on Darvish or a International Phenom. There are more Strasburg’s in Venezuela and Puerto Rico for quite a bit less.

The A’s tanked that last weekend to ensure the M’s didn’t get the top pick and kick their ass with Strasburg for the next 6 years.

While I doubt that was their overt marching orders (everybody wants to win), I wouldn’t put it past Beane to have at least considered that and suggested the coaching staff “play the kids.”

I’m sorry, Dick Cheney is actually a better pick for the arch fiend.

Boras is a lesser demon–probably Mammon.