While the Stephen Strasburg negotiations could be long and nasty, the Nats apparently aren't going to have any trouble with their second first round pick:
The Nationals, who took San Diego State pitcher Stephen Strasburg with the No. 1 overall selection, couldn't resist taking another pitcher early. [Drew] Storen was 7-1 with a 3.80 ERA and seven saves with 66 strikeouts in 42.2 innings this season . . . Storen, a draft-eligible sophomore who could return to school, made it clear he won't.
"It's a done deal," he said. "I can't get a better situation than this. It's a perfect situation for me."
Note to the Nats' players: don't make Storen your union rep once he makes the big club, because tough negotiations aren't exactly his forte
I kid Storen. He may not have been the best player available when the Nats' picked him, but based on everything I've read, he's a "finished product," as they say, who, as Matthew notes, could very well be in the Nats' bullpen very, very soon. If I was him I'd (a) thank the Nats' profusely for taking me where they did; and (b) sign on the dotted line and get my butt throwing live pitches for money ASAP. If he does that, he could get a nice political boost within an organization that will no doubt be in Strasburg-related agony for the next two months. Indeed, the Nats are going to have every incentive in the world to showcase Storen, both to placate fans and to tease Strasburg with all that he's missing.
So good for the kid from Indianapolis, who will very likely benefit from the Boras-inflicted ugliness to come.
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I hear that he'd be a finished product if the Nats were planning on using him in the bullpen, but that they're instead going to stretch him out and convert him to a starter. And that's good, because it pains me to see first-round picks blown on bullpen arms. Has a supposed ace reliever taken out of college ever lived up to expectations? Because it sure seems to me like the guys who've had long-term success out of the 'pen have all been converted starters.
Agreed. Usually, if a guy is an "ace reliever" in college it's because he couldn't hack it as a starter on that level. I'd rather have a "failed" pro starter in my Major League pen than a failed amateur starter in that role.
I am just wondering when the day will come that signing Boras as your agent means an automatic fall of about 15 spots in the draft, with a corresponding loss in income. In baseball, in particular, it's not like any one player is going to turn around your team, particularly a player who won't be playing every inning.
I don't think it will happen, Adipic. There will always be teams in dire straits who will be compelled to take the best talent available. Boras players will continue to go high in the draft until the day that Boras ceases to be able to attract the best players.
This kid is smart and know he will be compared with Strasburg every other day. With the tough (is there any other kind with Boras?) negotiation Natinals will go through, doubt they would have much patience left for him if he chose to play hardball.
this ballclub's bullpen is just gruesome. their starters aren't outstanding but they're way better than what's been going on out in the pen.......i think the nats should groom this kid to be the closer. he already has experience in the role (granted not at the MLB level but he understands how to prepare in that role). the only way i see this guy in the rotation is if they think they can turn one or more of detwiler, martis, zimmermann, stammen, etc. into quality mlb relievers. down the road a bit i like the rotation of strasburg,martis,lannan, zimmermann, and/or a couple of decent vet FAs with storen as the closer.