Completely agree, Boras may have screwed up the Varitek market and overestimated the value of some of his other commodities last off-season, but the Strasburg negotions are definitely a big feather in his cap. He managed to shape perception so perfectly that a reward of $15 million for pitching well in college is seen as a small figure. And there was no one bidding against the Nats! Sometimes I wish Boras would come out and take credit for some of his sneakier moves. Honestly, wouldn’t it be great if Strasburg opened his mouth and said something like “Yeah Scotty (I bet he calls him Scotty) told me that realistically we were looking at a range of 12-17 million but we had to get this 50 million number out there to set the whole thing up.” In my more conspiracy-seeking moments I wonder if Nationals management sat down with Boras early on and decided on a number that was palatable for both sides, and then allowed Boras to use the next couple of months creating a situation where the Nats can come out looking like winners while shelling out a boatload of cash for a guy who may never even pitch in the majors.

Which year starts the clock on when Strasburg becomes arbitration/FA eligible - the year he signs his contract (i.e. this year) or the year he first pitches in the bigs (i.e. next year)? I ask primarily because baseball has so many ‘interesting/confusing’ rules pertaining to when folks become eligible for what and how contracts are written (e.g. major league v. minor league) that affect how much control the team has over a players future.

I assume that Strasburg got a major league contract and wonder if it makes a difference as to when his clock starts ticking toward complete FA status.  If it started yesterday then I suspect we see him pitch some this year so the Nats can get even the smallest amount of revenue out of the year with him.  If his clock starts ticking next year I think the Nats hold him off till next year so they can get maximum value for the time they have him under their control.

I guess what I am asking is when do they Nats try to start generating some revenue off Strasburg as his presence in the majors will be partly dictated by his ability to generate maximum revenue for team (i.e. It’s about the Money).

When Strasburg becomes arb-eligible or FA-eligible is dictated by his major league service time.  The clock doesn’t start until he hits the big league 25-man roster.  (The 40-man doesn’t count.)

It’s after the fact and thus may be self-serving, but this morning Boras told USA Today’s Bob Nightengale that his most optimistic thinking was that he’d get an offer in the low $20s from the Nats.

I wonder how much Bryce Harper has to do with this. You think it’s possible that Boras leaves a little on the table in the Strasburg negotiation in order to pump some goodwill for what looks like the Nats’ drafting of his next big client?  That’s the kind of insidious yet unproveable stuff people should be worrying about when they worry about Scott Boras.

“Before you die there is something you should know about us, Lone Star . . . I am your father’s brother’s nephew’s cousin’s former roommate.”

What does that make us?

Nothing.  Which is what you are about to become.

Heheheheheheh.