The Nationals last night signed No. 1 draft pick P Stephen Strasburg to a record four-year, $15.1M deal that gives the franchise the "most hyped college pitcher in a generation and a legitimizing down payment on their build-with-young-talent blueprint," according to Chico Harlan of the WASHINGTON POST. The two sides reached an agreement less than two minutes before the midnight deadline for MLB teams to sign draft picks. The offer to Strasburg "far exceeded the record for an amateur draftee," the Cubs' $10.5M deal for P Mark Prior in '01; last season's top pick, Rays SS Tim Beckham, received a $6.15M contract. The deal "likely will gratify Washington's fan base and elevate its respect level through the league," especially since the Nationals last season "failed to reach a deal with first-round pick Aaron Crow" ( WASHINGTON POST, 8/18 ). In DC, Ben Goessling reports the negotiations "picked up" after Nationals Owner Ted Lerner, President Stan Kasten and acting GM Mike Rizzo last week met with Strasburg in California. While talks with Strasburg's agent, Scott Boras, "consumed most of the day" yesterday, the Nationals said that they "never got contentious." Rizzo "took the lead on negotiations with Lerner, Kasten and the rest of the Nationals' executive board in the room." Goessling notes the "wild card in the whole process turned out to be Strasburg himself," who was "itching to get his professional career started, and that desire helped propel both sides toward a contract." Kasten said, "Let's give Scott credit. I've seen Scott when he's difficult. Scott was pretty darn good through this process" ( WASHINGTON TIMES, 8/18 ). Washington Times Nationals beat reporter Mark Zuckerman said, "It's kind of refreshing that even in this day and age, ultimately the player does make the decision. It's not just the agent" ( "SportsCenter," ESPN, 8/18 ). INSIDE THE DEAL : FOXSPORTS.com's Ken Rosenthal reports Strasburg will receive a $7.5M signing bonus "payable in three installments." The deal is worth "roughly 50[%] more" than Prior's deal, but Rizzo said, "We thought we signed the player for his value" ( FOXSPORTS.com, 8/18 ). ESPN's Peter Gammons reported Boras "kept comparing him to some of the foreign signings and originally wanted to get up over $20(M). The Nationals were clinging to $12.5(M). In the end, they came halfway, which is the way it usually gets done at the last second" ( "Baseball Tonight," ESPN, 8/18 ). Washington Times reporter Mark Zuckerman noted MLB Commissioner Bud Selig gave "his blessing" to the Lerners to go outside of the recommended salary slot for Strasburg. Zuckerman: "They need to sign this guy just from a PR standpoint and can't be worrying about slotting" ( "Outside The Lines," ESPN, 8/17 ). Washington Post reporter Dave Sheinin said of the $15.1M figure, "It does not blow up the whole system. It’s not as if the other owners in baseball are going to be mad at the Nationals for blowing up the draft system." Kasten said, "I did think all day that it was going to get done" ( "ESPN First Take," ESPN2, 8/18 ). WIN-WIN SITUATION : ESPN.com's Keith Law writes the Strasburg deal was "inevitable -- both sides had far too much to lose -- and it's a clear win for both sides." If the two sides had failed to reach an agreement, the Nationals "would have received the second pick in next year's draft but would have faced a PR disaster, while Strasburg would have had to go pitch in independent ball, a route that hasn't worked well for the last few pitchers who've tried it." The final terms of the contract "came in below expectations in both bonus and number of years, although given the nature of the draft ... it's still an impressive figure" ( ESPN.com, 8/18 ). FOXSPORTS.com's Rosenthal writes the deal is a win for Strasburg and Boras, but it is an "even bigger win for the Nationals -- the biggest of their season and maybe their entire sorry history" ( FOXSPORTS.com, 8/18 ). THE PAYOFF PITCH : The WASHINGTON TIMES' Zuckerman writes the Nationals "took an important step toward re-establishing their good name" around MLB with the Strasburg signing. The deal will "bring positive attention" to the club, which has become a "punch line around the sport." Lerner deserves "credit for that bold move." Zuckerman: "Give the entire organization credit for the steps it has taken in the past five months to restore its credibility in the baseball community" ( WASHINGTON TIMES, 8/18 ). Rizzo said, "The Lerner family stepped up here and gave us the resources to sign the most lucrative amateur player contract in the history of the draft. That says a big statement to the city of Washington, D.C., and to the commitment that the Lerner family has to winning championships here" ( WASHINGTONPOST.com, 8/18 ). CAUSE FOR EXCITEMENT : SI.com's Ted Keith writes for the "first time in the Nationals brief history, there is considerable cause for optimism." By signing Strasburg, the club "not only made up for their failure to sign" Crow last season, but also "brought some much-needed legitimacy to a floundering franchise" ( SI.com, 8/18 ). ESPN's Matt Winer said the signing is a "huge PR win for the Nationals, who couldn't sign their first-round pick last year" ( "Baseball Tonight," ESPN, 8/18 ). YAHOO SPORTS' Jeff Passan writes the Nationals celebrated a "rare triumph Monday, staring down agent Scott Boras." However, Rizzo cautioned, "We don't view Stephen Strasburg as the savior of the organization" ( SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 8/18 ). GOOD AT WHAT HE DOES : ESPN's Mike Greenberg said of Boras, "Say what you will about the guy. He gets the deal done. He manages to do this: he manages to make you feel like saying that Stephen Strasburg got by about 50% the biggest contract, most guaranteed money at signing of any player during the draft era, and he makes you report that and then say, ‘Boy, the Nationals got him for a song'" ( "Mike & Mike in the Morning," ESPN2, 8/18 ). Fox Sports’ Rosenthal, on Boras, “Whether he’s good or bad for the game, that’s inconsequential to him. … He is merely representing his clients’ interests. If I were a player and I wanted my interests represented in the way he represents them, I’d take Scott Boras” ( "Washington Post Live,” CSN Mid-Atlantic, 8/17 ).
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