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Tuesday, June 9, 2009

Today's the day

We're about 10 hours away from the first pick, the Nats on the clock and all that. I don't know how much time they get (I suspect it isn't the ridiculous 10 minutes they give in the NFL) and I'm curious how much of it they'll use before saying, "Stephen Strasburg."

My son tried to goad me last night, barging into my room and announcing that Sports Center just reported the Nats decided to pass on Strasburg. Ha ha ha ha ha.

They pass, I'm out. But they're not going to pass.

My new poll put up today asks about where to use him, assuming a reasonable timeframe to get him signed. By that, I mean within a couple of weeks. I realize that's unlikely to happen but humor me and think on the possibility if it does.

Where do you use him?

At this point, he isn't going to help with the playoff push. The only reason to pitch him in the majors would be to put some people in seats. To trot out the future. Is he ready? I have no clue. If someone who actually knows declares he is major-league ready, then let him pitch there. I'm betting he is not quite there yet and a little time in the minors won't hurt at all.

Not signing until late will make it a moot point.

Rob Dibble had an interesting point for the team that drafts Aaron Crow. Offer him half what the Nats offered and tell him take it or leave it. "What are they going to do, have him sit out another year?" Dibble said. They also keep talking about Boras with Crow. Did he switch agents?

My St. Claire poll showed 23 in favor of a change, 18 not in favor. Thirty votes were already in when the actual change was made and it was 18-12 in favor of the change at that point. I voted yes - I was to the point where I was disappointed in the lack of progress and I'm still waiting for someone to name me one single pitcher he's developed. Or tell me Jason Bergmann is better now than he was in 2005.

7 comments:

Brian said...

Mike - No, Dibble just doesn't realize that Crow is represented by Hendricks brothers. Why let the facts get in the way of a bloviating?

MikeHarris said...

I'd put the blame for that mistake one seat over. Bob Carpenter used the Boras-Crow connection several times previously.

George Templeton said...

Tony Gwynn said that whoever drafts Strasburg shouldn't let him pitch again until the Arizona Fall League. That is a plan that I would support.
I know Detwiler had one relief appearance in the majors not long after he signed but I see no reason to possibly jeopardize Strasburg by having him pitch during the summer.

bdrube said...

Re: Crow. I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope, I hope.

His advisors failed to consider that with the tanking economy, nobody other than an obvious phenom (Strasburg) is going to break the bank in the draft nowadays.

And speaking of Strasburg, I wanted to vote "Maybe." IF they sign him quickly and IF he tears up the minors ala Zimm in '05, THEN I would consider brining him up for a few starts in the Majors.

MikeHarris said...

But how much to you throw him in the minors? He's already pitched more than 100 innings.
I'd be in favor of some work in the minors, a cameo or two in D.C. and then see you in the spring.

Dave Nichols said...

i think that he wont sign until the deadline, and at that point the Nats shut him down and wait until fall ball

Anonymous said...

Crow drops several slots, that plus the likely impact of the economy on bonuses, plus the time value of $ = HA F'ning HA! How long til he fires the Hendricks?