Borass threatening to take Strasburg to Japan

[trevordchi]

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dy...2009070201804.html?wprss=rss_sports/nationals


Basically he is threatening to establish residency in Japan if Strasburg doesn't get a huge contract. If he is able to get away with it Strasburg would be eligible to be an international free agent. Unfortunately for Boras ML rules give the commish the power to "bend" the rules if he thinks a money grubbing agent is trying to find a gray area.

This is just another reason ALL players, American and international, should have to go into a single amateur draft.

 

[sportscardtheory]

Oh, brother... here we go.

 

[Jaypers]

Not gonna happen. Strasburg doesn't have nearly that amount of leverage, and Boras knows it. His stock will never be higher than it is now.

He will sign before the deadline in the $15M-20M range.

 

[Brett Keith]

Yeah, I bet Strasburg is really looking forward to moving to Japan in order to try and get more money, that he won't get.

 

[hive17]

You spelled Boras wron.....oh, I get it; nice!

 

[trevordchi]

Not gonna happen. Strasburg doesn't have nearly that amount of leverage, and Boras knows it. His stock will never be higher than it is now.

He will sign before the deadline in the $15M-20M range.

What makes you so sure? It would not surprise me if Boras/Strasburg went to Japan just because they can. Say some Japanese team offers 10 millionish for 1 season. It may be less for this season but he could get a major league contract after playing in Japan and be able to skip his pre-arb years. I don't know much about the player but I know the agent would be willing to do something like that.

 

[trevordchi]

Yeah, I bet Strasburg is really looking forward to moving to Japan in order to try and get more money, that he won't get.

If it means he isn't stuck with a dysfunctional franchise and he can choose which team he signs with after spending his "minor league years" in Japan making damn good money...

 

[sportscardtheory]

I say, if he wants to be a ****** and lose respect as a professional ball-player by playing head games to angle for more money, by all means, GO. It wouldn't affect anyone but the Washington Nationals, so who gives a crap what he does.

 

[Jaypers]

Jim Callis, from an ESPN live chat earlier this year:


Ben (Kirkwood, MO): Could Strasburg actually receive a signing bonus in the same neighborhood as Dice-K?

Jim Callis: (2:12 PM ET ) No. Don't think it's possible at all. I think he'll blow away the record for a draft guarantee (Mark Prior, $10.5 million) and maybe even double it. But he won't quintuple it. He doesn't have that kind of leverage. Going to Japan a year wouldn't make him a free agent. He'd still be an American citizen subject to the draft. And he'd be risking a lot by trying that gambit. Can't see him turning down $15 million on Aug. 15.

Jim Callis: (2:12 PM ET ) One other point: If Strasburg were a free agent, I bet he would get $50 million. But he's not.

 

[frikativ54]

I say, if he wants to be a ****** and lose respect as a professional ball-player by playing head games to angle for more money, by all means, GO. It wouldn't affect anyone but the Washington Nationals, so who gives a crap what he does.

I totally agree. Any player who needs to hold out for that much money sure doesn't have any confidence in his ability to achieve later in his career.

 

[Brett Keith]

Yeah, I bet Strasburg is really looking forward to moving to Japan in order to try and get more money, that he won't get.

If it means he isn't stuck with a dysfunctional franchise and he can choose which team he signs with after spending his "minor league years" in Japan making damn good money...

But there's almost no chance he'd become a free agent. So if he went through with this, he'd be taking a huge, HUGE chance, because the likely outcome is that he'd go back in the draft. If that happens, he'd once again stand no chance of getting $50 million or whatever. If this goes to the courts, it could delay his debut even further. The risk/reward just doesn't seem good.

 

[ChasHawk]

Also says in the article that he most likely would be unwelcome
in the NPB anyway. They know it's just a $$ ploy.

We should all feel bad for the poor kid though. He may only get
$15 million instead of $50. And Boras will have to buy one less
Bentley this year :lol:

 

[trevordchi]

Jim Callis, from an ESPN live chat earlier this year:


Ben (Kirkwood, MO): Could Strasburg actually receive a signing bonus in the same neighborhood as Dice-K?

Jim Callis: (2:12 PM ET ) No. Don't think it's possible at all. I think he'll blow away the record for a draft guarantee (Mark Prior, $10.5 million) and maybe even double it. But he won't quintuple it. He doesn't have that kind of leverage. Going to Japan a year wouldn't make him a free agent. He'd still be an American citizen subject to the draft. And he'd be risking a lot by trying that gambit. Can't see him turning down $15 million on Aug. 15.

Jim Callis: (2:12 PM ET ) One other point: If Strasburg were a free agent, I bet he would get $50 million. But he's not.

Jim Callis is infallible? You have to take into consideration the desire to get away from the Nationals. I don't know the player specifically but if he really doesn't want to play for them and has to spend a year or two abroad and establish citizenship in another country doing what he loves to do and making good money it wouldn't surprise me if they tried it. I'm not saying he is going to do it or that I think he should. I'm just saying it's possible... unless Selig says he will have to re-enter the draft no matter how long he is gone.

 

[Brett Keith]

Jim Callis, from an ESPN live chat earlier this year:


Ben (Kirkwood, MO): Could Strasburg actually receive a signing bonus in the same neighborhood as Dice-K?

Jim Callis: (2:12 PM ET ) No. Don't think it's possible at all. I think he'll blow away the record for a draft guarantee (Mark Prior, $10.5 million) and maybe even double it. But he won't quintuple it. He doesn't have that kind of leverage. Going to Japan a year wouldn't make him a free agent. He'd still be an American citizen subject to the draft. And he'd be risking a lot by trying that gambit. Can't see him turning down $15 million on Aug. 15.

Jim Callis: (2:12 PM ET ) One other point: If Strasburg were a free agent, I bet he would get $50 million. But he's not.

Jim Callis is infallible? You have to take into consideration the desire to get away from the Nationals. I don't know the player specifically but if he really doesn't want to play for them and has to spend a year or two abroad and establish citizenship in another country doing what he loves to do and making good money it wouldn't surprise me if they tried it. I'm not saying he is going to do it or that I think he should. I'm just saying it's possible... unless Selig says he will have to re-enter the draft no matter how long he is gone.

This isn't about not wanting play for the Nats. He and Boras knew since the end of last season that the Nats were drafting #1. He could have said he was going back to school if he was than concerned. This is just Boras doing what Boras does, trying to squeeze every last bit of money out of a team or situation.

 

[Jaypers]

Jim Callis, from an ESPN live chat earlier this year:


Ben (Kirkwood, MO): Could Strasburg actually receive a signing bonus in the same neighborhood as Dice-K?

Jim Callis: (2:12 PM ET ) No. Don't think it's possible at all. I think he'll blow away the record for a draft guarantee (Mark Prior, $10.5 million) and maybe even double it. But he won't quintuple it. He doesn't have that kind of leverage. Going to Japan a year wouldn't make him a free agent. He'd still be an American citizen subject to the draft. And he'd be risking a lot by trying that gambit. Can't see him turning down $15 million on Aug. 15.

Jim Callis: (2:12 PM ET ) One other point: If Strasburg were a free agent, I bet he would get $50 million. But he's not.

Jim Callis is infallible? You have to take into consideration the desire to get away from the Nationals. I don't know the player specifically but if he really doesn't want to play for them and has to spend a year or two abroad and establish citizenship in another country doing what he loves to do and making good money it wouldn't surprise me if they tried it. I'm not saying he is going to do it or that I think he should. I'm just saying it's possible... unless Selig says he will have to re-enter the draft no matter how long he is gone.

It's not just him saying it. He's merely one of the more recognizable names. Do a Google search and you'll see many, many more who agree.

 

[trevordchi]

Jim Callis, from an ESPN live chat earlier this year:


Ben (Kirkwood, MO): Could Strasburg actually receive a signing bonus in the same neighborhood as Dice-K?

Jim Callis: (2:12 PM ET ) No. Don't think it's possible at all. I think he'll blow away the record for a draft guarantee (Mark Prior, $10.5 million) and maybe even double it. But he won't quintuple it. He doesn't have that kind of leverage. Going to Japan a year wouldn't make him a free agent. He'd still be an American citizen subject to the draft. And he'd be risking a lot by trying that gambit. Can't see him turning down $15 million on Aug. 15.

Jim Callis: (2:12 PM ET ) One other point: If Strasburg were a free agent, I bet he would get $50 million. But he's not.

Jim Callis is infallible? You have to take into consideration the desire to get away from the Nationals. I don't know the player specifically but if he really doesn't want to play for them and has to spend a year or two abroad and establish citizenship in another country doing what he loves to do and making good money it wouldn't surprise me if they tried it. I'm not saying he is going to do it or that I think he should. I'm just saying it's possible... unless Selig says he will have to re-enter the draft no matter how long he is gone.

This isn't about not wanting play for the Nats. He and Boras knew since the end of last season that the Nats were drafting #1. He could have said he was going back to school if he was than concerned. This is just Boras doing what Boras does, trying to squeeze every last bit of money out of a team or situation.

Good point. Only reason I could think of for this was the desire to play for a team other than the Nats.

 

[sportscardtheory]

Whatever happens, this is NOT the best way to start a ML baseball career. Look at J.D. Drew, sure he had a few good seasons (but is still an underachiever), but he will ALWAYS be "that guy". Strasburg should be thinking about pitching a baseball as soon as possible, not how much more money he can make... just shows you were his head is at. Not the mind-set I want out of a young player if I'm the team that drafted him, or a collector who bought into his hype.

 

[trevordchi]

Whatever happens, this is NOT the best way to start a ML baseball career. Look at J.D. Drew, sure he had a few good seasons (but is still an underachiever), but he will ALWAYS be "that guy". Strasburg should be thinking about pitching a baseball as soon as possible, not how much more money he can make... just shows you were his head is at. Not the mind-set I want out of a young player if I'm the team that drafted him, or a collector who bought into his hype.

Same can be said about pretty much ANYONE that signs Boras as their agent.

 

[Brett Keith]

Whatever happens, this is NOT the best way to start a ML baseball career. Look at J.D. Drew, sure he had a few good seasons (but is still an underachiever), but he will ALWAYS be "that guy". Strasburg should be thinking about pitching a baseball as soon as possible, not how much more money he can make... just shows you were his head is at. Not the mind-set I want out of a young player if I'm the team that drafted him, or a collector who bought into his hype.

Well, it doesn't necessarily show where HIS head is at. His agent is Scott Boras, this is what you get with him. I'm sure Strasburg wants to pitch, but he entrusted Boras to get him the most money he could. I don't believe for a minute that Strasburg would sign off on actually trying this Japan route if faced with the decision. He'll sign, he'll pitch, and the cycle will start again next season with Bryce Harper, who actually has much more leverage than Strasburg.

 

[G $MONEY$]

That Montreal/Washington franchise sure is cursed!!