THE PLAN IS A SHAM.

"I'm sure we'll sign some more of our picks, but I don't think we will sign all of them, but we will try."
(Stan Kasten, via Nationals dot com, 8/5/2008)

Sounds like the Lerners won't be holding up their end of the bargain, Nationals fans.

Still 10 days to go to sign the remaining 2008 draft picks, but it seems like there's no StanSpeak Translator necessary here, folks, and it's doubtful they're using the media as a negotiation channel. Time to say goodbye to top pick Aaron Crow...and maybe the remaining unsigned top picks...?

(Photo by Getty Images)

Comments

[Ben]

I disagree. You can't set the precedent that just because you are rebuilding youngsters can demand anything they want.

Also, if we fail to sign him, we get another pick next year which, by all accounts, is shaping up to be a much deeper year.

[The Nationals Enquirer]

Right -- sure, you're not going to give these kids everything they ask for straight up, it's a negotiation. But the tone was set by the comments made by Mark Lerner in the papers back a few weeks ago, when he spouted off about the negotiations and basically drew a line in the sand for all (agents) to see. But this stuff from Stan last night seemed less to me like using the media as a negotiation medium and more like an attempt to start doing damage control 10 days early.

There's some really good discussion on the topic over in the comments on Nationals Farm Authority and Nationals FanboyLooser. The key takeaway is that, yeah, ultimately you need to withhold judgment until the 15th, see what actually happens. But I stand by my initial, knee-jerk reaction to Stan's comments.