Looking ahead to June: Could the Astros draft a Boras client?

by Stephen Higdon on Apr 14, 2009 11:36 AM CDT

Maybe it's just because I don't want to write anything about the big league team because they depress me, but some of the buzz about San Diego State's Stephen Strasburg and his relationship with Scott Boras got me thinking about June (tantalizing videos here). Last year, as we've all already deduced, was pretty good draft for the Astros. At the very least, it moved out of the very bottom of Farm System Rankings.

One thing that I know has been discussed a little bit over the last few years is our relectuance to go after Boras clients because of...well Boras penchant for getting tons of money for his clients. I doubt that the Astros will be targeting Strasburg, or than he'll even be on the board by the time the Astros pick 21st overall. What's interesting though is whether last years willingness to pay over slot might be able to allow us to gain access to Boras clients.

The situation gets even more interesting because we seemed to have had cordial and smooth relations with one of the more vilified men in baseball, Boras, in signing Pudge this spring. While I've already done my gushing over what Pudge means to the Astros, one of the thing I've never articulated is that Pudge's signing might be a harbinger of dealings to come with Boras. Given how awful our veteran corps is performing, adding to our roster's average age in March might end up being a good thing.

For pure amusement and speculation, here's a 2009 Mock Draft.

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Sad when there’s already a mock draft for your MLB team in early April.

by chrisjay84 on Apr 14, 2009 11:54 AM CDT reply actions

interesting

that whoever put this together has us going catcher with our first pick.

by littlevisigoth on Apr 14, 2009 12:18 PM CDT reply actions

stupid

by EveryHoustonTeamRox! on Apr 14, 2009 2:42 PM CDT up reply actions

Money doesn't matter

The whole point of the draft is to get the best talent. If a Boras client wants a lot of money, sign him and then trade him for something like equal talent at money you can afford.

Overall, Boras players have proven to be worth it. It’s just that owners have their egos on line and don’t want to be seen as losing a negotiation. And they don’t want to hear their other players whine.

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. If they get mad, you're a mile away AND you have their shoes.

by Caradoc on Apr 14, 2009 1:03 PM CDT reply actions

the money generally comes in the form of a signing bonus

so, even if you do that, you still paid the vast majority of the cost.

by Only_A_Lad on Apr 14, 2009 1:15 PM CDT up reply actions

Thanks for setting me straight on that

Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. If they get mad, you're a mile away AND you have their shoes.

by Caradoc on Apr 14, 2009 7:08 PM CDT up reply actions

2009 draft order:

http://www.baseballamerica.com/today/draft/draft-basics/2009/267944.html

by Evan Hochschild on Apr 14, 2009 1:29 PM CDT reply actions

hey,

we get an extra third round pick because of Davidson.

by Only_A_Lad on Apr 14, 2009 1:59 PM CDT up reply actions

Boras is talking about asking 50 million for Strasburg

That’s a big risk.

by ol Pete on Apr 14, 2009 3:24 PM CDT reply actions

he's not going to get it

strasburg will get a massive signing bonus. There’s a good chance he’ll get a major league contract. But nobody’s going to take that much of a risk on him.

by Only_A_Lad on Apr 14, 2009 3:34 PM CDT up reply actions

I think Boras is more risky to deal with for first round draft choices....

and that’s because he has shown a willingness to have his amateur players sit out the year or sign with an independent league team. I like the fact that the Astros had an amicable relationship with Boras on the I-Rod deal, and hopefully that will allow the Astros to consider his free agent clients in the future. (Who knows…maybe the Astros would have signed Lohse instead of Chacon last year if the ice had been broken earlier.) But I would be pretty concerned about drafting a Boras client in the first round. You may end up unable to sign your pick…like the Nationals last year. Why take the risk?

And, paying a huge amount for Strasburg is a big risk. A lot of the bonus is paid up front and, even if you take the tact, “we can always trade the guy,” the team still incurs that lump sum…which means you probably don’t trade him. And, by the way, you can’t trade draftees for 12 months after they are signed.

by clack on Apr 14, 2009 4:26 PM CDT reply actions

The 2010 draft.

Maybe we’ll have the number one pick.

Liberty Ballers.com.

by Jordan Sams on Apr 14, 2009 6:22 PM CDT reply actions

doubtful.

tough to keep the Nationals out of that position.

by clack on Apr 14, 2009 7:06 PM CDT up reply actions

Padres and Pirates, too

they’re both doing well right now, but that’s probably not going to last.

Fun fact: the Astros last had the #1 pick back in 1992. They picked Phil Nevin, who played only 18 games for Houston before being traded to Detroit for 21 innings of Mike Henneman. They could have picked Derek Jeter (#6) or Johnny Damon (#35) or even Jason Kendall (#23).

by Only_A_Lad on Apr 14, 2009 7:17 PM CDT up reply actions

and a team executive resigned...

because his strong recommendation to draft Derek Jeter was ignored.

by clack on Apr 14, 2009 11:16 PM CDT up reply actions

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