Online sports betting had the Washington Nationals coming to terms with Number one pick Stephen Strasburg on Monday. Sportsbetting reports the deal is worth a reported $15.1 million dollars for four years. Online sports betting had the Nationals finally getting Strasburg signed, although it was at the last minute.
The two sides had a midnight deadline and they went right to the wire as sportsbetting told us. “People thought it would take until the last minute,” Washington team president Stan Kasten said. “We didn’t even need that last minute.” The deal is the most ever for a top pick, far surpassing the $10.5 million given to Mark Prior in 2001 as online sports betting stats show.
Where Strasburg goes from here is uncertain as the Nationals are going nowhere in online sports betting this season. Strasburg has not pitched since the college baseball season ended so the team may decide to wait until next season for his debut. “We’re just going to let him get his feet on the ground here in Washington, D.C., and we’ll figure out a plan for him in the very near future,” acting general manager Mike Rizzo said.
Strasburg is considered a franchise pitcher who comes along once in a lifetime. The Nationals had to get the deal done as online sports betting told us, even though they had to deal with agent Scott Boras. Finally the two sides were able to reach the compromise and Strasburg was signed as sportsbetting showed.
Online sports betting tells us that of the 12 scouts that looked at Strasburg, all 12 have him as a future #1 starter at the Major League level. To give you an idea of how much better people thought Strasburg was look at the last couple #1 picks as online sports betting had it. Last year as online sports betting shows it was Tim Beckham getting $6.15 million from Tampa Bay. Two years ago it was pitcher David Price getting $5.6 million from the Rays as online sports betting figures show.
While the Nationals are hoping for great things from Strasburg as online sports betting tells us, they perhaps should have shown some caution. Pitchers like Ben McDonald in 1989, Brien Taylor in 1991 and Prior in 2001 were thought of as mega stars in sportsbetting and none ever developed into superstars or greatly impacted the odds at the online sportsbook.
The Nationals are still going to be online sports betting underdogs at the sportsbook most of the time but at least with Strasburg the future looks bright.