Did the Washington Nationals Help Aaron Crow by Not Signing Him?

After the debacle with the Nationals in 2008, Crow re-entered the draft and was selected 12th overall by the Royals. One might have thought after a yearlong layoff, Crow would want to sign and play immediately.

However, when we last heard from him, he had just turned down a $3 million offer from the Royals.

While almost every other player in the draft had to be signed by August 17 or else they would be forced to enter the draft the following year, Crow was a special case because he pitched in independent ball in 2009 (one game for the St. Paul Saints). As a result, Crow has until the next draft to sign.

Waiting until after all the other first round picks have signed has given Aaron Crow a tremendous advantage.

When Crow turned down the $3 million offer before the signing deadline, it came at a time when the majority of first round picks were unsigned. The $3 million offer was based on the value of the previous year's contracts.

However, after Stephen Strasburg signed a $15 million deal, and Seattle signed the second overall pick to a $7.5 million deal, Aaron Crow has an all new bargaining position.

Without lifting a finger (or a pen), his price has gone up. By putting the price tag at $15 million on a top of the line, college-pitching prospect that is close to Major League ready, Crow and his team can easily argue that he is at least 1/5th of the investment that Strasburg is.

It’s a funny world. By opening up their pocket to get Strasburg, the Nationals actually inadvertently helped the player they discarded last year.

Sorry, Kansas City.