Scott Boras may be in trouble....but probably won't be...

Scott Boras/Courtesy: zozone.mlblogs.com

If you are asking who Scott Boras is, then you probably don't follow baseball very much. Boras is one of the most high-profile agents in all of baseball. He's notorious for trying to hold his players hostage until they get overpaid by major league baseball teams. And arguably he's one of the cause's of the "Overpaid Baseball Player" syndrome we are all now so familiar with.

Apparently, he's also been acting much like his football brethren. The New York Times published a story today citing Boras for making large loans and payments to the families of poor Dominican baseball prospects. You should read the story, it's fascinating.

The story from NYTimes.com is RIGHT HERE

We think if this is true, then Karma is a bitch. Boras would, according to this report, have stepped around a cardinal rule in the baseball industry. And really, if you look at it and the example posted here about Braves prospect Edward Salcedo, it would equate to a form of indentured servitude.

It will be interesting to see if...or what Major League Baseball is able to do if this story is correct. So far, the NCAA and NFL have done virtually done nothing to corral an player-agent system run amok and we are betting that MLB will not do much either. It, like everything else when it comes to agent issues, will somehow end up falling on the shoulders of the players, even though most are teenagers when this all happens and in a lot of cases, don't know any better.

Check out this really interesting look at the growing market of marketing Dominican baseball players courtesy of NYTimes TV:

Your Tuesday MLB-Boras Update

Strasburg...in
Donovan Tate...in...((pictured, thanks Chris Stephens/Cartersville Daily-Tribune))

Scott Miller of CBSSports reports Number One overall pick, San Diego State pitcher Steven Strasburg, has signed his deal with the Washington Nationals...

The signing bonus is $15-million. The deal is for four years and $15.67-million.

Mark Prior had the modern-day record at a little over $10-million in 2001. Since the Natinals screwed up their number one selection, pitcher Aaron Crow ((the two sides were separated by only $500,000 at the deadline and Crow wasn't signed)), the Strasburg deal had to be done.

In San Diego, another Boras disciple high schooler Donavan Tate signed with the San Diego Padres. His bonus was figured to be in the $6-6.5 million range.

OSG sources close to the Tate negotiations say that the Padres didn't even start the process with Donavan and Scott Boras until after the no-waivers trade deadline of July 31. Padres GM Kevin Towers, understandably, had a limited budget and was trying to figure out how much money was in play for the negotiations that eventually led to the Pads signing their 1st, 3rd, and 4th-round picks by the midnight deadline.

Tate was the third overall pick in the 2009 draft...

UPDATE from Chris Stephens in Cartersville: The deal is worth $6.25 million.

A brief conversation with Tate during the weekend showed his excitement about the future.

“I’m excited about this,” Tate said. “I’m ready to get to work and start the next chapter of my life.”

Described as a five-tool player, Tate was in San Diego Monday and was officially announced as being signed by the Padres after the fourth inning against the Chicago Cubs. Today, he will take batting practice with the team before their game against the Cubs.

Tate will leave Wednesday to go to Peoria, Ariz., where he will start playing rookie ball for the Arizona League Padres.

"We have identified a need for athleticism, particularly in the outfield, when playing at PETCO Park," said Padres general manager Kevin Towers. "In signing Donavan Tate, we have acquired an excellent ballplayer and one of the premier athletes available in this year's draft."

Here's a really long at-bat of Tate from the AFLAC All-Star Game in Los Angeles

Or... If You Believe Scott Boras...

It's just a torn labrum in the hip...
ESPNews anchor Michelle Bonner catches up with A-Rod's personal auctioneer/PR Machine/cash cow at a ballpark with a very sexy music selection for Spring Training...

Frankly, those of us at OSG HQ didn't know that hips had labrums- or is it the other way around...?

Paid to Leave

A Distant Memory...

Well, it looks like the Los Angeles Dodgers and Andruw Jones have parted ways. According to multiple media outlets, today is d-day for the former all-world centerfielder who has been reduced to a much slower and heavier version of his former self.

Read Jon Heyman's blog/story on Sports Illustrated right here

((photo courtesy of Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times))

It's amazing to see that Jones was willing to essentially give the Dodgers 17 Million Dollars to walk away. Of course, nobody knows exactly why he chose to leave the Atlanta Braves in the first place (money and agent Scott Boras). Seeing Jones at Spring Training with the Dodgers, he just really didn't look like he wanted to be there.

Comeback Possibilities?

There is a better than average chance that you will see Jones in a Braves uniform again very soon. It would only cost them or any other team a million or 2 and they probably would not have to guarantee it. For the Braves, he would have to be a non-roster invitee, which I suspect he'd be willing to do. If he ever wants to reclaim his title as the "Best Centerfielder" in Baseball, he will need to lose 20lbs. and find the swing and quickness that he once had. Otherwise, he'll be remembered as a guy who peaked too soon and was never as great as he could have been.