Nats' drafters won't be so choosy this time around

Nationals finally have money to spend

By TODD JACOBSON

Date published: 6/6/2006

By TODD JACOBSON

Looking back, Dana Brown didn't do so badly, considering the odd circumstances.

The Washington Nationals' scouting director went into each of the last three First-Year Player Drafts ranking talent alongside another tool: signability.

He came away with much more.

In the last three drafts, the Nationals took third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, left-handed reliever Bill Bray and closer Chad Cordero in the first round. All three were close to big-league-ready out of college, signed quickly and are now playing with the Nationals.

Washington is the only team in the majors with its last three top draft picks in the majors.

"Our hands were tied as far as taking the high-ceiling high school players because of budget issue," Brown said. "As far as some of the high school kids you have to overpay if you are going to draft them. Not having an owner, it was really difficult to say who you would be able to overpay."

That won't be the case this season.

The Nationals still don't officially have an owner in place--closing on the $450 million sale of the team to a group led by Theodore Lerner could come by the end of the month--but the team has earmarked a significant sum for the two-day, 50-round draft that begins at 1 p.m. today.

That means Brown's wish list could potentially include coveted high school picks with high ceilings and higher-than-normal signing bonus demands.

Washington has four early picks, including the 15th and 22nd. Those selections are all the more important, considering the Lerner group and incoming team president Stan Kasten have pledged to sink money into a vast rebuilding process that begins with player development, scouting and the minor leagues.

It is unclear what role the Lerners and Kasten will have in the draft.

"Every draft is crucial for an organization," general manager Jim Bowden said last month. "Obviously, when you have two first-round picks and two second-rounds, and you budgeted significant dollars to sign players--whether it be [in the draft] or in Latin America or internationally--we want to keep the stream of players coming. The stream is how you get better quicker."

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Date published: 6/6/2006