Teams have always suspected that uber-agent Scott Boras uses fake bids to drive up prices during his negotiations. Now they can add a new technique to his bag o' tricks: the fake player.
"He is Sidd (bleeping) Finch," Boras allegedly told a team about college pitching prospect Stephen Strasburg, as relayed by SI.com.
Finch is the flame-throwing (168 mph!) Mets prospect who debuted in the April 1, 1985, Sports Illustrated, while trying to decide between a career as a pitcher or as a french horn player.
George Plimpton's imaginary prospect fooled a few people for a few days, but apparently Boras believes.
Besides, when you're as good as Strassy is, who else are you going to compare him to?
The 'Burg went another 8 innings over the weekend. He had a poor performance, striking out only 14. What a bum!
Even as Boras let the $50 million bonus demands linger in the air like the spectre of death, the Nationals seem confident in signing him, according to SI's Jon Heyman. One Nats exec tells him, "We'll get him signed."
And even if Jim Bowden's not here to kick around anymore, he supposedly was quite confident that they would sign him, telling a Padres exec a few weeks ago that the Nats would take him.
While Strasburg and the prospects of drafting him appear to be very real. The Finch comparison and the $50 million figure appear to both be very much fictional.
At least Ted Lerner hopes so.
Chris Needham used to write Capitol Punishment. He doesn't play the french horn.
