My Offer Is This: Nothing.

The Nationals Journal blog at the Washington Post catches up with Stephen Strasburg at the Fan Fest.

Strasburg said that "I haven't heard from the Nationals" since he was drafted, other than receiving a minor league contract -- a technicality that prevents him from becoming a free agent.

Strasburg seemed a bit perplexed by the lack of communication since the signing deadline is Aug. 17 and many other Nats draft picks are already under contract. But he probably shouldn't be. Both the Nats and Strasburg are in a stalemate period now because both sides know the long history of negotiations involving clients of Boras. The agent never likes a first offer. Why should he? But, sometimes, those initial offers are also characterized, publicly, as insulting or alienating to the players he represents. This may be a sincere response or feigned, but it is consistent.

I get the feeling that the Nats are in a bit of a deer-in-headlights parralized state about the Strasburg situation.  They have so much to figure out internally - both on the field and behind the scenes - before being prepared to make smart decisions externally, but a deadline is a deadline and they are going to have to be willing to risk losing the deal if they want to effectively negotiate with any leverage.