Stephen Strasburg is now posessed of more money than he will ever, ever need.  He’s got a 5 year, fifteen million dollar deal, totally blowing away the previous highwater mark for contracts given to clients of Scott Boras–or to anyone else, of course.

The Nationals finally have the One Guy, the franchise face that they’ve been looking for.  Their last try at that, you’ll recall, was Mark Texiera, but he was never going to sign with the Little Team That–so far at least–Couldn’t.  (The Nationals are once again on track for baseball’s worst record and over a hundred losses.)

So this solves one problem–maybe it puts a little swagger in the collective step of the  clubhouse.  This guy is a once in a lifetime talent, and he’s projected by scouts to make the majors as early as next season.

The reason UPH isn’t ecstatic and turning over a new leaf on behalf of the Nationals?  This didn’t take any scouting.  Everyone knew this was the guy to draft, and the Nationals, with their crappy records in recent years, have ended up with very good draft position.

The teams that become Little Teams that Could are the teams like Tampa Bay and the Milwaukee Brewers.  The difference is scouting and the minor league system–the propects picked up by these  teams aren’t the highest paid or the hugest talents, but these teams have been able, quietly, to build, through trades and solid drafting and free agent signings, deep farm systems.  Maybe the Nationals can do that.  But we don’t know yet.  Strasburg is perhaps a start, but he isn’t the solution.

To see why, look at the Yankees.  Over and over again in recent years, they’ve drafted and signed the Next Big Thing, pitching-wise.  Phil Hughes, Joba Chamberlain, Ian Kennedy–every one has been hyped, every one has struggled with injury, and none has yet reached his full potential.  Something, and what is a whole ‘nother post, is wrong with the Yankees scouting or, more likely, they’re pitcher development.

The Nationals may or may not have this problem, or others, in their farm system or with their scouting and development, but the truth is that so far, nobody knows.  That’s why Strasburg, incredible as he may be, isn’t the answer.  Not all by himself, and not yet.