The Washington Nationals are a "rudderless" organization

The Washington Nationals have roughly 24 days remaining to sign Stephen Strasburg, the pitcher they selected first overall in the June draft. As negotiations intensify in the coming weeks, the team's efforts to sign the high-profile pitcher could be undermined by several high-profile questions about the team's leadership.

Since March, the Nationals have been operating without a permanent general manager; since the all-star break, they've been operating with an interim manager. In recent weeks, those in the Strasburg camp have expressed concern to Washington's managing principal owner, Ted Lerner, about what the Strasburgh camp has called a "rudderless" organization.

Washington's system of interim leadership is a point of particular worry for Strasburg, particularly because the right-hander's development will be entrusted to a yet-undetermined pitching philosophy.

Since Jim Bowden resigned, Mike Rizzo has been running the Nationals' major league operations as the acting general manager.

Asked on Friday about the timetable for selecting a permanent general manager, president Stan Kasten said, "You know I'm not talking about any aspect of that search."

If Strasburg and his advisor, Scott Boras, are uneasy about the Nationals' direction, they have limited recourse. If a deal does not get done by the Aug. 17 deadline, Strasburg -- in the most conventional scenario -- can play a year of independent ball and reenter the draft in 2010. Though the Nationals will again have the No. 1 pick, Strasburg can deny permission for them to re-draft him.

If the Nationals fail to sign Strasburg, they would also receive a 2010 a compensatory pick -- "1B," if you will. But Strasburg, after missing the Nationals, could be selected by the next team, potentially the San Diego Padres, who have the second-worst record in baseball right now. Strasburg was raised in San Diego and attended San Diego State. - Robert Fairchild

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