Was Strasburg really signed in time?

Alright, hear me out on this one. So Stephen Strasburg was signed by the Washington Nationals at 11:58 and 43 seconds. So when I do my Peter math, they had 1 minute and 17 seconds to spare.

Strasburg gets a four-year contract covering 2009-12. The exact amount depends on prorating his $400,000 salary for this year, based on the date the contract is official. Nevertheless, the deal is worth $15.067 million. Good for the kid, god for the Nat’s and good luck to all.

But back to that time of agreement, exactly how does that work? Is it like the time of birth where the doctor or nurse looks at the clock and calls it? They do that with time of death too don’t they? You always see them on TV on the operating room working on some poor dude and then when they see it’s a lost cause someone says “call it” and they call out the time of death. But no one breaks it out to seconds.

I once got a traffic ticket for going 67mph in a 65 (was the end of the month – I think he was trying to make his quota.) I argued that my tires may not have been inflated properly and that caused the calibration to be off. The officer actually agreed with me and said that it was actually probably the case, but gave the ticket to me anyway because:

1) It was my fault that the tires weren’t inflated properly
2) He could

My point is leaving only 1 minute and 17 seconds is cutting it pretty close. What clock did they use? Did they use the digital stadium clock at Nationals Park? It’s a new stadium, new clock – gotta be close to accurate right (assuming it was set correct to begin with)? Did Scott Boras whip out his gold train conductor pocket watch and call it? Did Strasburg look down at his Micky Mouse watch his grandmother gave him and yell 11:58:17!

Unless they used the official time kept by the government I would think it would be worth it for the Pirates, Padres, Royals, Orioles, A’s or anyone else that might have a chance to have the opportunity to get him with the 1st pick in the draft next year (The Nat’s can’t take him again unless he agrees and they will defiantly have the worst record and 1st pick again next year) to file a grievance questioning the official time.

You know those people who keep their clock 5 minutes fast so they are not late? (Never understood that, if you know it is 5 minutes fast then you would just take your time because you know your early?) Maybe Washington Nationals GM Mike Rizzo is one of those who keeps his clock 5 minutes slow – (executives always think it’s fashionable to show up at press conferences late – it makes them feel important. Like they were involved in some intense negotiation that made them late.)

I would file a grievance. Make them prove it.

On a separate note - I understand that the French have banned nude beaches! I can't believe the French of all people have become tightwads. What's next, is Amsterdam going to ban drugs and prostitutes?- Peter Costa

Pete is a serious Rotisserie participant playing the same league with the same guys for 17 years. Not only has Peter never finished in the money; he’s finished last 13 times and no higher than 10th (in a league with 14 guys). Join us in following Peter’s trials, tribulations and frustrations, as he attempts to navigate his way out of the basement in 2009.