It's dark, and we're wearing sunglasses. Hit it.

This is my idea for the contract the Nationals baseball team should offer phenom pitcher Steven Strassberg, who they just selected with the number one pick in the draft. This pitcher throws 102mph and people think he could be the greatest ever.

Here's what I would ideally offer. (I don't know if this contract would be legal or not) I offer him 7 years/up to $35 million structured like this: $10 million is a signing bonus to be paid over the first four years. He automatically gets that. During that time he gets paid the salary of $88,750 for every year he is in the minors and salaries of $400,000, $500,000, $550,000 and $700,000 for time spent on the Nationals' major league roster. Then at the end of the 4th year the team has an opt out clause they can exercise ONLY IF he has spent at least half his time as a National on the DL. For the 5th year he receives a salary of $5 million dollars. At the end of the 5th year HE has an opt out clause if he wishes. If he does NOT opt out, he receives a no trade clause for the final two years and a salary of $7.5 million and $10 million respectively. Here's why I do it. First they can afford it. If he really is all that and a bag of chips then he will bring in enough money to pay that total contract. The 4th year opt out clause is just in case he turns into Mark Prior( no need to shoot yourself in BOTH feet with an overpaid injured pitcher) the 5th year opt out clause is if he can smell the money buried under the New Yankee Stadium. He doesn't have a no trade clause then however so if the Nationals suck( which you know they will) they can shop him and get whatever they can for him before he bolts. He gets the no trade clause if he doesn't opt out so that after he decides to stick with the marriage the Nat's cant turn around and divorce him the next year.I think that is very fair for both sides of a player with that much potential/talent. I just have no idea if that contract would be legal or not, but I think it would be.