I posted to Brian's blog a comment about the possibility of the Nats being willing to exceed the cap and forfeit a #1 next year. With EJ likely to qualify as a compensation guy and looking for a multi-year contract, he may be the type of guy you can safely offer qualifying arbitration to, hope will walk, and get a compensation pick or two. You give up one pick in the 2d half of the first round if you did blow the cap, but with a supplemental and possibly another pick coming back, the damage might not be so great.
new CBA doesn't offer as many picks for signings...
