Strasburg for one. Harper didn't want to be locked up early. Zimmerman was locked up long ago. Who are you lamenting they didn't lock up? Besides, those are COMPETELY different scenarios than what I'm talking about. That's BIG money to guys who are close to free agency. I'm talking about the trend of long-term deals for rookies or 2nd year guys who aren't even to arbitration yet.
I'm saying they do not ever lock up anyone in their first few years. They give a rat's behind what the rest of the league does, it just isn't their style. Their philosophy is that they can always develop another body to backfill. Sometimes someone even better.
They simply do not think they will ever chase after one of their own late in the team control process. They will not trade player security and overpayments early in the team control period for bargains in the post-control period. If a bargain falls into their lap late in the team control period, they'll take it, but they do not chase. Stras and even Zimmerman at the time were thought to be bargains, so those are the only two they extended.
