Jim Bowden and Jose Rijo Under Investigation by the Feds

From ESPN.com:

Federal authorities and Major League Baseball are investigating Washington Nationals general manager Jim Bowden and special assistant Jose Rijo for their possible roles in a growing financial scandal involving the signing of players from the Dominican Republic.

Jim Bowden told the Associated Press that neither he or Rijo has been implicated, and that they are not connected with or accused of any wrongdoing. According to Bowden, the Feds are talking to a ton of people throughout baseball--scouts, management, players etc.--and their visit with the FBI was simply part of that broader "conversation."

This in direct conflict with what the Washington Post reported over the weekend: That the Nationals are under investigation specifically for their 2006 signing of sixteen-year-old shortstop Esmailyn Gonzalez. The Nats signed Gonzalez for a whopping $1.4M, more than double the amount of the next highest bidder (according to the original SI.com report).

All of which underscores how ridiculous the international market has become. On Sunday, the New York Times reported that several front office members throughout baseball expect the inquiry to "push MLB into creating greater order on the internatioanl talent front." The obvious solution would be to establish a worldwide draft, replacing the current system that is best described as "eat what you catch."

Although, as the Times pointed out, this is easier said than done. MLB teams have invested millions of dollars in acadamies and scouting personnel throughout the world; teams like the New York Mets, who scout extensively in places like the Dominican Republic, would be reluctant to give up any advantage they now hold. And of course, any change to the amateur draft would have to be passed through the player's union.

The Bowden/Rijo investigation does appear to be connnected to the Dave Wilder investigation, which we covered here.

Jim Bowden was the youngest GM In the history of baseball when he was hired by the Cincinnati Reds in 1992. He ran the Reds with decidedly mixed results before being canned. He was then tapped by MLB to run the Nationals and basically rebuild the franchise from the ground up. Jose Rijo, a native of the DR, is probably best remembered as the 1990 World Series MVP, when the Cincinnati Reds swept the heavily-favored Oakland A's.