By: Chuck Hixson Date: Jul 3, 2006 http://nationals.scout.com/2/544195.html With new owners coming on board, the purse strings are much looser than they've ever been for the Nationals. The new owners also fired a shot across the bow of other clubs competing for international talent with the signing of Esmailyn Gonzalez. Esmailyn Gonzalez joins the Washington Nationals organization with baseball people throwing around names like Ozzie Smith and Miguel Tejada when comparing him to other players. In fact, he's been mentioned as having Smith's defensive abilities and Tejada's offensive abilities; not a bad combination. Of course, Gonzalez is just 16 and a few years away from the majors. In fact, he's not even eligible to play in the United States this season and will instead spend the summer with the Nationals club in the Dominican Summer League. Gonzalez was pursued by the Twins, Red Sox, Yankees and Rangers, but chose the Nationals because of his friendship with Nats front office advisor Jose Rijo. Gonzalez played at Rijo's baseball academy in the Dominican Republic for some time and developed a friendship with the former major league pitcher, leading him to sign with the Nationals. The switch-hitting Gonzalez met with Rijo, GM Jim Bowden, team president Stan Kasten and prinicpal owner Mark Lerner late Saturday night and Gonzalez and his advisor were able to close a deal with the Nationals. The shortstop prospect will report to the DSL later this week and the Nationals haven't ruled out the possibility of having him start in a full-season league in the United States next spring. --

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