Frustrated with our inability to sign outfielder Michael Burgess, the 49th overall selection in this past June free agent draft, I hopped on a plane Monday for a face-to-face negotiating session with Michael and his family.

Our Florida Scouting Supervisor, Paul Tinnell, and I plotted our strategy in a Brandon, Fla., restaurant for our 6:30 p.m. meeting. We had a Nationals Jersey with “Burgess 25” on the back and a 15-page packet of exhibits, demonstrating that our offer of $620,000 plus $56,000 in a College Scholarship Program and a $7,500 incentive bonus plan is more than fair.

The Burgess’ dining room served as the negotiating headquarters. Sitting around the table were Michael’s stepfather, Eric Watson; his agent, Jamie Apel; his biggest influence, grandfather Sylvester; and his mother, Tamika.

Our first exhibit showed them that the 43rd choice signed for $700,000; the 46th selection inked at $652,500 and the 51st choice agreed at $600,000. It clearly shows that $620,000 for being picked 49th is fair.

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They countered that Michael could attend junior college and wait until next year, possibly going in the top 10. His value would increase to approximately $2 million. Our response: no junior college player has been drafted in the first round or compensation round in the last four years.

We also pointed out that the system is working so well, that over the last six years, only one high school position player — John Mayberry Jr., who went to Stanford — taken in the first 50 picks did not sign.

It was obvious that Michael expected to be selected much earlier. We pointed out that New York Mets superstar, Carlos Beltran, was also a 49th pick and he signed for $300,00 and has since gone on to earn more than $139 million. The real money is made when you make it to the big leagues, we point out.

Michael spoke about how proud he is of the baseball history of Hillsborough High School. We inform him that our offer will give him the highest signing bonus of any baseball player coming out of his alma mater. More than Gary Sheffield ($142,500), more than Dwight Gooden ($85,000), more than Carl Everett ($250,000) and more than Tampa Bay outfielder Elijah Dukes ($500,000).

We demonstrated the importance of signing fast so you don’t lose a year. The importance of getting to the major leagues fast and the value of getting to arbitration and free agency at an accelerated pace since that’s where the real money is. We show examples of the advantage high school players have over junior college and college players in getting to the show much earlier, thus in the long run making millions more.

We had exhibits showing all the high school and college players over the last 10 years and what the results have been. The family is overwhelmed, you can see their eyes starting to really grasp that we are being fair and reasonable.

The most important part of our presentation was explaining our first-class ownership, driven to win a title, and the remarkable track record of our President, Stan Kasten who oversaw 12 consecutive divisional titles with the Atlanta Braves.

When they asked me why I have a sleeping bag and pillow with me, I tell them that I’m not leaving until he signs. Lucky Charms with blueberries for breakfast, I tell them. Our presentation has me exhausted, time to sign Michael or guess what? You have a new roommate.

If I’m not back at RFK by the next homestand, you’ll know why.

As told to The Examiner’s John Keim.

Nationals General Manager Jim Bowden provides an exclusive column to The Examiner each week, ranging on topics from the Nats to the state of Major League Baseball.