It's official the Phillies defeated the Nationals today 8-3.

Why is that important? Well, if you don't know, then you haven't followed the Mariners the last month.

With the loss, the Nationals will finish 59-102 (.578) so even if the Mariners lose today they would finish 60-102 (.588). That means bye-bye to Strasburg for the M's hello to the second pick in the draft.

Now, we were talking about the rare possibility of the Nationals not taking Strasburg with the first pick next year because of financial reasons. It seems to be pretty much a given that Strasburg will be represented by Satan's brother, Scott Boras, next season. And that means, whoever takes Strasburg will be paying big money, like record-setting dollars. Like $15 to $20 million dollars which would more than double the $6.15 million bonus that shortstop Tim Beckham - the top pick in this past draft - got from the Rays.

There is also the fact that the Nats failed to sign their top pick, Aaron Crow, this season. Crow, a starter from the University of Missouri, wanted a signing bonus of $9 million, which was far higher than the MLB recommendation of $2.15 million for the ninth draft slot. Crow also wanted a guaranteed major league contract.

Crow wasn't represented by Boras, he was represented by Alan and Randy Hendricks, who are shrewd agents, but nothing along the lines of Boras.

Could the Nationals back away from taking Strasburg? It seems unlikely. Larry Stone made a good point that as bad as things are in the Washington with the NAts, the failure to take the obvious sure-fire pick would send an awful message to a waning fan base. The Nats almost have to take Strasburg, or have the approval rating of the organization drop from bad to inept.

But ... because Crow did not sign the Nationals will get a "9B" pick in 2009 draft to go with the top pick, meaning they will get a compensatory pick that will be slotted in between the ninth and 10th picks of the 2009 draft. So having basically two top 10 picks would be a pretty large chunk of money to be doled out.

Still, I just don't think there is any way they don't take Strasburg. It's one thing to waiver on a pitcher if there are question marks about him, but there seem to be few with this kid. Not to mention, he realistically could be a member of the pitching starved Nationals by July. In the past, the Nationals had little trouble signing their top picks like Ryan Zimmerman (2005), Chris Marrero (2006)and Ross Detwiler (2007).

So where does that leave the Mariners, who have the second pick. There's obviously some drop off between Strasburg and the rest of the class.

Here's Baseball America's top 10 college and high school prospects for next year's draft.

COLLEGE
1. Stephen Strasburg rhp Jr. San Diego State
2. Alex White, rhp Jr. North Carolina
3. Grant Green, ss Jr. Southern California
4. Dustin Ackley, 1b/of Jr. North Carolina
5. Mike Minor, lhp Jr. Vanderbilt
6. Kendal Volz, rhp Jr. Baylor
7. Kyle Gibson, rhp Jr. Missouri
8. Andrew Oliver, lhp Jr. Oklahoma State
9. Kentrail Davis, of So. Tennessee
10. Blake Smith, of/rhp Jr. California

HIGH SCHOOL
1. Tyler Matzek, lhp Capistrano Valley HS, Mission Viejo, Calif.
2. Donovan Tate, cf Cartersville (Ga.) HS
3. Matt Purke, lhp Klein HS, Spring, Texas
4. Jacob Turner, rhp Westminster Christian Academy, St. Charles, Mo.
5. Mychal Givens, rhp/ss Plant HS, Tampa
6. Zack Wheeler, rhp East Paulding HS, Dallas, Ga.
7. Ian Krol, lhp Nequa Valley HS, Naperville, Ill.
8. Luke Bailey, c Troup HS, Cartersville, Ga.
9. Brian Goodwin, cf Rocky Mount (N.C.) HS
10. LeVon Washington, cf/2b Buchholz HS, Gainesville, Fla.

Knuckle baller R.A. Dickey on the mound, Kenji Johjima behind the plate - meaning few pitches will actually be caught.
Yes, it's Game #162 for the Mariners, many of whom have evening flights out of town. How many of those will be coming back?
Impossible to say without knowing who the new general manager is, but bet this: Raul Ibanez is playing is final game as a Mariner today.
He'll be missed. This season? Not so much.
And we're off.

Travis Buck hit one off the base of the right field foul pole, his first career leadoff home run, and the Mariners were behind after four pitches.
Johjijma - catching while Rob Johnson DHs - threw a ball away on a stolen base attempt, putting a runner at third base with one out.
Two-run double by Chris Denorfia.
How did this team win 60 games?
Athletics 3, Mariners 0

Ichiro's aggressive base-running - yes, you read that correctly - helped Seattle get a run back.
After he doubled, Ichiro tagged up on a fly ball to left field and took third, then scored on a Raul Ibanez ground ball.
That's 110 RBI for Ibanez, a great read by Ichiro.
Athletics 3, Mariners 1

Single by Joh, double by Wladimir Balentien and then Matt Tuiasosopo grounds to second for a run.
Just think, if players had been doing only that - grounding to second with a man at third base and less than two outs - all season, these Mariners would have scored far more runs, won far more games.
After two:
Athletics 3, Mariners 2

Dickey has retired the last 10 batters he's faced to get through five innings, which means a) he's pitching well or b) it's the last game of the season and the A's are in a hurry to get home.

Errors can beat you, even on Sept. 28.
John Outman made one on a double play grounder, throwing the ball into center field to set up Yuniesky Betancourt's two-run triple.
If he makes the play, there's no one on base for Yuni.
He didn't, and now he's down a run.
Mariners 4, Athletics 3

J.J. Putz time, for the last time this season and, he believes, quite likely the last time as a Mariner.
He's trying to get save No. 15 - in save opportunity No. 23.
It's been that kind of year.

Easy ninth for Putz, 61st win of a bitterly disappointing year for the Mariners.
It's a final.
Mariners 4, Athletics 3