Strasburg

[The Big Ragu]

I was just as impressed as everyone else and enjoyed eatching every pitch he threw. But something in the back of my head keeps asking how he'll fare against 3-4-5 bitters like Ludwick, Pujols and Holliday or Utley, Howard and Werth (although that may not be that difficult right now) as opposed to Lastings Milledge, Garret Jones and Delwyn Young. I think it's good to be excited, but the fact that it was the Pirates has to carry some weight. The Nationals did a great job of putting him in a situation where he can succeed and build some confidence as well as build some hype for their club and sell some tickets. But there's a lot of guys in the big leagues who can turn around a 99 mph fastball.

The fastball while impressive isn't the out pitch. The 90 mph changeup and the nasty curve are what will get people out.

He'll get hit at some point. He's not literally Jesus. But the combination of that fastball and the command of the change and curve -- and at his age and level of experience -- are scary. I don't see how anyone watched that yesterday and doesn't think that if he stays healthy and as grounded as he seems, he isn't going to be a very dominant pitcher for a long time. RedHot made it sound a bit like the Pirates are a rookie league team, and he's just waiting for Strasburg to face a real team of major leaguers like the Phillies.

It's the other way around, though. If he keeps pitching at that level, Utley, Howard and Werth are going to be dreading facing him, not the other way around. Even if they occasionally get the better of him, it isn't going to be a regular occurrence.

 

[Moderator1]

I was just as impressed as everyone else and enjoyed watching every pitch he threw. But something in the back of my head keeps asking how he'll fare against 3-4-5 batters like Ludwick, Pujols and Holliday or Utley, Howard and Werth (although that may not be that difficult right now) as opposed to Lastings Milledge, Garret Jones and Delwyn Young. I think it's good to be excited, but the fact that it was the Pirates has to carry some weight. The Nationals did a great job of putting him in a situation where he can succeed and build some confidence as well as build some hype for their club and sell some tickets. But there's a lot of guys in the big leagues who can turn around a 99 mph fastball.

He won't strike out 14 of them. They may hit it out on him more often than others. But he won't be embarrassed out there - not by a long shot.
This kid knew what he was doing with every single pitch last night. Every single pitch. If he was just a 99 mph fastball, I'd buy your point more readily. Does anyone think that's all he is after watching last night?

 

[The Big Ragu]

So when does ESPN begin the Countdown to Free Agency for Stephen Strasburg?

Not sure, but I can't WAIT to see how he looks in pinstripes.

 

[93Devil]

He seems great right now, but the true test will be his second trip through the league. Will they pick up a tip in his delivery? Will they see a pattern in his pitches?

Right now, though, I think we have the next Doc Gooden in DC.

 

[Moderator1]

He gets the White Sox in between Cleveland and Baltimore. It will be the night we convert YGBFKM

 

[YankeeFan]

He gets the White Sox in between Cleveland and Baltimore. It will be the night we convert YGBFKM

Only if he throws a perfect game, and even then he might just be bored by it.

 

[Moderator1]

Mark Zuckerman has every pitch here.

http://www.csnwashington.com/06/08/10/Zuckerman-An-Overwhelming-Display-Of-Pit/landing_nationals.html?blockID=249846&feedID=280

 

[Moderator1]

To save you some counting: 39 pitches to get the final 10 outs, eight of them on strikeouts.

 

[Evil Bastard (aka Chris_L)]

So do we start a new Strasburg thread after 25 pages?

What's the protocol?

 

[Moderator1]

I'd say in honor of last night, we only go to 14.

 

[expendable]

I missed the bottom of the sixth inning (and the two tape measure shots) because I had to take the dogs out for their walk. I think it might have been the first time I have ever taken the dogs out when the team I was pulling for was batting. I'll do the same thing for his next start.

 

[spnited]

Work last night consisted of watching the top half of each inning, working during the bottom half, ignoring anything that happened after the 7th.
Spectacular debut.
And like some others I had flashbacks to 1984-85 Doc Gooden.

 

[Dr. Howard]

Say what you want about the game but note this: Bob Costas could not have been more cloying, annoying and verbose on the mlb.com feed. Drove me first to the radio, then a tavern where I could watch but not hear. Thanks for the ride.

 

[wicked]

I only listened to a bit of it on the radio since I was with folk who are more worried about the Stanley Cup finals. From what I heard the kid was money. I can't wait to see him pitch.

EDIT: Been to that park a few times in the past couple years and I've never heard it rock the way it did last night -- and that's even on the nights where it's become Fenway South or Citizens Bank South, which it has on multiple occasions.

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Will he go into Cooperstown as a National or a Yankee?

 

[spnited]

Will he go into Cooperstown as a National or a Yankee?

A Met!

 

[Mizzougrad96]

Is it true that the Nationals GM is already deciding which prospects to ask for when he trades Strasburg to NYC in a couple years? ;D

 

[Sea Bass]

Dude was throwing 91 MPH change ups. There are plenty of major league pitchers who don't touch 91 on a fastball.

I'm curious about this.

Can he not throw it slower? While the difference in speeds between the fastball & change up is critical, I'm not sure why he would ever throw a 90 MPH change up to guys who can't catch up with his fastball.

It seems you'd be doing them a favor.

Since you're using the same arm action with both pitches, 10-15 mph is a pretty standard gap in speed. If you try to slow it down another 10 mph, you'd have to change your arm action which makes the pitch more difficult to throw, let alone conceal.

Plus, even though it's 90MPH, the movement on his changeup is still what's going to make it tough to hit.

 

[JackReacher]

Looks like Strasmas is gonna come every five DAYS, not five GAMES. So.....

Sunday at Cleveland
Friday vs. Chicago White Sox
Following Wednesday vs. KC
Following Monday at Atlanta
Sat. July 3 vs. Mets (come on down Spnited)

Misses the Orioles series. That's too bad. That game would draw a TON in Baltimore.

 

[Pastor]

Will he go into Cooperstown as a National or a Yankee?

A Met!

He'd get a shoulder injury while signing a Mets contract...