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Strasburg: Next Nolan Ryan or Next Hideki Irabu?

Strasburg picked up another win against the Cleveland Indians Sunday afternoon. Strasburg’s first start against the Pirates was very impressive, but it was just the Pirates. The same can be said again yesterday, Strasburg wasn’t as sharp as his first start only go five and one thirds innings against the lowly Indians.
Strasburg picked up eight strikeouts, but unlike his first start he didn’t have command walking five people, which is why he only lasted a little over five innings. Although Strasburg walked so many batters, he only let up one run which isn’t bad.
The question is will Strasburg fade out of existence after a few years when his arm falls off from throwing over 100 mph consistently? How can anyone maintain throwing that fast over a whole career? The only person that I can remember that did it was Nolan Ryan. Most of the pitchers that throw that fast get either injured and come back throwing a lot slower or their arm dies and their careers are over.
It will be interesting to see how Strasburg does throughout the rest of the season. The next two starts for Strasburg will be against two more losing record teams in the White Sox and the Orioles. Strasburg’s first real competition will come when the Nationals face the Braves at the end of the month.
So far Strasburg is the real deal, but it has only been two games, he can always turn out to be another Hideki Irabu.

June 14, 2010 Posted by homerunheyer | MLB, Original Content, Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals | , , | 2 Comments

Let’s Cool Down on Strasburg

Stephen Strasburg is set to make his Major League Baseball debut on June 8th against the Pittsburgh Pirates. So far, Strasburg has a 3-1 record with a 1.27 ERA in five Triple-A starts. Everyone seems so incredibly certain that Strasburg will dominate on the Major League level. While it is possible, it is not a guarantee. If his ERA in his first start is above a 3.00, will people assume that he will not instantly dominate? And if he does do well, it will not automatically bring success. Mark Prior dominated the Pirates in his first ever start, with ten strikeouts; and look at him now.

The Nationals need something to cheer about. They have not had a winning season in an extremely long time, and have not had a superstar since Vladimir Guerrero bolted from the Montreal days. Stephen Strasburg could be the franchise’s savior. But then again, he may not be.

by David at the Sports Fan Blog Network

June 2, 2010 Posted by David | Original Content, Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals | , | No Comments Yet

Nationals Announce June 8th Debut For Strasburg

Yesterday, the Washington Nationals announced that their prized pitcher, Stephen Strasburg, will debut on June 8 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. The debut of Strasburg has been a hot topic in the DC area for several weeks. It had been speculated by many that Strasburg would debut for the Nationals on June 4 against the Reds. Due to the speculation of Strasburg’s June 4 arrival, the game was sold out. In recent days, when it became clear that the phenom would not be starting on June 4, many fans became outraged at the perceived cash grab by the frugal club. When the announcement of Strasburg’s first start was made yesterday, fans seemed to forgive the franchise, as the June 8 fixture against the Pirates sold out in less than two hours.

It goes without saying that Stephen Strasburg will arrive in DC with massive expectations. Just a few weeks ago, former star pitcher Curt Schilling said that Strasburg will “immediately potentially be the best pitcher in the game. He’s that polished.” The Washington Nationals need Strasburg to succeed. While they are an improving team with a seemingly bright future, there just is not much buzz around them both in the DC Metro area or in the baseball world. If Strasburg comes to the club and lives up to expectations, it will be a much needed boost to a previously floundering franchise.

June 1, 2010 Posted by jmw24 | Josh Weiner, MLB, Original Content, Stephen Strasburg, Washington Nationals | , , , , | No Comments Yet