So Strasburg makes his debut tonight against the Pirates. What are the odds the kid gets rocked and is out by the fifth inning?

Also, they pick a 17-year-old with a .443 batting average...against other teenagers. Hopefully he turns out to be great, but can anyone possibly live up to all of this hype?

http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/37562260/ns/sports-baseball/

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You are right. They should not promote their players or try to sell as many tickets as possible. A good business model would be to be low key and docile.

I feel sorry for Strasburg. He has an enormous amount of pressure on him to throw a perfect game tonight.
Who could blame him if he chokes a bit?
I have a feeling he'll do okay.

I don't think anybody realistically expects a "perfect game."

I'm so tired of seeing this arrogant loud mouth brag about how awesome he is and talk trash about the other players and the coaching staff. He acts like he's so cool and great, and he's never even thrown a pitch in the majors.

bidness Wrote:
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> You are right. They should not promote their
> players or try to sell as many tickets as
> possible. A good business model would be to be
> low key and docile.


If hyping an unproven player is the only means The Nationals have for selling tickets, then they are in trouble.

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Don't get me wrong. I think it is great that the Lerners are loosening their purse strings and taking a chance on a theoretical Ace in the pitching line-up. My issue is the pure hype around it. Odds are even if this guy meets management's expectations, he is bound to get his bell rung a few times in his rookie season. Not sure if that will meet fans' unrealistic expectations.

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Tonight will be the highest rated Nationals game ever, I'm pretty sure. Whether he does well or not, I like the fact that the owner is trying to make the team better.

The O's never do or spend ANYTHING to improve. They just keep hiring lousy managers from within and eventually firing them.

Numbers Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tonight will be the highest rated Nationals game
> ever, I'm pretty sure. Whether he does well or
> not, I like the fact that the owner is trying to
> make the team better.
>
> The O's never do or spend ANYTHING to improve.
> They just keep hiring lousy managers from within
> and eventually firing them.


I stopped following the O's after Ripken Jr. went into retirement. They used to be my favorite team up until then, and I actually managed to attend quite a few of their games as a kid. Ever since then however, my team has always been, and will always be the Yankees. I like the Nats, don't get me wrong, and I consider myself a team fan, but the Yankees will always have my loyalty no matter what.

==================================================================================================
"And if any women or children get their legs torn off, or faces caved in, well, it's tough shit for them." -2LT. Bert Stiles, 505th, 339th (On Berlin Bombardier Mission, 1944).

ThePackLeader Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
>
> I stopped following the O's after Ripken Jr. went
> into retirement. They used to be my favorite team
> up until then, and I actually managed to attend
> quite a few of their games as a kid. Ever since
> then however, my team has always been, and will
> always be the Yankees. I like the Nats, don't get
> me wrong, and I consider myself a team fan, but
> the Yankees will always have my loyalty no matter
> what.

How do you go from being an O's fan to a Yankees fan?

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WashingTone-Locian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> ThePackLeader Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> >
> >
> > I stopped following the O's after Ripken Jr.
> went
> > into retirement. They used to be my favorite
> team
> > up until then, and I actually managed to attend
> > quite a few of their games as a kid. Ever since
> > then however, my team has always been, and will
> > always be the Yankees. I like the Nats, don't
> get
> > me wrong, and I consider myself a team fan, but
> > the Yankees will always have my loyalty no
> matter
> > what.
>
> How do you go from being an O's fan to a Yankees
> fan?

A friend gave him this TShirt.....

..

Numbers Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Tonight will be the highest rated Nationals game
> ever, I'm pretty sure. Whether he does well or
> not, I like the fact that the owner is trying to
> make the team better.
>
> The O's never do or spend ANYTHING to improve.
> They just keep hiring lousy managers from within
> and eventually firing them.

There were a couple of years where the O's outspent even the Yankees with of course disastrous results. I think they landed in either last place or next to last place each time. They picked, like the Redskins do, troubled players, bums, has beens and problem children.

The Skin's are going to the Super Bowl! The Skin's are er....fuck.



The Nat's in four games! The Nat's in four!!


I hope the kid does well, but he'll be out by the fourth inning.

Highlander Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> The Skin's are going to the Super Bowl! The Skin's
> are er....fuck.
>
>
>
> The Nat's in four games! The Nat's in four!!
>
>
> I hope the kid does well, but he'll be out by the
> fourth inning.


The guy has talent and he has an arsenal of pitches. What he doesn't have is experience against MLB players who know how to read pitches and assess what's coming next.

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Bottom-line: he's a can't-miss prospect.



(Tom Boswell: a voice that's made for print.)

The bum gave up a 2 run homer in the 4th. What a bust!

Well, as they like to say: “Welcome to the Big Leagues, Mr. Strasburg!”

Bounced back in the fifth... good sign.

I have to say I was pretty impressed. Yes, he has control issues. But after five innings he pitched a hell of a lot better than any of the other guys on the team. Great heat. Killer curve ball.

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He's really surprised me.....Nat's have no clue what they have.


He'll be traded next year.

There were a lot of major sports writers who flew in just for this game and are flying out after the game. That should tell you something.

His performance in the 2nd and 7th innings was some impressive shit.

TheMeeper Wrote:
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> His performance in the 2nd and 7th innings was
> some impressive shit.


Agreed. 14 strikeouts? Unreal. Hope he stays healthy. About damn time the team has a real Ace.

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Ok, who is this and what have you done with the Nat's??

Control issues? why, because he fell behind 2-0 on the first 2 hitters?
He also fell behind 3-0 later, and ended up punching the guy out.

Never seen a curveball like that...EVER! The umpire couldn't even gauge it--Strasburg lost strike calls at least twice on that pitch, as well as not getting a few "corner calls" that he'll soon enough get every time, a la Greg Maddox.

And I like that he's not afraid to throw some 100 mph chin music either.

Barring injury, this kid will be great for a long time to come.

The Nats have real tough choices to make later in the year and next, with a ton of good pitchers coming back from injury, etc.

______________________________________________
I have had to change the addresses to my retaliatory blogs over half a dozen times.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/2010 07:54AM by fairfaxdude.

WashingTone-Locian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> TheMeeper Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > His performance in the 2nd and 7th innings was
> > some impressive shit.
>
>
> Agreed. 14 strikeouts? Unreal. Hope he stays
> healthy. About damn time the team has a real Ace.


So how long will it be, before they start jacking up the ticket prices?

==================================================================================================
"And if any women or children get their legs torn off, or faces caved in, well, it's tough shit for them." -2LT. Bert Stiles, 505th, 339th (On Berlin Bombardier Mission, 1944).

By my calculations, the Nats got back about 10% of his $15M signing bonus in one night! It will be almost paid off this season via increased attendance.

Not to mention increased concessions, souvenir sales, etc.

______________________________________________
I have had to change the addresses to my retaliatory blogs over half a dozen times.

fairfaxdude Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Control issues? why, because he fell behind 2-0
> on the first 2 hitters?
> He also fell behind 3-0 later, and ended up
> punching the guy out.
>

It wasn't because he fell behind in his count. It was because when he set up a pitch that he wanted to batter to chase out of the strike zone, it was pretty obvious the ball was going to be out of the strike zone. However, when he went up high, it did set up his curveball very well.

> Never seen a curveball like that...EVER! The
> umpire couldn't even gauge it--Strasburg lost
> strike calls at least twice on that pitch, as well
> as not getting a few "corner calls" that he'll
> soon enough get every time, a la Greg Maddox.
>

Yeah. That was a phenomenal curveball. I've never seen anything like it. And his change up had some fucking motion on it. Someone said it looked like he was throwing a wiffle ball, and they were right!


> And I like that he's not afraid to throw some 100
> mph chin music either.
>

I was surprised he didn't hit someone. Not so much because of his control, but because the ball came so fast some of the batters looked like they weren't going to get out of the way in time.

> Barring injury, this kid will be great for a long
> time to come.
>
> The Nats have real tough choices to make later in
> the year and next, with a ton of good pitchers
> coming back from injury, etc.


Injury concerns are a huge issue. Right now he has a lot going because of speed. However, if he starts to come down in speed, that curveball is phenomenal.

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ThePackLeader Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WashingTone-Locian Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > TheMeeper Wrote:
> >
> --------------------------------------------------
>
> > -----
> > > His performance in the 2nd and 7th innings
> was
> > > some impressive shit.
> >
> >
> > Agreed. 14 strikeouts? Unreal. Hope he stays
> > healthy. About damn time the team has a real
> Ace.
>
>
> So how long will it be, before they start jacking
> up the ticket prices?

The Nats already hike prices for premium games (such as when they play the Sox or Yankees or Baltimore on the weekends). I have no doubt that when Strausburg pitches, they will designate those as premium games.

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Control issues? LOL

Strasburg joined exactly FIVE other pitchers sincde 1900 to have at least 14 Ks and NO walks in seven innings or less: Clemens, Randy Johnson, Javier Vasquez, Mike Mussina, Brad Penny. No Koufax, no Walter Johnson, etc.

Bob in Southeast Loudoun Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Control issues? LOL
>
> Strasburg joined exactly FIVE other pitchers
> sincde 1900 to have at least 14 Ks and NO walks in
> seven innings or less: Clemens, Randy Johnson,
> Javier Vasquez, Mike Mussina, Brad Penny. No
> Koufax, no Walter Johnson, etc.


I based it on what I saw initially, which was probably due to nerves. Obviously after the first few innings he was throwing daggers.

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Bob in Southeast Loudoun Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Control issues? LOL
>
> Strasburg joined exactly FIVE other pitchers
> sincde 1900 to have at least 14 Ks and NO walks in
> seven innings or less: Clemens, Randy Johnson,
> Javier Vasquez, Mike Mussina, Brad Penny. No
> Koufax, no Walter Johnson, etc.

And no pitcher in baseball history has achieved 14 strikeouts with less than 96 pitches. Strasburg did it with 94.

I definitely wouldn't label that type of performance as having "control issues".

TheMeeper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------

>
> And no pitcher in baseball history has achieved 14
> strikeouts with less than 96 pitches. Strasburg
> did it with 94.
>
> I definitely wouldn't label that type of
> performance as having "control issues".


Let's put it this way. Do you think Will Nieves would have stopped some of those pitches that went high or into the dirt?

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WashingTone-Locian Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> Let's put it this way. Do you think Will Nieves
> would have stopped some of those pitches that went
> high or into the dirt?

Maybe, maybe not.

The dude broke two team records in his first start. I wouldn't describe it as "control issues".

TheMeeper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> WashingTone-Locian Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> >
> > Let's put it this way. Do you think Will Nieves
> > would have stopped some of those pitches that
> went
> > high or into the dirt?
>
> Maybe, maybe not.
>
> The dude broke two team records in his first
> start. I wouldn't describe it as "control
> issues".


Okay. Point taken.

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I get your point though, WTL.
He's gotta be very hard to catch--the speed, the ridiculous movement. I'm sure you'll see plenty of balls skipping to the backstop; usually, with noone on base.

I recall watching him pitch in the College World Series last year. UVA beat him, on their hot streak. Local kid from Vienna had 2 hits off him, as a matter of fact. He's come a long way since then--cant imagine how much better he can get.

______________________________________________
I have had to change the addresses to my retaliatory blogs over half a dozen times.

fairfaxdude Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I get your point though, WTL.
> He's gotta be very hard to catch--the speed, the
> ridiculous movement. I'm sure you'll see plenty
> of balls skipping to the backstop; usually, with
> noone on base.
>
> I recall watching him pitch in the College World
> Series last year. UVA beat him, on their hot
> streak. Local kid from Vienna had 2 hits off him,
> as a matter of fact. He's come a long way since
> then--cant imagine how much better he can get.


I think having pro pitching coaches work with him in the minors has been a huge deal for him. He's got the arm. He's got the pitches. He just needs guidance on the best ways to use them.

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Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/09/2010 11:48AM by WashingTone-Locian.