Stephen Strasburg, pitcher and Scott Boras client

The 2:44 highlight reel on YouTube is something to see--wow. I just have this bad feeling, though. The first names that pop into my mind are Gooden, Blue, and Kerry Wood. For all of them, the window of dominance was from 5-8 years, with decline setting in within a year or two. And then I think about Clemens as the obvious counter. He fits the pattern too, though, if you treat his arrival in Toronto as the start of a second and, um, different phase of his career. (And no, I don't want to veer off in that direction yet again.) At the other end of the spectrum, Ryan and Johnson both took a few years to get going. I know that's a simplistic reduction; Seaver was a hard thrower/big-strikeout-pitcher who arrived brilliantly and lasted, and I'm sure there were many others. But I do think they'll need to thread the needle to keep Strasburg healthy and a big-draw strikeout pitcher at the same time.

Just left w/ the lead in Cleveland (game on TBS) ... wtf w/ subpar moundskeeping? Breaking an ankle would be a feel-bad story.

best pitching debuts by Game Score (Strasburg's GS was 75):

http://www.baseball-reference.com/blog/archives/6582

which is ridiculous, total apples and oranges... ie, look at the pitch counts, there's no way SS would be left in a game over 80 pitches at this point in his career.

well, the thing is that he's just there to help the team win, and you know, the rest of it is just gravy

Shasta, as usu I hv no idea wtf your point might be if you intended one.

also Strasburg's total pitches in his 3 starts: 94, 95, 85

you are a confused man

Moyer on protecting Strasburg's arm: "If you want to get good at something, practice. You have to throw the baseball."

Moyer is right on point.

shit is deep, son

http://cache.gawkerassets.com/assets/images/11/2008/07/340x_farnsworth.jpg

Jamie Moyer, expert on pitchers who can break a pane of glass

looks like strasburg just doesn't have what it takes to win games >:)

ray knight and rob dibble debate straburg. i wondered whether to put this here or in the dunmbass analysis thread. i'm attaching a link w/ the clip and commentary from washington post's dan steinberg. pretty amusing.

http://voices.washingtonpost.com/dcsportsbog/2010/06/dibble_and_knight_debate_stras.html#more

from the AP, via dan steinberg:

"Nationals pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg already is a household name -- except in Ozzie Guillen's household. In downplaying his team's recent sweep at Washington, the White Sox manager said: "We only scored one run against the first guy, Starborough, or whatever his name is.""

Scarbury, Scarborough...

MASN was showing fans at the stadium before Strasburg's debut, and one dude said something like "STRASSBORG IS THE REAL DEAL!!!"

http://28.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_kui9yuMEaV1qava2to1_400.jpg

Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Starburns

community dude on the right could totally be a smarmy third MLB Network announcer
he has Amsinger/Vasgersian hair

so Jose DeLeon sruck out a lotta guys in his first 5 starts...

I guess they'll leave him in only one more inning? two?

he didn't have v. many pitches did he?

ian desmond is not steve's fav teammate rite now

no, not sure he's at 80 TP yet

game over?

92 pitches

2-0 braves

not a clutch performer

Total Nationals runs scored in Strasburg's last three starts: 1

I guess the rest of the guys just want to stand back and admire him.

Clippard's W/IP: 8/48

Strasburg's W/IP: 2/31.2

RIP

I don't know why I'm following Keith Law on Twitter, but ugh:
"Strasburg pitched well enough to win." But he didn't win. So whose fault is that - Strasburg's, or the stat's?

He is relentlessly negative about everything but I still enjoy following him.

klaw is so fucking wrong there; the cliche "pitched well enough to win" does not refer to the stat

"pitched well enough to [get the] win" vs. "pitched well enough [for his team] to win"

I think the former is implied more often than the latter.

Here is where klaw is so fucking wrong:

156. Throwing Muses – “Bright Yellow Gun.” The most rock-infused song from a promising but generally uneven band. And I think I need a little poison.

Songs by Soul Coughing, Milla, and Sublime ahead of it, btw.

but in this case even "get the win" is absolutely synonymous with the team winning--not like the bullpen blew it or something. desperate overreach by klaw.

And Sponge.

xpost

The fuck is a Clockhammer

sorry

lol

Klaw on pitcher wins is like deej on Gucci mane at this point

how harshly do you judge keith law when it comes to his tastes/opinions about music

Very harshly

I had a brief twitter argument with him about real estate.

hahaha awesome

yeah, and Bobby Valentine loves his old boss Dubya, who effing cares

xxp

Wilpon?

He believed that real estate should only be valued based on square footage and location.

for a "smart" person, he is a complete moron

I can't blame Klaw for instinctively adding piss to the punchbowl, cuz everybody on ESPN and Fox (save Joe Morgan) sets up all these "if" criteria for Strasburg to 'deserve' an All-Star spot, which they will chuck on July 8 no matter what. Reminds me of Obama fans.

not sure what you mean?

As far as Harvard grads go, he is no cave17matt.

Strasburg fans to skeptics when he gets his All-Star spot: "Would you rather have McCain??"

(I'm not paasionately against him being in the ASG, far less deserving people will be there, like an Oriole)