Looking Ahead: Strasburg

It would take me two hands or more to count the number of SP missing starts that I have had. Maybe I use a 5 man rotation more than some. All 4 day rest guys (no *SP) can get an injury of 5 games or more. When this happens don't panic as HAL will use your best RP for the missed starts and it has been my experience that they generally pitch great. The main drawback is that HAL seems to rest the RP for a couple of games prior to and 2-3 game after the RP start which could make your bullpen thin.

Heard on radio today it is official. His season if over at 159 innings.

And Oy is he ticked off about it.

The biggest danger for the Nats might not be another injury or poor production (though the stress was plainly getting to him at the end). No, the biggest risk is that Strasburg will remember this (and this isn't the sort of thing you will ever forget), hold a grudge, and bolt the first chance he gets once he hits free agency. Don't think he doesn't have a lot of potential buyers. I'd be astonished if he ever re-signs in Washington now.

And he should remember this. The team certainly didn't shut him down for the team's benefit. You don't force your best pitcher to stop pitching when you are headed for the playoffs. They did it for Strasburg's long term benefit. Yes, he SHOULD remember this.

And he should remember this. The team certainly didn't shut him down for the team's benefit. You don't force your best pitcher to stop pitching when you are headed for the playoffs. They did it for Strasburg's long term benefit. Yes, he SHOULD remember this.

Rational thought is not one of his more prominent traits at the moment. Right now he wants to win and he wants to pitch -- something he sees as inextricably linked. He's had a lot of time knowing this was coming (though not the exact date) and it still ticks him off.

Every player who puts on a major league uniform dreams of being a key player in the postseason. The championship matters a lot to them. Stras wants to see the Nats get rings, and he thinks the best way he can do it is by pitching now.

We cannot lose sight of the fact that ultimately this is being done because the player's agent insisted it be done. Agent works for the player. If he really did not want to be shut down he would have told his agent so before season started and insisted the message be delivered to the team he desired not to be shut down. I understand why he adopts the posture of objecting in public interviews but this is not a unilateral decision made by the Nationals. It is a mutual decision the 3 parties (team, agent, player) agreed to during private discussions. Assumption we have to make is that all 3 parties had the long term health and success of the pitcher in mind and acted accordingly. And probably no way of ever knowing for sure if this was the right decision or not. All they can do is make an educated guess based on history and go from there.

Only thing they could have done differently is shut him down for beginning of season and eased him in at midseason. Then he would still be pitching. Though would have been tricky to estimate exactly when to have fired him up. Miss the playoffs and he would come short of 160 innings. Start too soon and make the playoffs and he would go over.