04/19/24
June 08, 2010
Tonight's the night for Stephen Strasburg: The most hyped prospect in baseball history will make his first start for the Washington Nationals, and fans are eager to see if the can't-miss kid lives up to expectations for a struggling franchise.
posted by mjkredliner to baseball at 09:33 AM - 37 comments
If there was a way for Bryce Harper to face Strasburg while Lebron James, Tiger Woods, and Brett Favre looked on, ESPN would implode due to over-excitement.
posted by drezdn at 10:27 AM on June 08, 2010
while Lebron James, Tiger Woods, and Brett Favre looked on
No, I'd want them calling the game.
posted by DrJohnEvans at 11:08 AM on June 08, 2010
Presented without comment: "MLB authenticating Strasburg items tonight: pitching rubber, bases, lineup card, his jersey & cap, rosin bag & game balls"
posted by yerfatma at 11:21 AM on June 08, 2010
The most hyped prospect in baseball history
Is Gregg Jefferies out there wondering when he had to give that title up?
posted by Demophon at 11:26 AM on June 08, 2010
My (basically a guess) prediction:
7IP, 4H, 2BB, 6K, 1R
posted by grum@work at 12:10 PM on June 08, 2010
Anything short of a perfect game would be a disappointment. Especially since they've become so commonplace...
posted by MW12 at 12:30 PM on June 08, 2010
I am just pissed they decided his first start would be against the Pirates. Guess they figure easy pickings. Hope He gets shelled. In a related story, the Pirates will roll out their young guy tomorrow in D.C.
posted by Debo270 at 12:39 PM on June 08, 2010
So far, so good, if you don't count Bob Costas' insistence on treating this like the Moon Walk.
posted by yerfatma at 07:36 PM on June 08, 2010
I take it all back. No one said he was going to give up runs.
posted by yerfatma at 08:29 PM on June 08, 2010
MLB Network showed the top of the first inning of the Nats game then promptly switched over to the Mets/Padres game. WTF?
posted by NoMich at 08:32 PM on June 08, 2010
12 strikeouts. Wow.
posted by justgary at 08:49 PM on June 08, 2010
13.
posted by justgary at 08:49 PM on June 08, 2010
14. Unbelievable.
posted by justgary at 08:51 PM on June 08, 2010
7 innings, 4 hits, 2 runs, 14 strike outs, 0 walks.
posted by justgary at 08:59 PM on June 08, 2010
Wow. What an impressive debut.
posted by BornIcon at 09:07 PM on June 08, 2010
Boy, was I wrong. ;-)
posted by tommybiden at 09:08 PM on June 08, 2010
He was available in my fantasy league ... I got him now.
posted by jjzucal at 09:08 PM on June 08, 2010
HE WAS AVAILABLE IN YOUR FANTASY LEAGUE?!?
Who do you play against, 18 incontinent chimps and a rhododendron?
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 09:12 PM on June 08, 2010
Wow..what a game. Great poise in what had to be one of the most stressful debuts there can be. K/BB ratio through the roof :-)
And he got half the country watching a Nats/Pirates game in June!!!!!!
posted by bdaddy at 09:47 PM on June 08, 2010
MLB Network showed the top of the first inning of the Nats game then promptly switched over to the Mets/Padres game. WTF?
They carried the whole game here..must be a local thing for you.
posted by bdaddy at 09:49 PM on June 08, 2010
94 pitches. 14K and 7 innings on just 94 pitches.
posted by ursus_comiter at 10:19 PM on June 08, 2010
Here come the stats!
- Strasburg's debut is third in most strikeouts, behind J.R. Richards and Karl Spooner, with 15 each.
- Only Tim Hudson had a better K/IP ratio in a major league debut, with more than 5IP, and Hudson didn't get the decision.
- Strasburg tied the Washington record for strikeouts in a game, and is tied for 4th all-time (7-way tie) for the franchise (Montreal/Washington).
- Ivan Rodriguez, the catcher for Strasburg tonight, also had the chance to catch Nolan Ryan in Rodriguez's second career game, almost 19 years ago.
- It's the third best winning debut in franchise history (in terms of game score), with 75 points. Only Kirk Reuter (81) and Dan Smith (76) had better scores.
posted by grum@work at 10:24 PM on June 08, 2010
One more cool stat... first pitcher in MLB history to pitch over 11 strikeouts and 0 BBs in their debut. The 0 walks is really, really, really something.
I was at the game, and it was also amazing at how fast he worked innings. Even when he was hit, he bounced back and started pitching again. bam bam bam.
It was an incredible experience.
posted by tittergrrl at 11:32 PM on June 08, 2010
Last I saw, he had 8 Ks through 5 innings. So, when I got up and saw he finished with 14, I got chills. Then, when I did the math and realized that meant he closed out his outing by striking out everyone in his last two innings ... combined with 0 BB the whole night ... I got goosebumps on top of my chills.
posted by littleLebowski at 07:20 AM on June 09, 2010
Yep lL, he was gathering steam at the end, struck out the last 7 he faced, the last 3 on 13 pitches. The movement on his fastball is unreal, too. Just. Wow.
Likeable kid, too. Said all the right things in the post game interview and looked pretty good in shaving cream.
posted by mjkredliner at 07:50 AM on June 09, 2010
Big shout out for a pitcher that works fast. Them's the kind I like best.
Guys that look worried and work slow give me Schiraldi flashbacks.
Evidently, Rodriguez hustled himself off the injury list to be able to catch the game.
posted by beaverboard at 08:01 AM on June 09, 2010
Looking at the schedule, his next 3 games should be Cleveland, Chicago (AL) and Baltimore. That's a recipe for success. By the time he actually faces the Braves in his fifth start, Bob Costas may have already convinced the Pope to cannonize him.
posted by yerfatma at 08:44 AM on June 09, 2010
Bob Costas may have already convinced the Pope to cannonize him.
In all fairness to Bob, his bosses probably told him to do just that. During the game I actually pictured him meeting with his 2 co-hosts before the broadcast and saying "Look, I'm going to pump this guy up like he's a macy's parade float...neither of you guys call me on it...just nod and smile, boys."
posted by bdaddy at 09:06 AM on June 09, 2010
Fourteen strikeouts! Unbelievable debut.
posted by rcade at 09:31 AM on June 09, 2010
I have never been to a baseball playoff game, but the atmosphere at Nats Park last night was what I imagine it is like. It was incredible! I hope that will continue and perhaps spread to when other pitchers start, but that will probably take some time.
A couple other stats:
After the homerun in the 4th, he did not allow a ball out of the infield and struck out 8 of the next 10 batters, including the 7 in a row to round out his night. Also, he struck out every Pirates batter he faced at least once. (And, amusingly, the one batter he didn't face--Ryan Church, who pinch hit in the 8th--was struck out by Tyler Clippard.) Lastly, Strasburg got to strike 2 in 14 at-bats. All 14 of those batters walked back to the dugout after strike 3.
It's hard to imagine that with all of the hype leading up to this game, Strasburg may have actually exceeded it.
posted by bender at 09:48 AM on June 09, 2010
More on the mechanics of his start.
posted by yerfatma at 11:15 AM on June 09, 2010
HE WAS AVAILABLE IN YOUR FANTASY LEAGUE?!?
Even in AL-only leagues, Strasburg's stats count. HE'S THAT GOOD.
posted by MKUltra at 11:32 AM on June 09, 2010
Very impressive, but before we begin worshiping him on Sundays and making him the acknowledged leader of the Free World, we need to wait a while. When Clay Buchholz came up with the Red Sox, he did not have the hype that Strasburg has. Then Buchholz threw a no-hitter and everyone (at least in Boston) saw him as the second coming. It might have set him back a year in his development, but he has settled in to become a very solid starter for Boston this year.
Strasburg seems to have unusual maturity for someone his age (not to mention a hell of a fastball and some nasty breaking stuff), so he might be able to withstand all the attention. I think I'll wait until he has had a turn or two around the league to see what adjustments the hitters might make. He also had Hallion umpiring behind the plate last night, and that certainly didn't hurt. What will Strasburg be like when someone like Joe West is doing a concertina act on him? Strasburg is very promising, but I'll reserve judgment until the middle or end of next year.
posted by Howard_T at 05:29 PM on June 09, 2010
He also had Hallion umpiring behind the plate last night, and that certainly didn't hurt.
I don't remember where I read the stat, but Strasburg's swinging strike ratio was through the roof. I don't think the ump had any effect on the results.
When Clay Buchholz came up with the Red Sox, he did not have the hype that Strasburg has. Then Buchholz threw a no-hitter and everyone
I saw that no-hitter. Strasburg was more dominant. Buchholz is a very good pitcher, Strasburg has better stuff. He's just in a different league.
Don't get me wrong, how he handles himself going forward, how he adapts to hitters adapting, injuries, etc. will of course help shape his future, but his stuff is amazing. He got stronger as the game went on, had a ton of pressure on him Buchholz didn't have, and struck out 14 of 21 hitters.
I don't think there's any question at all about his stuff.
posted by justgary at 08:06 PM on June 09, 2010
Seconded. While I appreciate the point, I wish he was comparable to Buchholz (or the other way 'round), but when Clay's on, his stuff is All-Star level. In Strasburg's first start, his stuff was Cy Young for the next 10 years level. And he never stole any laptops. So that's a plus.
posted by yerfatma at 07:53 AM on June 10, 2010
Heard on Mike & Mike this morning that Vegas has the over/under on strikeouts @5 1/2.
On a whim, I'll take the over.