2012 MLB Season

[pmoehrin]

To me the decision to shut down Strasburg shows management is not serious about winning this year. From their perspective they probably feel like the team has already accomplished every goal they set in Spring Training and that's what they are going on.

That being said minus Strasburg, yes the team can still win the World Series. But their chances are not as good without Strasburg. You don't lose somebody like that and not feel it. Now everyone gets bumped up a spot in the rotation and let's say the Nats are playing the Reds, instead of Jordan Zimmerman vs Bronson Arroyo and Edwin Jackson vs Homer Bailey as it would be with Strasburg in the rotation, its going to be Jordan Zimmerman vs Mat Latos, Edwin Jackson vs Bronson Arroyo and Ross Detwiler vs Homer Bailey. The Nationals go from having a pretty clear starting pitching edge in the series to being about even.

Very difficult for any team to lose their number one or two starter and still be even close to as good. We'll see if the Nationals have that type of depth come October.

You left out Gio Gonzalez who has been our best pitcher all year. The decision to shut down Strasburg was made before Spring Training whether we were in contention or not. Rizzo is stubborn, and hes not going to throw out his plan to save his pitchers arm because we are winning right now. If we werent in contention this wouldnt be a story (like it wasnt a story with Zimmermann last year).

The only reason I left out Gonzalez in the statement about the Reds was because of the assumption that he would be getting either Cueto or Latos in a series with the Reds. He probably would get Latos because at their best Strasburg is a better pitcher then Gonzalez.

I only had two points to make. One was that the Nationals managment is satisfied with how the season has gone and is acting accordingly. And two not having Strasburg in the rotation will hurt the Nationals in the playoffs.

[Cujo]

A New York Yankee bitching and moaning about something being unfair.......

Seriously. you, Tex.

[MC2]

A New York Yankee bitching and moaning about something being unfair.......

Seriously. you, Tex.

But...it was unfair?

[TrueYankee26]

Absolutely pathetic call. Jerry Meals is the worst. I would say the same thing If I were an Orioles fan so SPARE ME the ISH.

[Cujo]

Espn bottom line breaking news: Strasburg has been shut down for the season.

If I'm Strasburg, I'm asking for a trade the moment Davey Johnson sits me down and tells me I'm done for the year. Dude wants to go. He doesn;t care if he gets hurt or not. He wants to earn a ring. What's the point of playing for a team when winning isn't their bottom line??

[Epiphanic]

Kerry Wood.

Wood had Tommy John surgery at age 22 and missed the entirety of the 1999 season. In 2000, the first year back from surgery, he pitched 137 innings. The following year, he pitched 174 innings. Wood pitched 213 innings in 2002, three years after having surgery.

Strasburg had surgery last year, missing virtually all of the 2011 season. This year, the first year back from surgery, he's pitched 159 innings. This is 22 innings more than Kerry Wood did in his first year back. Essentially 3 starts.

The narrative is that Kerry Wood was overused and abused and thus subject to many injuries over his career. Clearly that kind of thing is what the Nationals (and every other baseball team in the universe*) want to avoid. If we accept this narrative, what does that say about the Strasburg situation? He has already pitched more innings than Wood and yet people are saying he should pitch more. I challenge anyone to argue that pitching more this year is better for Strasburg's long-term health. Successfully do that and I will reconsider my position.

Also, LOL at the idea the Nationals don't want to win and aren't serious.

*-except the teams that "want to win." Injuries be damned.[/sarcasm]

[mania]

So, last night, Jurickson Profar came through with a game winning double in the 10th inning.

Yeah, that kid's going to be pretty decent.

[The_Admiral]

Does Strasburg have the woeful pitching mechanics that Wood did? The fact that Wood hurled so self-destructively had more to do with his downfall than a mere pitch count or inning count.

Jurickson

This is the goofiest Caribbean baseball player name yet (hand over the tiara, Yuniesky Betancourt). It's like they get their given names out of a Minneapolis phonebook. I'm awaiting the debut of Gunderson Sanchez.

[pmoehrin]

Does Strasburg have the woeful pitching mechanics that Wood did? The fact that Wood hurled so self-destructively had more to do with his downfall than a mere pitch count or inning count.

You could have babied Wood all you want and he was still getting hurt.

The Nats did not want him pitching in the playoffs and they could have. Put him on 7 or 8 days rest in the regular season. You would have cut out at least 5 or 6 starts and have him ready to go for October. I think that's what most baseball people would have done if they were told somebody had an innings count and they were in great position to make the playoffs. To say he's not pitching in October period is something only ownership would do and I'm certain that's where the decision came from. They're not even going to put Davey Johnson in the situation to let him decide when enough is enough for Strasburg in the biggest games of the year.

[mania]

Jurickson

This is the goofiest Caribbean baseball player name yet (hand over the tiara, Yuniesky Betancourt). It's like they get their given names out of a Minneapolis phonebook. I'm awaiting the debut of Gunderson Sanchez.

See, I don't think he's even the goofiest name in the Rangers system.

Nerfy Nunez (and it isn't short for anything, it's just... Nerfy)

Rougned Odor

Yohander Mendez

Smerling Lantigua

Odubel Herrera

Leonys Martin

The franchise does not shy away from unique first names.

[NJTank]

Yankees do indeed lose, but not before Jerry Meals just gave them a royal screwjob.

There will be hell to pay if that call ends up deciding the division. Inexcusable.

One thing for sure Jerry Meals wont have to pay for diner last night and breakfast today in Baltimore.

[Camden Crazy]

And they took Markakis out. I don't feel bad at all.

[Kramerica Industries]

No reason to feel bad. It's not exactly as if I'm attacking the Orioles or their fans.

[pmoehrin]

Jurickson

This is the goofiest Caribbean baseball player name yet (hand over the tiara, Yuniesky Betancourt). It's like they get their given names out of a Minneapolis phonebook. I'm awaiting the debut of Gunderson Sanchez.

See, I don't think he's even the goofiest name in the Rangers system.

Nerfy Nunez (and it isn't short for anything, it's just... Nerfy)

Rougned Odor

Yohander Mendez

Smerling Lantigua

Odubel Herrera

Leonys Martin

The franchise does not shy away from unique first names.

I can't speak for the other guys but Jurickson Profar is a name I would get used to saying.

From what I've seen from him already I would put him on the postseason roster (and because he came up Aug. 31 he is eligible) and may even start him in a game or two at DH, but I think Texas is going to take a much more cautious approach with him and he may or may not even be on the roster come October.

The thing only I question with Ron Washington is Michael Young being the DH without any debate as the plan seems to be. And I know he's hit 3 home runs in September so maybe he is starting to come out his year long slump, but when you have a guy like Craig Gentry who can give you more defensive flexibility and is putting up better numbers at the plate as well, I do wonder if that's the best route to take. I would at least open it up to competition and let the egos fall where they may but that's just me.

[Lights Out]

A New York Yankee bitching and moaning about something being unfair.......

Seriously. you, Tex.

A Yankee whining about calls is like Bill Gates whining about gas prices.

[crashcarson15]

What part of Stephen Strasburg's doctors have said that if he pitches any more this season his arm will tear again doesn't anyone understand...?

[Green]

A New York Yankee bitching and moaning about something being unfair.......

Seriously. you, Tex.

A Yankee whining about calls is like Bill Gates whining about gas prices.

No its like Bill Gates complaining about having a crime committed against him. A wrong call against the Yankees is just as wrong as one against any team.

[The_Admiral]

See, I don't think he's even the goofiest name in the Rangers system.

Smerling Lantigua

Let's make a game where you have to guess which Caribbean prospect name is real and which is, to the best of our knowledge, fictitious. If presented with the choice, I would likely say that "Smerling Lantigua" is made up whereas "Lanigan Montoya" is real, but I would be wrong!

I'm tempted to start a post-rock band called Gunderson Sanchez. It'll be like Sigur Ros meets Papa M.

[Don]

What part of Stephen Strasburg's doctors have said that if he pitches any more this season his arm will tear again doesn't anyone understand...?

Who cares?! Run him into the ground!

[pmoehrin]

Meanwhile Joba Chamberlain wins his first game since last May and Mark Teixeira is out indefinitely which is usually injury speak for he's done for regular season and probably the playoffs.