Stephen Strasburg wasn't bad tonight. 14 strikeouts in 7 innings against the Pirates in his MLB debut.
He brought back clear, vivid memories for me of Dwight Gooden. That is, the pleasant kind, when he was setting the world on fire in 1984.
Strasburg lived up to the hype on this night. They call him "Baseball Jesus" in D.C.
Just slightly ironic that he has The Devil Incarnate as his money man.
And BTW, I'll never understand some of these dimwit "fans." Delwyn Young hit the first home run off Strasburg tonight (and becomes the answer to a trivia question some day), and some idiot Nats fan tossed it back on the field. Doesn't this birdbrain have any sense of history? If Strasburg lives up to hype down the road, that's a ball that could be worth something one day. At least he could brag to his friends one day that he had a ball that Strasburg pitched in his MLB debut, even if it was hit out for a home run.
I guess he'd rather have about five seconds of cheering that comes from doing something stupid like throwing that ball back.
As a Nats fan, my reaction is "ummm wow." The Bucco hitters looked over matched. We are talking a upper 90s fastball, 89-80 mph changeup and 82-84 mph curve. If you gear up for the fastball and the kid drops a hook, you look silly.
ReplyDeleteIt was like a rock concert.
In the post game press conference, Strasburg said he was not given any any scouting info. Pudge Rodriguez just threw down the signals and the Kid pitched. Yikes!
The guy who threw back the ball is a jagoff. He could have sold it on Ebay. Serves him right!
But this is just one start. Every hitter will want to dissect the tape. It will come down to adjust and re-adjust.
But tonight, DC found its newest gate attraction. The Strasburg Tour stops in Sunday in Cleveland.
Or that guy could have kept the ball in his trophy case and had a great story to tell his grandkids one day.
ReplyDeleteCongrats to you and all the Nats fans out there, Ed.
I was at work today and a customer said he went to Strasburg-Palooza last night. Shows us the pic from his Blackberry.
ReplyDeleteThe guys said that he won them in a raffle at a golf tournament last month.
Of course, at the time who would have wanted to see The Nats & Pirates?
Weeeeeeeiiiiirrrrd
Scary thought-tonight's Nats starter is Livan Hernandez. His fast bast is 84-86 MPH.
ReplyDeleteThat is the speed of Strasberg's change up!
I think he's the real deal, Rick. Great poise, and no walks. Very impressive.
ReplyDeleteBTW, isn't John Lannan going for the Nats tonight? no matter who's going, it's quite the difference from SS. And I hear this fella Lincoln going for the Bucs tonight has been impressive in the minors.
If he does well, I hope he doesn't go to Ford's Theatre after the game tonight...