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Thursday, May 10, 2012

MLB: Strasburg strikes out 13 in 6 innings as Nats beat Bucs

Stephen Strasburg doesn’t always put up ridiculous K numbers in outings, but when he does he prefers to do it against the Pittsburgh Pirates.

PITTSBURGH—What’s the definition of the word “dominance”? Stephen Strasburg. The right-hander was almost unhittable as the Nationals edged the Pirates, 4-2, at PNC Park on Thursday night.

In his six innings on the mound, Strasburg struck out 13 batters. At one point he struck out seven straight hitters, which tied a franchise record. He also accomplished the same feat against the Pirates during his Major League debut on June 8, 2010, a game in which he fanned 14 over seven innings.

Be sure to click through to watch the highlight reel of Strasburg’s strikeouts. The called strike that got Kevin Correia (bottom of the 3rd inning, it’s 7th in the video sequence) is quite possibly the sickest curveball anyone has thrown in the National League so far this year.

Esoteric throws a 'hard slider' Posted: May 10, 2012 at 10:25 PM | 66 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: cy young, pittsburgh, washington

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1. jack47 Posted: May 10, 2012 at 11:42 PM (#4128942)

quite possibly the sickest curveball anyone has thrown in the National League so far this year.

Perhaps only because their CF is not on the mound.

Sigh.

2. Best Regards, L.M. Posted: May 10, 2012 at 11:49 PM (#4128946)

I'm already comfortable saying that if he doesn't get significantly hurt again (a big if), Strasburg will be remembered as one of the greatest pitchers that ever lived.

3. Cowboy Popup Posted: May 10, 2012 at 11:50 PM (#4128947)

He walked three in a row in the sixth, I can't imagine he's ever done that before. 51 Ks, 10 BBs and 2 (!) HRs in 44 IP. It is legitimately must see TV every time he is on the mound. It's pretty rare when you see a guy with a 1.64 ERA in May and you think, "yeah, that's about where it will be by the end of the year."

4. McCoy Wilfong for Money Posted: May 11, 2012 at 12:12 AM (#4128953)

I've got tickets to what I believe will be his next start, next Tuesday, so hopefully he'll stay dominant for at least one more start.

5. McCoy Wilfong for Money Posted: May 11, 2012 at 12:16 AM (#4128956)

quite possibly the sickest curveball anyone has thrown in the National League so far this year.

Sounds like a job for Pitch F/X.

6. BourbonSamurai, vassal of the Harpsburg Empire Posted: May 11, 2012 at 12:19 AM (#4128957)

I've got tickets to what I believe will be his next start, next Tuesday, so hopefully he'll stay dominant for at least one more start.

I've been to two of his starts and haven't seen him do better than three runs in six. I've also been to three Bryce Harper games and haven't seen him get a hit.

Then again, they keep winning when I got so I guess i'll take it!

7. Cowboy Popup Posted: May 11, 2012 at 12:30 AM (#4128966)

I've been to two of his starts and haven't seen him do better than three runs in six.

I was at his debut, that's it so far. I have the ticket laminated. It was unbelievable, they couldn't touch him. It will be hard for him to top that performance next time I see him in person.

I've also been to three Bryce Harper games and haven't seen him get a hit.

I haven't seen him yet, hopefully I will next week.

8. TerpNats Posted: May 11, 2012 at 12:38 AM (#4128970)

He did what a stopper should do. It's now up to Gio to start a nice weekend in Cincinnati (though in that ballpark he will be hard-pressed to continue his stretch of innings without giving up a HR).

9. Dan Posted: May 11, 2012 at 12:46 AM (#4128974)

Conveniently my Nats 3930 BP Cap arrived in the mail today just in time to wear it watching this game on MLB.tv.

10. McCoy Wilfong for Money Posted: May 11, 2012 at 12:47 AM (#4128975)

I saw Bryce hit a double down the left field line. I also got to see a game in which 3 triples were hit.

I haven't really had much luck with good to great pitchers when I go to games. They usually don't do anything great or close to it.

11. charityslave is thinking about baseball Posted: May 11, 2012 at 01:20 AM (#4128988)

If Strasburg and Harper can each have relatively injury free careers, the sky is the limit for this team.

12. the Hugh Jorgan returns Posted: May 11, 2012 at 02:22 AM (#4128999)

13K in 6 innings, these are little league numbers. He made most of those batters look silly. What a wonderful time to watch baseball.

13. zachtoma Posted: May 11, 2012 at 03:20 AM (#4129002)

I've watched each of his starts so far and Strasburg may already be the best pitcher in the National League. Who's his competition - Halladay? Kershaw? Lee? He's looked sharper than any of them so far. The Bucs announcers were talking about Tom Seaver after Stras K'd 7 in a row, and it struck me that Seaver didn't seem like an unreasonable upper bound for the type of career he might be capable of.

By the way, limiting him to 150-160 IP this year is an idiotic strategy. The Nats can compete in their division this year, and they're gonna want to have him available. He's an elite pitcher, I could see a 180-200 IP limit, but there's no point in babying him. I've come to think that pitch counts and innings limits only serve to delay inevitable injuries anyways.

14. zachtoma Posted: May 11, 2012 at 06:41 AM (#4129009)

Perhaps only because their CF is not on the mound.

Sigh.

Speaking of which, do you think they could ever put Ankiel on the mound in an extra-inning bullpen-burner, or would he just fall to pieces and be ruined? It would be fun to see.

15. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: May 11, 2012 at 07:56 AM (#4129021)

strasburg did this to the pirates last year. he has 27 k's against them in 13 innings over his career. of 24 total starts. and 136 innings pitched

davey johnson has had a lot of success managing in his career. i think anyone criticizing davey's approach in handling a young player needs to give things a chance because davey has a plan and more often than not it is a good plan

16. AJM Posted: May 11, 2012 at 08:01 AM (#4129024)

Strasburg/Harper or Kershaw/Kemp?

17. God Posted: May 11, 2012 at 08:13 AM (#4129026)

As a diehard Dodger fan I have to say... Strasburg/Harper.

18. Mirabelli Dictu (Chris McClinch) Posted: May 11, 2012 at 08:30 AM (#4129030)

Just think of what Clemens's career could have looked like if the Red Sox hadn't foolishly thrown him out there for 254 innings the season after his shoulder surgery.

19. Conor Posted: May 11, 2012 at 08:50 AM (#4129036)

I've watched each of his starts so far and Strasburg may already be the best pitcher in the National League.

I've been kinda thinking this for a while. He's made 24 starts in the big leagues, and he has a 2.25 ERA, with a FIP beloe 2! (1.95).

Obviously 24 starts isn't even a full season, and it's been spread out over the course of 3 seasons, and to truly be the best pitcher in the majors he'd need to prove he can make it through a full season, but he really does have the potential to be one of the best ever.

20. Lassus Posted: May 11, 2012 at 08:50 AM (#4129037)

Strasburg/Harper or Kershaw/Kemp?
As a diehard Dodger fan I have to say... Strasburg/Harper.

Is there a time frame for this quesion? Right now, 3, 5, 10 years?

21. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: May 11, 2012 at 08:58 AM (#4129039)

between this strasburg gushing and the lahair nonsense apparently while i was gone mike lupica's school of baseball projections took ahold of bbtf

good gravy

22. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: May 11, 2012 at 09:03 AM (#4129044)

Strasburg/Harper or Kershaw/Kemp?

Has to be Kershaw/Kemp (unless you're talking a ridiculously long time frame where youth is at a premium). Those guys have already put up Cy Young/MVP level seasons, and Kershaw has shown he can give you multiple 200 IP seasons without his body failing.

23. Lassus Posted: May 11, 2012 at 09:12 AM (#4129053)

Kind of what I was thinking, Harveys.

24. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: May 11, 2012 at 09:33 AM (#4129070)

lassus

i am all for being excited. kid is fun to watch.

25. Ned Garvin: Male Prostitute Posted: May 11, 2012 at 09:38 AM (#4129075)

26. Lassus Posted: May 11, 2012 at 09:41 AM (#4129078)

i am all for being excited. kid is fun to watch.

Absolutely. But Larry's #2 starts to careen off the rails a bit.

27. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: May 11, 2012 at 09:45 AM (#4129083)

I am enjoying this too, and I do hope everything continues and we get to see an amazing pitcher for 20 years. But if this was Strasburg's last great year, he would join a LONG list of similar guys - utterly dominant but couldn't last for whatever reason. 3 words: Remember Dwight Gooden.

I still remember the NY Post back cover projecting when he was going to hit 300 wins, and Bob Feller responding with a crotchety "Let me see him do it, first".

28. boteman Posted: May 11, 2012 at 10:11 AM (#4129098)

For a less Ladson-esque write-up:

Zuckerman

I saw him at his first Spring Training tune-up and SWEET BABY JEEBUS that fastball moves like a train! I can't wait to see him pitch in a Major League championship season game with my own eyeballs.

Hey Eddie, get me a bus ticket to Dee Cee, baby!

29. charityslave is thinking about baseball Posted: May 11, 2012 at 10:12 AM (#4129100)

Does anyone know if Strasburg changed his delivery post injury to eliminate the "inverted W"? Or is he just slingin' it like he usta?

30. bunyon Posted: May 11, 2012 at 10:15 AM (#4129104)

Strasburg/Harper or Kershaw/Kemp?

I hope these two meet up in the NLCS.

As for the gushing, it's pretty typical but, yeah, 24 starts. And, as good as he looked last night, against the Pirates, he gave up 2 runs in 6 innings. Okay, a lot of Ks but, to me, that isn't dominant. Dominant is no runs. He looked good, great on some pitches, but the idea that he doesn't have a lot of improving to do is nuts. Of course, given his tools, I have no reason to think he won't do that improving if he stays healthy.

3 words: Remember Dwight Gooden

For those to young to remember Gooden: Mark Prior, Kerry Wood.

31. boteman Posted: May 11, 2012 at 10:22 AM (#4129109)

Does anyone know if Strasburg changed his delivery post injury to eliminate the "inverted W"? Or is he just slingin' it like he usta?

My untrained eye caught the inverted curly W last night, albeit perhaps slightly less pronounced. Slow-mo knows.

32. charityslave is thinking about baseball Posted: May 11, 2012 at 10:25 AM (#4129111)

Speaking of which, do you think they could ever put Ankiel on the mound in an extra-inning bullpen-burner, or would he just fall to pieces and be ruined? It would be fun to see.

Thaqt would be awesome! I would love to see him get another chance and absolutley deal. In fact, i'd love it if after his OF skills deteriorated to the point of un-roster-ability, he switched back to pitching and made it back up to the majors on the mound.

33. Esoteric throws a 'hard slider' Posted: May 11, 2012 at 10:31 AM (#4129118)

As for the gushing, it's pretty typical but, yeah, 24 starts. And, as good as he looked last night, against the Pirates, he gave up 2 runs in 6 innings. Okay, a lot of Ks but, to me, that isn't dominant. Dominant is no runs.

Well, I forgot to mention that he also stroked a nice double as well.

DOMINANT!

34. zack Posted: May 11, 2012 at 10:32 AM (#4129120)

Nobody is saying Strasburg will be a HoFer, they're just saying he has the ability. You only have to watch him pitch an inning to see that. Same as Harper, they both just ooze raw ability.

'Course, the game I went to this year that featured both...featured both HRs Strasburg has allowed, and Harper never put a ball in play.

Speaking of Davey, has he done anything Daveyish yet as a Nat manager, like swapping outfielders or playing FB/GB platoons?

35. Esoteric throws a 'hard slider' Posted: May 11, 2012 at 10:32 AM (#4129122)

Speaking of which, do you think they could ever put Ankiel on the mound in an extra-inning bullpen-burner, or would he just fall to pieces and be ruined? It would be fun to see.

Ankiel has said more than a few times that he will never pitch again, not even in a "position player mop-up" role. Given his rather unique circumstances, I don't blame him in the slightest.

36. Liver of blaspheming 'zop Posted: May 11, 2012 at 10:33 AM (#4129125)

Strasburg may be a hell of a pitcher, but his mechanics are brutal.

37. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: May 11, 2012 at 10:34 AM (#4129126)

zack

guess you overlooked the second post

38. Esoteric throws a 'hard slider' Posted: May 11, 2012 at 10:35 AM (#4129130)

between this strasburg gushing and the lahair nonsense apparently while i was gone mike lupica's school of baseball projections took ahold of bbtf

good gravy

What can I say, we done gone soft in your absence.

Speaking of which, it's f**king fantastic to see you back around.

39. zack Posted: May 11, 2012 at 10:39 AM (#4129132)

zack

guess you overlooked the second post

Heh, knew someone would say that. There is such a huge disclaimer in that statement that I think it passes.

Also if this team had a MI worth a crap, they would be dominant. There's Davey's chance to be Davey - Morse to 2B!

40. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: May 11, 2012 at 10:51 AM (#4129143)

eso

why the h*ll are the nba and other non baseball threads still alive? now that the season is in swing why don't people kill those stupid things?

41. Esoteric throws a 'hard slider' Posted: May 11, 2012 at 11:00 AM (#4129159)

why the h*ll are the nba and other non baseball threads still alive? now that the season is in swing why don't people kill those stupid things?

Don't know, and I completely agree. I simply never even click on them. But it is annoying to see them constantly at or near the top of the "recently posted in" sidebar, because they push other actual BASEBALL stories down off the list.

42. Harveys Wallbangers

Posted: May 11, 2012 at 11:02 AM (#4129163)

eso

i can get the gun loaded and squeeze the trigger but my aim is for sh*t

maybe we can team up to kill those varmints

43. McCoy Wilfong for Money Posted: May 11, 2012 at 11:28 AM (#4129203)

According to pitch F/x this is what his curvevall to Correia looked like. Looking at it I would guess that Verlander has probably thrown a few better ones in his last two starts than that one.

44. Best Regards, L.M. Posted: May 11, 2012 at 12:11 PM (#4129257)

Ankiel has said more than a few times that he will never pitch again, not even in a "position player mop-up" role. Given his rather unique circumstances, I don't blame him in the slightest.

I bet when he decides to hang 'em up, he'll try pitching one last time.

It would suck if he did that, and was utterly dominant.

45. Los Angeles El Hombre of Anaheim

Posted: May 11, 2012 at 12:15 PM (#4129263)

why the h*ll are the nba and other non baseball threads still alive? now that the season is in swing why don't people kill those stupid things?

As someone who lives in the NBA thread, its nice to see you back. Now, get off my lawn!

46. zenbitz Posted: May 11, 2012 at 12:39 PM (#4129300)

Let's see where he is in 4 years when his ligaments have stretched out and he's touching 93 on the fast gun.

Signed,
A Lincecum fan.

47. Don Malcolm

Posted: May 11, 2012 at 01:37 PM (#4129372)

C'mon, Harv, it's OK to repeat a point in a conversation once in awhile, cut Zach some slack.

As you say, it's good to be excited. And even though so many of us here go to such great lengths to distinguish ourselves from the mainstream baseball fan, that first word is still an adjective, whether it is used as an epithet or not.

And, guys, don't worry about those off-topic threads. Jimbo is going to carve up this site so much in the next six months that you will literally never know where you actually are anymore.

48. zonk Posted: May 11, 2012 at 01:48 PM (#4129380)

How many of them were Pedro Alvarez though? I think Alvarez K's only count as 1/3 or something...

49. Kurt Posted: May 11, 2012 at 01:49 PM (#4129384)

Dwight Gooden had 400 starts and pitched 2800 innings, which is more than Prior and Wood combined. No, he didn't end up as the greatest pitcher who ever lived, but as a Nats fan if I could lock in 400 starts for Strasburg, I think I would.

50. Don Malcolm

Posted: May 11, 2012 at 02:02 PM (#4129401)

Great idea, Zonk, but Pedro didn't face Strasburg before this year!

51. McCoy Wilfong for Money Posted: May 11, 2012 at 02:06 PM (#4129406)

410 starts over 17 years with him for the most part being nothing special after the age of 24.

52. Kurt Posted: May 11, 2012 at 02:30 PM (#4129431)

Right. He was a disappointment. Still not comparable to Prior or Wood, nor is his career Strasburg's worst-case scenario by a longshot.

53. zachtoma Posted: May 11, 2012 at 03:50 PM (#4129490)

Strasburg may be a hell of a pitcher, but his mechanics are brutal.

I'm going to keep beating this drum: attempts to apply biomechanics to predict pitcher injuries have mostly been embarrassing. I have no doubt the 'inverted W' theory will join its predecessors on the scrap-heap in a few years when a new boogeyman is called forth in a feeble attempt to hide the fact that nobody really has any idea why pitchers get injured or how to stop it.

54. Rants Mulliniks (formerly Cold Prosimian) Posted: May 11, 2012 at 04:29 PM (#4129527)

I picked Strasburg for the CY this year, knowing he'd max out at 180 IP. I think he can do it.

55. AJM Posted: May 11, 2012 at 05:17 PM (#4129569)

Is there a time frame for this quesion? Right now, 3, 5, 10 years?

How about all of them. I think I'd take the Nats for anything over 5 years.

56. God Posted: May 11, 2012 at 05:19 PM (#4129570)

Post 2 isn't really that outlandish. Let's look at what it says again:

I'm already comfortable saying that if he doesn't get significantly hurt again (a big if), Strasburg will be remembered as one of the greatest pitchers that ever lived.

(emphasis mine)

To which people are responding: What about Doc Gooden? What about Mark Prior? etc etc. Which is a non-response because clearly those guys also would have been among the best pitchers who ever lived if they hadn't gotten hurt. But they did.

To refute #2 one would have to come up with a non-injury-related reason why Strasburg might suddenly cease to be effective.

57. Leroy Kincaid Posted: May 11, 2012 at 05:58 PM (#4129608)

To which people are responding: What about Doc Gooden? What about Mark Prior? etc etc. Which is a non-response because clearly those guys also would have been among the best pitchers who ever lived if they hadn't gotten hurt. But they did.

Refresh my memory...did Gooden get hurt in '86? Because that's when he fell from a great to merely very good pitcher, and never made it back.

58. cercopithecus aethiops Posted: May 11, 2012 at 05:59 PM (#4129610)

To refute #2 one would have to come up with a non-injury-related reason why Strasburg might suddenly cease to be effective.

You mean something along the lines of beer, fried chicken, or golf?

59. cercopithecus aethiops Posted: May 11, 2012 at 06:04 PM (#4129614)

did Gooden get hurt in '86?

He did miss the first two months of 1987. I happen to think that most pitching injuries are not acute onset events, but YMMV.

60. God Posted: May 11, 2012 at 06:06 PM (#4129616)

What 59 said. Also, Dwight Gooden, if he had 12 more seasons like 1986, would have been an easy, slam-dunk pick for the Hall of Fame.

61. God Posted: May 11, 2012 at 06:16 PM (#4129622)

So Doc Gooden, with 12 more 1986 seasons, ends up at 262-91 with a 2.73 ERA, 3144 strikeouts, one Cy Young Award, 15 top ten finishes, and 13 rings.

62. Leroy Kincaid Posted: May 11, 2012 at 06:44 PM (#4129642)

...and 13 rings.

So you don't play dice after all?

63. Crispix Attacks 2: Swag Airlines Posted: May 11, 2012 at 07:38 PM (#4129687)

Gooden missed the first two months of 1987 because he was in rehab after being arrested for cocaine possession. The first injury I can find mention of was in 1989.

64. cercopithecus aethiops Posted: May 11, 2012 at 07:50 PM (#4129697)

I'm just getting too damned old to keep Gooden's arm injuries separate from his nose injuries. But at any rate, I don't believe his cocaine abuse was a sudden onset event that occurred on December 13, 1986 any more than I believe that his 1989 shoulder injury was an acute event that happened on July 1, 1989.

65. God Posted: May 11, 2012 at 08:01 PM (#4129719)

Gooden's career as it actually was, was better than most people think. He was Lou Whitakered off the Hall of Fame ballot back in 2006. He's got to be one of the best players that ever happened to.

66. Best Regards, L.M. Posted: May 11, 2012 at 09:17 PM (#4129818)

Gooden's career as it actually was, was better than most people think. He was Lou Whitakered off the Hall of Fame ballot back in 2006. He's got to be one of the best players that ever happened to.

Well, after 1987 he had a 100 ERA+. That sounds about equal to what I thought his career was after 1987.

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Thursday, May 10, 2012

MLB: Strasburg strikes out 13 in 6 innings as Nats beat Bucs

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