Here's the story from the NY Post yesterday..............
Stephen Strasburg starts tonight in San Francisco against Tim Lincecum. Yet what overshadows an intriguing matchup is an ever-present tick-tock in a sport without a clock.
For there is no bigger story in the game now than the controversy surrounding the Nationals’ plans to send Strasburg on an early vacation, likely in the first or second week of September. Washington officials have stated emphatically for months that when they feel Strasburg has had enough — believed to be at about 160-170 innings (he is at 133 1/3 now) — he will be shut down until spring training.
In June, when I spoke to Washington GM Mike Rizzo, he emphatically said the decision “is not changing … To ask [Strasburg] to throw 200 innings now [after Tommy John surgery and just 24 innings in 2011], that is not a prudent way to do business with a 23-year-old, top-of-the-rotation starter we plan to have for a long time. It’s going to be painful, and we are going to take grief. But I will not shy away from it. I am the caretaker of this organization for the long haul.”
Rizzo was right: The grief is growing as D(Dismissal)-Day nears. The furor is going to far exceed the Joba Rules brouhaha. There is a large bloc — growing louder by the day — wondering how in the name of Bob Gibson a franchise that has not made the playoffs since 1981 when they were the Montreal Expos can decommission its perfectly healthy ace based on theory, but no definitive facts.
Although I disagree with what the Nationals are doing, I certainly see sound reasons for forging this plan.
I remember then-Mets pitching coach Rick Peterson telling me more than a decade ago something that has always stuck: You can’t ask someone who has trained as a sprinter to run a marathon — meaning you are promoting physical breakdown if you push an athlete to take his body way beyond wherever he has trained to do, especially an athlete that already has broken down from usage.
Plus, cooler heads always should be thinking big picture over being a slave to the moment. After all, we all remember how Johan Santana absolutely had to throw those career-high 134 pitches — damn the shoulder surgery — so the Mets could get their first no-hitter. Since then, of course, Santana has been to the DL and has a 7.98 ERA, second worst in the majors (minimum 40 innings) to Derek Lowe (8.13), who was released by the Indians and signed by the Yankees.
Then there is the case of Jordan Zimmerman, whom the Nationals babied to 161 innings last season following Tommy John surgery and has emerged to be Strasburg’s equal or superior. In fact, even without Strasburg, Zimmerman and Gio Gonzalez would give the Nats as good a 1-2 starting punch as any NL team, certainly better than Atlanta, the team Washington is trying to hold off to capture the NL East. Plus in Edwin Jackson, Ross Detwiler and John Lannan, the Nats have more than enough to round out a rotation.
Stephen Strasburg starts tonight in San Francisco against Tim Lincecum. Yet what overshadows an intriguing matchup is an ever-present tick-tock in a sport without a clock.
For there is no bigger story in the game now than the controversy surrounding the Nationals’ plans to send Strasburg on an early vacation, likely in the first or second week of September. Washington officials have stated emphatically for months that when they feel Strasburg has had enough — believed to be at about 160-170 innings (he is at 133 1/3 now) — he will be shut down until spring training.
In June, when I spoke to Washington GM Mike Rizzo, he emphatically said the decision “is not changing … To ask [Strasburg] to throw 200 innings now [after Tommy John surgery and just 24 innings in 2011], that is not a prudent way to do business with a 23-year-old, top-of-the-rotation starter we plan to have for a long time. It’s going to be painful, and we are going to take grief. But I will not shy away from it. I am the caretaker of this organization for the long haul.”
Rizzo was right: The grief is growing as D(Dismissal)-Day nears. The furor is going to far exceed the Joba Rules brouhaha. There is a large bloc — growing louder by the day — wondering how in the name of Bob Gibson a franchise that has not made the playoffs since 1981 when they were the Montreal Expos can decommission its perfectly healthy ace based on theory, but no definitive facts.
Although I disagree with what the Nationals are doing, I certainly see sound reasons for forging this plan.
I remember then-Mets pitching coach Rick Peterson telling me more than a decade ago something that has always stuck: You can’t ask someone who has trained as a sprinter to run a marathon — meaning you are promoting physical breakdown if you push an athlete to take his body way beyond wherever he has trained to do, especially an athlete that already has broken down from usage.
Plus, cooler heads always should be thinking big picture over being a slave to the moment. After all, we all remember how Johan Santana absolutely had to throw those career-high 134 pitches — damn the shoulder surgery — so the Mets could get their first no-hitter. Since then, of course, Santana has been to the DL and has a 7.98 ERA, second worst in the majors (minimum 40 innings) to Derek Lowe (8.13), who was released by the Indians and signed by the Yankees.
Then there is the case of Jordan Zimmerman, whom the Nationals babied to 161 innings last season following Tommy John surgery and has emerged to be Strasburg’s equal or superior. In fact, even without Strasburg, Zimmerman and Gio Gonzalez would give the Nats as good a 1-2 starting punch as any NL team, certainly better than Atlanta, the team Washington is trying to hold off to capture the NL East. Plus in Edwin Jackson, Ross Detwiler and John Lannan, the Nats have more than enough to round out a rotation.
+1
Just because it worked for Zimmermann, doesn't mean it will for Strasburg. Prime example would be Joba, these Joba-rules worked out great for him...same applies to that comparison to Santana: He had a mediocre outing vs Pittsburgh right before his No-Hitter, pretty much the same stat line he had in his two starts after the No-Hitter and then went on to throw two more great (BAL/LAD) and one good start (CHC) to finish the month of June...so in my opinion it's kind of a stretch to blame his poor July and short DL stint on that 134pitch outing...
Unless there is a medical reason or he doesn't feel right, let him pitch. Higher pitch counts didn't seem to lead to more injuries in the past, went pitchers regularly went 110-140 pitches per game (at least that's my perception, maybe I'm mistaken) and the "right" workload in my opinion is related to far more than some random IP-number, like the individual and his physique, his practice routine, his pitching motion (and therefore the stress he creates on his body), etc.
Also don't like the idea, that some people brought up, of shutting him down and bringing him back after sitting out a couple of starts: Imo that break in his routine not only could lead to bad performances out of the gate, but might actually hurt his body more than keeping up his normal, daily routine he's went through for months...
there is not one person i have talked to or heard of that agrees with the decision.
i understand the owner is afraid to lose his golden goose but even if you have Jesus in your starting rotation you will be lucky to see a world series run once in his career. Dont waste that chance....and that isn't even taking into account the chances he will be fine or the options you can implement now to preserve the arm
i understand the owner is afraid to lose his golden goose but even if you have Jesus in your starting rotation you will be lucky to see a world series run once in his career. Dont waste that chance....and that isn't even taking into account the chances he will be fine or the options you can implement now to preserve the arm
Nats fked up they didnt expect to make the playoffs this year and foolishly made the innings # public. I cant imagine teammates liking him if he allows the Nats organization to shut him down for the playoffs. The special bubble boy treatment is annoying enough to other players going out there busting their ass everyday or 5th day.
That is from ESPN poll, DC only place in favor of shut down. MD/VA both 51-49 in favor of keeping him
Didnt mean that everyone is, but more people here than in other places support the decision.
Why would Zim fade down the stretch? Or is that just random speculation, he has been the best pitcher on the staff all year
The Nats have a legitimate chance to win not only the NL Pennant but the World Series IMHO! When push comes to shove, I believe management will back off from the innings limit. The team may never have that opportunity again and the pressure coming from the fans, not to mention Strasburg himself, will be to great for management to ignore. Book it!
