DISASTER!

STEPHEN STRASBURG

Washington Nationals star young pitcher Stephen Strasburg has a torn ulnar collateral ligament and will need Tommy John surgery. He will be out 12 to 18 months.

The injury is a major blow to the Nationals franchise. Strasburg was one of the greatest pitching prospects in baseball history and received the largest signing bonus of any baseball player ever drafted. He pitched brilliantly at times for the Nationals this season after being called up in June. In 12 starts, Strasburg went 5-3 with Washington with a 2.91 ERA. He had 92 strikeouts and just 17 walks in 68 innings. That’s an average of an incredible 12.17 strikeouts and 2.25 walks per nine innings. Strasburg had a spectacular Major League debut for Washington against the Pittsburgh Pirates earlier this year. He struck out 14 while walking zero.

MLB.com has video of the pitch where Strasburg hurt his arm.

Ironically, the Nationals learned of the loss of Strasburg just one day after introducing the club’s other megasuperstar prospect, Bryce Harper. The Nats had a press conference to introduce the 17-year-old Harper to the media Thursday. The young slugger from Las Vegas mashed 12 home runs (some landing in the third deck) in batting practice before being introduced to the press.

Since Harper is still a teenager and has yet to play even one minor league game yet, a realistic time table for the arrival of both Strasburg and Harper in Washington would be 2012.

STRASBURGMANIA

 

STEPHEN STRASBURG STRIKES OUT 14 IN BIG LEAGUE DEBUT

It may be hard to believe but Washington Nationals rookie pitcher Stephen Strasburg’s Major League debut actually EXCEEDED expectations.

Incredibly, Strasburg struck out 14 (including the last seven batters he faced) while walking none in a 4-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates. That was one strikeout short of baseball’s all-time record for a Major League debut. The 14 strikeout/0 walk performance was also historic. That many strikeouts with zero walks has happened only a handful of times since 1900.

New teammate Adam Dunn called Strasburg’s performance “the best-pitched game” he’s ever seen. Strasburg was in complete command and reached over 100 MPH on the radar gun on multiple occassions. Strasburg’s changeup actually registered 90 MPH.

STEPHEN STRASBURG CARD GOING FOR OVER $10,000 ON E-BAY

 

A 2010 baseball card of Washington Nationals draft pick Stephen Strasburg is currrently going for more than $10,000 on eBay.

CHRIST IN CLEATS?

STEPHEN STRASBURG

Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg already has a nickname. It’s “Jesus.”

Strasburg has literally been annointed as the savior of the Nationals franchise after being the first pick in last year’s draft and receiving  $15 million contract to sign. MLB.com, the New York Times, and ESPN were among the media hordes on hand to cover Strasburg simply arriving in camp and throwing a bullpen session.

In fact, there were almost 200 weekend articles about Strasburg listed on Google today. Playerwives.com even ran a post asking fans to rate Strasburg’s wife. (She’s a 7.5 by the way.)

STRASBURG IMPRESSIVE IN PRO DEBUT

STEPHEN STRASBURG

Pitcher Stephen Strasburg, the number one overall draft pick by the Washington Nationals in this past June’s amateur baseball draft, made his professional debut Friday. Strasburg threw 50 pitches for the Arizona Desert Dogs in the Arizona Fall League. Thirty eight of the 50 pitches he threw were for strikes and Strasburg retired 10 of  the 11 batters he faced.

Strasburg averaged 95 miles per hour on his fastball. No batter reached second base.

SCOTT BORAS BLINKS

STEPHEN STRASBURG

It must be the economy.

For the first time is his superagent career, Scott Boras has caved. Boras represented San Diego State pitcher Stephen Strasburg who was the first overall pick in this year’s Major League Baseball amateur draft by the Washington Nationals. The pair were reportedly seeking a $50 million deal from the Nationals.

They didn’t come close.

There was even 1 minute and 17 seconds left before the 12:01 signing deadline imposed by Major league Baseball when Boras and Strasburg agreed to a $15.1 deal with Washington. That was an all-time record for a player selected in the draft, but it was WAY short of what Boras had been demanding. Early reports had Boras seeking the $50 million deal for Strasburg. Even early on Monday Boras appeared stuck on $20-22 million, only to eventually back down.

Strasburg was arguably the top college pitching prospect in history. Boras’ career has been all about breaking barriers and finding loopholes to get his amateur players (many of them pitchers) record-setting contracts. Strasburg seemed the perfect candidate to receive a mind-boggling signing bonus. The agent had tried to compare Strasburg with ace Japanese pitcher Diasuke Matsuzaka who received a $52 million contract (negotiated by Boras) when he came to the states and signed with the Boston Red Sox. He contended that Strasburg deserved just as much money. No Dice-K.

There were numerous reports that if Strasburg didn’t sign with Washington it would blow up the entire structure of the MLB Draft and be a key sticking point in the upcoming collective bargaining agreement in two years. The Strasburg deal also destroys any delusions Boras may have had about a rumored $100 million contract demand for Las Vegas prep star Bryce Harper.

 

 

An update on a couple of other amateur pitchers we’ve written about this year:

Oklahoma State pitcher Andrew Oliver, who successfully sued the NCAA over being able to hire an agent, got a $1.495 million bonus and signed with Detroit. Oliver was the Tigers second round draft pick.

Meanwhile, high school pitching legend Patrick Schuster signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks last week. Schuster threw four consecutive no-hitters for his Florida high school earlier this year. He was drafted in the 13th round by the Diamondbacks. Schuster got a $450,000 signing bonus.

 

ANDREW OLIVER: HERO PITCHER TOOK THE NCAA TO COURT

 

HIGH SCHOOL NO-HIT LEGEND PATRICK SCHUSTER

WORST ORGANIZATION IN SPORTS HASN’T EVEN TALKED TO TOP DRAFT PICK

STEPHEN STRASBURG

The Washington Post’s top sports columnist, Tom Boswell, interviewed pitcher Stephen Strasburg over the All-Star break. Strasburg was in St. Louis picking up the Golden Spikes Award as the country’s top college baseball player.

Strasburg was chosen by the Washington Nationals as the first overall pick in this year’s Major League Baseball amateur draft. The 21-year-old is considered by some as the best college pitching prospect of all-time. Some experts have predicted that Strasburg could immediately step into the Nationals starting rotation. Hall-of-Famer Tony Gwynn, Strasburg’s college coach, says he would be the team’s number one pitcher from day one and it’s not like the Nationals couldn’t use the help.After finishing last season with the worst record in baseball, the Nationals are currently 26-61 and, once again, the worst team in baseball.

However, any signing appears to be a long way off. Strasburg’s agent, Scott Boras, is reportedly seeking a $50 million signing bonus. That has paralyzed the Nationals. Strasburg told Boswell that he has NEVER heard from the team since they drafted him a month ago. That’s horrific news for Washington baseball fans. The team only has until midnight one month from today to sign Strasburg or they lose their rights to him. The same thing happened to the Nationals last season when they failed to sign pitcher Aaron Crow.

Even worse, the Nationals will probably have the top pick in next year’s draft and the guy (Bryce Harper) who is expected to go number one then is also represented by Boras. So, instead of coming away with the top college pitching prospect ever and the prep star that was recently featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated as baseball’s new messiah in back-to-back drafts, the Nationals may end up with nothing. Thanks only to their own cheapness.

 

STRASBURG AND BRYCE HARPER COULD BE THE CORNERSTONES OF THE NATIONALS FRANCHISE FOR THE NEXT 20 YEARS

MLB DRAFT IS TODAY

STEPHEN STRASBURG

For the first time in history, the Major League Baseball Network will televise the 2009 First-Year Player Draft. The MLB Network will actually start tv coverage at 6:00 p.m.

Although the baseball draft will never compare to the Mel Kiper Jr.-inspired mania of the NFL Draft (or even the NBA’s), MLB is hoping to draw a niche tv audience. The big story in this year’s draft is pitcher Stephen Strasburg of San Diego State, who is being called the greatest college pitching prospect in history. The MLB Network is actually designing much of its coverage around Starsburg.

The industry is already buzzing about Strasburg’s potential $50 million asking price. He is being represented by superagent Scott Boras. Strasburg not only went 13-1 with a 1.22 ERA and 195 strikeouts in 119 innings, but he also hit 103 MPH on the radar gun on multiple occassions.

Strasburg will probably be picked number one overall by the hapless Washington Nationals. The only exception would be if Washington decides they can’t afford the young pitcher.

Strasburg’s manager is former Major league superstar Tony Gwynn. Gwynn says Strasburg would be able to immediately step into the Nationals starting rotation and be their best pitcher. Gwynn also said Strasburg could join his old club, the San Diego Padres, and immediately be their #3 starter behind Jake Peavy and Chris Young.

Whether Strasburg throws a pitch for a Major League team this season is very much open for debate. Most scouting directors oppose Strasburg jumping immediately to the Majors. Besides, he’ll probably spend the entire summer having Boras haggling over his contract. The all-time record bonus ever paid to a college pitcher was the just over $10 million the Chicago Cubs paid mark Prior of USC. As we mentioned, Boras is seeking $50 million for Strasburg.

 

 

SCOTT BORAS

STEPHEN STRASBURG IS THE GREATEST PITCHING PROSPECT EVER

 

STEPHEN STRASBURG

Maybe San Diego State pitcher Stephen Strasburg really IS worth $50 million straight out of college.

Friday, Strasburg solidified his position as perhaps the greatest college pitching prospect in history with a no-hitter against Air Force. Strasburg also struck out 17 in the game, moving his record to 11-0 on the season. It’s the second time he has no-hit Air Force this year. The 20-year-old pitcher is expected to be the first player picked in next month’s Major League draft. The usually tight-fisted Washington Nationals have indicated they will pick Strasburg.

Strasburg will be represented by superagent Scott Boras who has indicated he wants a $50 million signing bonus for his client. Not only is Strasburg the best player in college baseball statistically, but he also has the physical tools. Strasburg is 6-foot-5 and his fastball has been clocked at 102 mph. That’s as fast as any pitcher in history has thrown.

COLLEGE PITCHER WANTS $50 MILLION

STEPHEN STRASBURG

San Diego State pitcher Stephen Strasburg is projected to be the first pick in the upcoming Major League Baseball draft. The 6-foot-4 right-hander has struck out 74 batters in 34.1 innings while playing for Tony Gwynn’s team so far this season. Strasburg’s fastball has been clocked at 100 mph.

Some are calling Strasburg the best college pitching prospect of all-time. That’s debatable. What’s not up for argument is that Strasburg will be the most expensive amateur pitcher in history. Several reports have his agent, Scott Boras, asking for a $50 million contract. That’s almost 5 times the money that USC pitcher Mark Prior received to sign in 2001. Pitcher David Price got $8.8 million from Tampa Bay after being the number one pick in the draft in 2007.

There is currently a YouTube video out of Strasburg’s 23 strikeout game against Utah last year where Strasburg threw a one-hitter:

 

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