Should Nats let Strasburg pitch in SD this weekend?
by simmons on May 24, 2010 4:15 PM EDT
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Print619 Sports in San Diego just posted this insane open letter to Nats front office asking if Strasburg can open his big league career at Petco Park this weekend when the Nats play the Padres. Yes he is San Diego native, yes he pitched at San Diego State, yes he is technically past the Super Two arbitration stage, and yes Petco is a pitchers park (and he has pitched there before while at San Diego State).....BUT, why would the team open him up on the road. Hes a Washington National, not a San Diego Padre, so the DC fans should get 1st crack at him. He will pitch in San Diego eventually. Here is the post
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Why would the light-hitting Padres want to face him?
The answer is no, thanks. June 4 is plenty early enough. And, to be honest, I hope they let him skip his next start completely and come to DC ultra-refreshed, with an extra 6 innings left in the bank.
Rob
"Winfield goes back to the wall. He hits his head on the wall and it rolls off! It's rolling all the way back to second base! This is a terrible thing for the Padres!" -- Jerry Coleman
I'm actually neutral on this. If he goes out and dominates it's the best thing for the team to use the bullets in the majors.
On the other hand, I’d rather my June 4 ticket have the most historical value possible. You know everybody’s going to be saying “I was there when Strasburg made his first start!” I’ll actually have ticket stub to prove it.
Ian Desmond...because the future starts now for the Washington Nationals.
Why would the light-hitting Padres want to face him?
Thats a really stupid question $$$$$$$$
Rather see him start in DC though and I’m sure he will
Thanks for your input.
Rob
"Winfield goes back to the wall. He hits his head on the wall and it rolls off! It's rolling all the way back to second base! This is a terrible thing for the Padres!" -- Jerry Coleman
by RobBobS on May 24, 2010 8:37 PM EDT up reply actions 1 recs
I could see it going either way.
I’m sure he’d love to pitch in his hometown, but I don’t know if the Nationals would want to take that PR hit, especially after so many tickets have been sold. They haven’t announced anything yet, so they certainly don’t owe anyone anything, but they have the opportunity to score a lot of new fans on the back of his popularity, and I don’t know if they’d want to trade that for a start in San Diego.
+100
The way to capitalize on all this buzz is to pitch him at home. At this point hurrying him by one week runs a (small) risk of turning him into a Super Two player, and a much larger risk of sticking a thumb in the eye of your fan base. Even though I have tickets for June 4 I’d be OK with them starting him later in the homestand – but I’d be kinda peeved if after all of the hype they had his first ML start be on the road (although if they did, I understand the sentimental appeal of a hometown start).
From a baseball standpoint...
…if he’s guaranteed of missing Super 2 there isn’t much point of saving bullets. This past saving bullets start was kind of confusing to me.
Ian Desmond...because the future starts now for the Washington Nationals.
I'm not going to be mad about it either way.
I will be mad if he doesn’t start on June 4. They know the way the ticket sales are going at this point, and I’d feel a bit jobbed if I spent for one of the worst value seats in the park just to see a typical game.
Ian Desmond...because the future starts now for the Washington Nationals.
it is common to let a big time kid start on the road 1st
but it doesn’t matter where he pitches he is already a media circus…I bet the AAA parks have seen more media with him than anybody else…way maybe Jordan when he played baseball
by Rickfansince76 on May 25, 2010 11:54 AM EDT reply actions
I believe one of the teams he played on the road said that Hideki Irabu outdrew Stras.
Might have been a midweek game, though. I can’t really remember. Was that the Rochester game?
Ian Desmond...because the future starts now for the Washington Nationals.
Strasburg contract...Season's 2013, 2014 and 2015 could cost a small fortune.
Strasburg will receive a $7.5 million signing bonus with $2.5 million paid 15 days after approval of the contract, $2.5 million paid in January 2010 and another $2.5 million paid in January 2011.
He is scheduled to receive a $400,000 salary in 2009, but that is prorated to approximately $100,000. He then will get a $2 million salary in 2010, $2.5 million in 2011 and $3 million in 2012.
(Info above is from Jayson Stark in 2009)
So we're talking about basically...
4.5M in 2010, 5M 2011, and 3Mil plus arbitration? for these three years. 5 mil a year for this kind of guy is quite the bargain provided he his the innings totals he’s projected to hit. Even if he ends up like a David Price (buzz year one, disappointment year 2, studly start year 3) I still think this is a bargain.
Ian Desmond...because the future starts now for the Washington Nationals.
I think the contract money buys out the arbitration year. So, just 3 million.
Then comes the fun stuff. I hope they aren’t too far apart on arbitration so they can come to an agreement before Bruneying him.
how about just the ceremonial 1st pitch?
i would actually be ok with him starting away. it would be a gesture in support of baseball culture (hometown an all) at the expense of some $. I think they could parlay it as two 1st games (1st game and 1st homegame). down the road, i dont think there will be a lot of begrudging by those that had their hearts set on June 4th. Besides, there’s no firm guarantee he’ll even be up for that series
Very creative...
…but they aren’t going to have him miss a spot in the rotation before the debut. Pretty creative, though.
Ian Desmond...because the future starts now for the Washington Nationals.
Love San Diego but I want him starting here in DC on June 4th
http://nbcsports.msnbc.com/id/37338894/ns/sports-player_news/
This season I will expect the worst but I will be prepared for 'worser'.
by LOUtheMETandNATSfan on May 25, 2010 5:41 PM EDT reply actions
It's official.
5/29 is out.
Zuckerman’s got him starting on Saturday in Syracuse.
Ian Desmond...because the future starts now for the Washington Nationals.
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