In recent memory, no Major League Baseball pitcher has had a more heralded debut than the Washington Nationals’ Stephen Strasburg. The first overall pick in the 2009 MLB Draft, Strasburg made his first start in the majors on June 8, 2010.
That game, known to Nationals fans as “Strasmas,” (because Strasburg’s arrival caused an emotion not unlike Christmas) did not disappoint. Strasburg struck out 14 Pittsburgh Pirates over seven innings in a winning performance.
Since that day, however, Strasburg’s career has taken a downward trend. Strasburg landed on the disabled list by the end of July in 2010, then came back a few weeks later only to suffer a torn ligament in pitching elbow. The result of that injury? Tommy John surgery, ending his season and keeping him out for nearly the entire 2011 season as well.
In 2012, Strasburg posted a 15-6 record with a 3.16 ERA in 28 games. However, his entire season was surrounded by a cloud of doubt due to “the shutdown.”
Nationals management decided to shut down Strasburg once he reached 160 innings pitched in the season, keeping with team policy for any pitcher in their first full year since Tommy John surgery.
The decision was widely criticized by fans and media due to the fact that the Nationals earned the best record in baseball in 2012 (98-64) largely in thanks to his performance on the mound. When the playoffs came around, Strasburg was a spectator to his team’s National League Division Series loss to the St. Louis Cardinals.
Once Spring Training rolled around early this year, Strasburg was expected to play the entire season and be a key factor in a deep playoff run for the Nationals. That speculation has gone for naught, as Strasburg’s 2013 season has turned into a roller coaster ride.
As of Aug. 20, Strasburg is 6-9 with a 2.93 ERA. Statistically, the largest problem has been a lack of run support. His ERA sits more than 20 points below his 2012 mark, but he’s suffered six losses in which he’s surrendered three runs or fewer have doomed his ability to post a winning record because the team just hasn’t been hitting behind him.
However, Strasburg’s bad starts in 2013 have been nothing short of troubling. In consecutive starts against the Cardinals and Atlanta Braves in April, Strasburg dug his team an early hole with a lack of control on the mound and an inability to bounce back from adversity. A few weeks later, Strasburg unraveled in the fifth inning of a start against the Chicago Cubs, giving up four runs following an error.
Then, Strasburg was pulled from a game against the Braves on May 31 after only two innings due to a perceived injury. Add in another two-inning start against the Miami Marlins in which he allowed seven runs, and Strasburg’s season was getting more confusing by the game.
Flash forward to Aug. 11 when Strasburg went out and proved why he is one of the best pitchers in baseball by striking out 10 Philadelphia Phillies in his first career complete game shutout.
Only six days later, the most bizarre incident of Strasburg’s eventful season occurred.
The Nationals and Braves were playing at Atlanta’s Turner Field in the second game of a weekend series on Saturday Aug. 17. In game one of the series on Friday Aug. 16, Washington left fielder Bryce Harper was supposedly hit by a pitch on purpose by Braves pitching.
Strasburg retaliated Saturday by hitting Atlanta left fielder Justin Upton on purpose in the first inning of Saturday’s game, earning a warning from home plate umpire Marvin Hudson.
In the second inning, Strasburg unraveled. After walking center fielder Jordan Schafer, he threw three consecutive wild pitches to shortstop Andrelton Simmons. Hudson had no choice but to eject Strasburg due to the previous warning.
National media responded by accusing Strasburg of intentionally trying to hit Simmons. Seemingly ignored was the fact the four previous pitches were all balls, and the first wild pitch was a curveball in the dirt and outside — certainly not the typical pitch for hitting batters.
Could Strasburg actually have been hurt? He was fairly quiet with the media after the game, not wanting to discuss the baffling situation.
Personally, I think Strasburg was neither injured nor trying to hit Simmons. Saturday’s game was merely the latest flare-up of Stephen Strasburg, the head case. Strasburg has not had vast experience with in-game adversity, as he often breezed through college games at San Diego State University and tore up the minor leagues.
Now, his only job is to pitch, and it is obvious that he overthinks it. If Strasburg is uncomfortable for any reason, he gives up runs in droves. Or at least he used to. Now, he seems to channel his inner Rick Ankiel and start pitching to the fans in the front row.
Strasburg and the Nationals need to take a long look at their ace and the state of his career. He is a rare physical talent — one that comes around once in a generation. Unless Strasburg can stabilize mentally, however, his future as a successful and consistent major league pitcher is in doubt.
Will Stephen Strasburg become the next Ankiel, or will he bounce back to be the potential Hall-of-Famer that scouts promised? Only time will tell. For now, it’s in the hands of the Nationals and Strasburg to figure out themselves. If Strasburg has become this generation's Rick Ankiel, here's to hoping he can hit like Ankiel could.