Stephen Strasburg

[Kivam]

Did anyone else watch his debut? I caught the last 2 innings - my god the kid is filthy.

[SBoydW]

I caught the highlights.. and yes holy bejeebers...  14k for any one is ridonkulous... and only in 7 innings...

[Kivam]

Someone already offered me Matt Kemp for him in a fantasy league - and I turned it down (mainly because Stras is keepable for the next decade and Kemp for only 1 more year)

[SBoydW]

I just realized that no one in either of my leagues had picked him up.... till yesterday....

[Samuraiflip05]

I haven't seen much of him....about 1/2 inning of work in the Nat/Indians game(he gave up a home run).  A little more down to earth in his second start.  Still got the win, but only 5(?) SO's, and 4 walks.  But, it does sound like this kid has some nasty stuff. 

[chuckievi]

He is pretty darn good, but I think the sports casters went a bit overboard praising him when he ripped apart the Pirates.  I mean its the Pirates...

[Karasayl]

I actually was at the game where he struck out 14 :) Funny since they are now selling a burger here at National Stadium called the "Strasburger", which has 14 pickels on it lol

[chuckievi]

I just hope for his sake he is the exception not the rule given the hype he has received.  Normally this ends in some sort of crash and burn scenario.

[Karasayl]

Well to be fair, with all DC teams...(even my beloved United) I dont expect anything to come of it in the end.  :-\

[SBoydW]

Sam... he had 8K and 5BB... though I believe a lot of his problems in his second start can be attributed to the mound.  If you look at the highlights, almost every time he threw a bad pitch it was because his foot slipped on the mound because the dirt wasn't packed right or something...

 

But still his over all line of 5.1 innings, 2H, 1 ER, 8K, and 5BB is impressive.

[Samuraiflip05]

My bad, I couldn't remember.  My thing about him is, much like Heyward he is practically being given rookie of the year just because. 

 

I say this with some small bias as I am a Cards fan and they have two top rookie getting NOOOOOOOOOO recognition in the RotY conversations. 

 

David Freese has a better average and comparible power number with the exception of home runs(10/4).  He also has 10 fewer SO's in fewer at bats than Heyward, yet not once have I heard anyone outside of a Cardinals broadcast booth mention his name. 

 

Jaime Garcia is 6-3 with a 1.59 ERA and 66 SO's.  Just 14 earned runs in 71 innings pitched.  Plus he has only given up 2 long balls....something Strasburg has already matched in his first 12 innings.  ;) ;D

 

But once again, noone is talking about him.....least nt that I have heard.  Have any of you heard of Freese or Garcia outside of me?  Cause it sure doesn't seem like MLB has...... >:(

[SBoydW]

Well I'll give you the Garcia argument but Heyward has way better numbers, save for average, than Freese.

[Samuraiflip05]

Meh, not terribly greater.  The kid has some great power and speed, I am just annoyed that he has practically been anointed rookie of the year since Spring Training.  ::)

 

Freese/Heyward:  H 67/61, DB 12/12, TR 1/3, HR 4/11, RBI 33/44, BB 19/39, SO 48/61, OBP .380/.383, SLG .441/.489, AVG .318/.266

  I don't count on things like Runs and Total bases, because those are dependant on those hitting behind you.  Like I said though, for me it is more about them getting NO recognition.  Freese is in the top five of several stats and the top ten(top6-7) of all the rest, and I haven't heard anyones name but Heyward. 

[SBoydW]

Another ridiculous start for Strausburg.

 

7 IP, 4H, 1ER, 0BB, 10K  Unfortunately he had no run support and got a no decision.

 

That gives him 32K and 5BB in 19.1 IP.  His ERA will probably be sub 2 if not it'll be very close...

[WWWwombat]

Meh, not terribly greater.  The kid has some great power and speed, I am just annoyed that he has practically been anointed rookie of the year since Spring Training.   ::)

 

Freese/Heyward:  H 67/61, DB 12/12, TR 1/3, HR 4/11, RBI 33/44, BB 19/39, SO 48/61, OBP .380/.383, SLG .441/.489, AVG .318/.266

   I don't count on things like Runs and Total bases, because those are dependant on those hitting behind you.  Like I said though, for me it is more about them getting NO recognition.  Freese is in the top five of several stats and the top ten(top6-7) of all the rest, and I haven't heard anyones name but Heyward. 

 

Total bases is not dependent on those hitting behind you.  The most telling stats for a hitter are OBP and SLG.  Heyward and Freese have been about equal value so far, but Heyward is 20 and was among the top prospects heading into the season so he is obviously getting more attention.  That's just the way hype works.  The best rookie so far in the NL is definitely Jaime Garcia.  Tyler Colvin of the Cubs is a guy to watch for though.  And of course there's Strasburg.  That kid is insane.  As for the AL, the best rookie so far has been Brennan Boesch of the Tigers (although his teammate Austin Jackson hasn't been too bad either).

[Samuraiflip05]

Holy Frak, Boyo, that 32 K puts him above the previous record holder for K's in first three rookie starts.  

 

 

 

Oh and I'm not saying that Freese is better than Heyward....just comparable....and not getting any recognition in the voting.  ;)

[Kivam]

Meh, not terribly greater.  The kid has some great power and speed, I am just annoyed that he has practically been anointed rookie of the year since Spring Training.   ::)

 

Freese/Heyward:  H 67/61, DB 12/12, TR 1/3, HR 4/11, RBI 33/44, BB 19/39, SO 48/61, OBP .380/.383, SLG .441/.489, AVG .318/.266

   I don't count on things like Runs and Total bases, because those are dependant on those hitting behind you.  Like I said though, for me it is more about them getting NO recognition.  Freese is in the top five of several stats and the top ten(top6-7) of all the rest, and I haven't heard anyones name but Heyward. 

 

Total bases has nothing at all to do with other hitters; that's simply whether your hits are singles or XBases.

 

BTW, Strasberg over his first 3 starts:

 

19.1 innings, 2W, 0L, 32K, 5BB, 4ER, 1.86ERA, .78 WHIP, .149 BA against.

 

Garcia's been terrific, but he doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Strasberg.  That's not a knock; there are very few pitchers who do.

 

 

[SBoydW]

Garcia's been terrific, but he doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Strasberg.  That's not a knock; there are very few pitchers who do.

 

While I agree Strasburg had been terrific... I think it's a little early to super-starify him...

[Kivam]

Garcia's been terrific, but he doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Strasberg.  That's not a knock; there are very few pitchers who do.

 

While I agree Strasburg had been terrific... I think it's a little early to super-starify him...

 

Have you had a chance to watch him pitch (as opposed to just reading his box scores)?  I've literally never seen anything like it

[Samuraiflip05]

Well his stamina will be the major test.  What happens when people get a little more accustomed to him.  If he continues through that, then SS him.  ;)

[SBoydW]

Garcia's been terrific, but he doesn't deserve to be mentioned in the same sentence as Strasberg.  That's not a knock; there are very few pitchers who do.

 

While I agree Strasburg had been terrific... I think it's a little early to super-starify him...

 

Have you had a chance to watch him pitch (as opposed to just reading his box scores)?  I've literally never seen anything like it

 

I watched his second game, and he was terrific but Sam brings up an important point.  He has yet to throw a Major League season.  I think he threw a total of 97+ innings his last year in college.  To be great I think he needs to maintain this kind of greatness over 200+ innings pitched.

[Kivam]

True, but that can be said of any young pitcher.  There's no reason to think he can't handle it, and they'll likely cap his innings at 150 this year, to build him up to 200 by year 3.  I'll take 150 elite innings over 200 very good ones, when ranking pitchers

[SBoydW]

Not a terrible start, but definitely his worst of the year.

[Samuraiflip05]

I didn't get to see it, but it was mentioned during the game I was watching....sounded like a quick hook when he got in trouble?  Is that right? 

[SBoydW]

No it wasn't that quick.  The 7th was fairly torturous.  5 (4 attributed to Strasburg) runs were scored though only 3 were earned due to errors..