Stephen Strasburg. If you have no clue what I’m talking about one, why the hell are you reading my blog?? And two, please get out of the hole you live in, turn on the TV, computer, radio, whatever…trust me you’ll hear someone somewhere talking about this kid. He’s the Phenom, The Great White Hope, The Golden Boy. All American as apple pie, and hey he even plays for the Washington Nationals!! How can we not all love this kid and bow down to his glorious 99 MPH fastball?
Ummmm….not me. I am not drinking the Strasburg flavored Kool Aid. Sure, the kid is good. But haven’t we had enough of the phenoms who can’t hack it? The rockets the burn an re-entry to the real world? The sad stories featured on SportCenter Sundays?? People you are all being blinded by Strasburg’s pretty white smile and smoking fastball…even knowledgable sports people are joing the cult. But not me, and here’s why…
Lets take a look at two well know phenoms-Kerry Wood and Mark Prior. Remember them? Saviors of the Cubbies, they were going to take them all the way and break that curse and get that ring. And in the process be this dominating guys who struck fear into the hearts of batters. How did that one work out? But, look at their first 5 starts in the pros (as many as Strasburg has as I am writing this)
Kerry Wood was 3-2 with a 6.00 ERA. He averaged 6.2 innings per game, along with 2.2 walks and 9 strikeouts. His total strikeouts was 45. Mark Prior-the comeback kid-was 2-1 with 2 no decisions and a 3.75 ERA in his first five starts. He averaged 6 innings, along with 2.2 walks and about 8 strikeouts. His five game total was 43.
Now here’s Mr. God’s Gift to Baseball stats: 2-2 with 1 no decision and a 2.27 ERA. He is averaging about 6.2 innings, 2 walks, and 13 strikeouts, for a total of 48.
Are we seeing the similarities folks? Strasburg is not some super hero. He has started out as well as others considered phenoms but not all that much better. If you play out his stats for the entire season, it projects to a record of 14-14 with about a 3.00 ERA and about 320 strikeouts. Not Cy Young material if you ask me. And frankly that will not get the Nats to the promised land of playoffs and championships.
Now both Wood and Prior suffered major injuries, so we have to take that into account. But if this is any indication, Strasburg does not seem like he will be the second coming of Cy Young and Nolan Ryan all in one. He is not alone going to take the Nats franchise to the next level. In fact Satrasburg could be putting himself in the line of fire for a major injury. Throwing that hard constantly with that many strikeouts can put an awful strain on the arm.
We need to stop making Strasburg this super hero idol. I know MLB is doing it to repair its image but come on! You want a feel good story there’s a few to pick from. Like RA Dickey a career no one special. Who is now 6-1 with a 2.98 ERA, 15 walks, 38 strikeouts, and leading the NY Mets to an improbable run to take charge of the NL East. Let someone like him go to the All Star Game instead of the golden boy who hasn’t even been here long enough to get his uniform cap dirty.
Hey maybe one day Strasburg will prove me wrong…until then no bandwagon jumping or kool aid drinking for me…I shall not worship at the altar of Strasburg.
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