Sign Strasburg now!
As expected, the Washington Nationals drafted San Diego State pitcher Stephen Strasburg with the # 1 pick in the MLB First-Year Player Draft.
There was no question that Strasburg was the best prospect available. The 6'4", 220-pound hurler struck out 195 batters while issuing just 19 walks this season. And he did that in just 109 innings. That's almost two strikeouts per inning! Absurd!
Strasburg has been heralded as the "greatest pitching prospect ever." With a 13-1 record and an ERA of 1.32, the title seems to fit.
What better antitode for the Washington Nationals woes than a stud pitcher. Currently their pitchers sport a team ERA of 5.51. Shocker, the Nats entered tonight's game against the Cincinatti Reds with a record of 15-40.
No matter how long of a hitting streak Ryan Zimmerman puts together and no matter how many home runs Adam Dunn hits, the Nats desperately need some arms.
So Strasburg couldn't come at a better time.
But some people wonder whether the Nats will be able to sign the phenom.
Last year, they couldn't come to terms with their first-round pick, and this time they'll have to deal with super agent Scott Boras who supposedly is shooting for a record-shattering $50 million contract for Strasburg.
You know what I say? Give it to him! Sign Strasburg now!
Why not? What do the Nats have to lose? I say sign him today and call him up tomorrow! Why wait? Don't negotiate back and forth until the August 15th deadline. Bring some excitement to DC and get this horse on the mound as soon as possible.
Some might argue that Strasburg should work his way up through the minor leagues. Why? He throws over 100 mph! That's big league stuff. And that's big league stuff right now! Strasburg's coach at San Diego State was Hall of Famer Tony Gwynn. When asked who he'd compare Strasburg to, he didn't have an answer. Strasburg is that special. So why delay the inevitable?
The Nats' current ace is John Lannan. He's a 3rd or 4th starter for most teams. Strasburg immediately becomes the ace and puts fans in the seats. The Nats need that desperately. So don't debate. Don't hestitate. Sign Stephen Strasburg now!
-Glass Joe
 |
Haha. Bring him up now. You have jokes. He would get eaten alive. Do you understand a single thing about baseball?
I agree, you should sign the man no matter what. Not 50 mill cuz thats just ridiculous to ask 5 times the record amount. But 15 or 20 mill, no doubt.
But...
I wouldn't rush bringing this guy up. The Nubz are a horrible franchise in a stacked division. Sounds kinda like a Rays a few years back. So use them as a blueprint. Be patient, and accept the fact that were gonna be dreadful for another 2 years, stack up top prospects, and watch out for the NATS in 2011.
The nats would be better off trading him to the red sox or some other team that is loaded with triple a talent. The nats need 5 pitchers, not 1.
If he doesn't sign this year, the nats can just draft him first next year. That would be equal to shooting Boras the bird.
JP, here's some advice. When looking for a book publisher, please hold out as long as possible. That way, we may not ever have to read your trifling book, titled, "Me, Myself and I. My 3 favorite people"
He's going to get paid regardless - but I don't think bringing him to the big club right away will pay him any huge benefits - just like boxers get punched in the face, pitchers wear out their shoulders and elbows - especially when they throw gas - let's give him some time to develop before we let his confidence get destroyed by MLB hitters.
JP,
You ask what the Nats have to lose by signing Strasburg for 50 million? Duh, 50 million and they keep escalating the already bad precedent to overpay high draft picks. These overinflated salaries of the MLB stars will eventually lead the MLB down the same road as General Motors. They need a cap on players' salaries before prices for tickets get out of reach of your regular joe baseball fan.
I would be surprised if Strasburg doesn't get a huge contract, just like I'm surprised that you actually still have a contract Flaim.
Blindkev is right. These stupid high salaries for the top draft picks defeat the purpose of having the number one pick. The worst team in the league is given the number one pick so they can better their talent, thereby attempting to add a level of parity to the league right? How can the worst team develop more talent when they've got so much money wrapped up into a single prospect?
And as far as "major league stuff", two pitches does not make a major league pitcher.
The Nubinals might not win 40 games this year.
Dude, please don't say "bring him up now!" History is littered with number 1 picks who were mishandled. No pitcher CHOSEN #1 has EVER won a Cy Young. Only 3 have been marginally effective.
Start him in AA... maybe even AAA and let him pitch to some professional hitters. Speed of pitch is probably the 3rd or 4th most important thing!!!!!!!!!!
Having Strasburg pitch for the Nationals this season would be like JP stepping into the ring against Jay Watts.... He's not ready yet!
---- Some might argue that Strasburg should work his way up through the minor leagues. Why? He throws over 100 mph! That's big league stuff. And that's big league stuff right now!---
Hanrahan has been hurling 97 and getting shelled.
----Speaking of "signings" can I get an autographed copy of your book?
JP has a smaller head than that guy who had his head shrunk in Beetlejuice.
Your viewpoints have a lot of holes in them....much like the window my son Jawnnn decided to smash when the donk locked himself out on the patio...can I have an early copy of your book so I can beat some sense into my brilliant son.
For the sake of argument, let's assume the Nationals sign him instead of what many fear which is the Nats being unwilling to match Scott Boras' demands or worse, the Nats being willing to open up the Treasury and Strasburg refusing to sign because he doesn't want to play here--for any price. (In other words, he pulls a John Elway or an Eli Manning.)
I'm willing to wait to see Strasburg pitch for Washington in 2010. He's too valuable a commodity to risk injuring by rushing him to the majors real soon. Now I certainly would post his progress in Potomac, Harrisburg, and Syracuse frequently on the Nats scoreboard and at MASN, but let's bring him up when the guys in the minors say he's ready.
The Nationals have dug themselves a deep hole, but making panic moves is not going to help. First things are first---get Strasburg signed. Then and ONLY then should the Nats worry about how to get him seasoned for the bigs.
I wonder if JP uses as many exclamation points in his book as he does in this post?
Seven exclamation points in twelve mini-paragraphs translates to roughly 72,000 of them in his highly-anticipated manifesto. Pretty good writing...