2010 Baseball Season/Off-Season Discussion

[pilferk]

His changeup last night was consistently (according to the guns) around 89-92mph, his curveball around 81-83mph and his fastball topped (according to the MASN guns) 98-101mph. Kid has stuff, but I'm still a little unsure how I feel about the attention surrounding him.

Really hope they don't blow him up like Prior and such.

Maybe there were two different curveballs being thrown?

 One definitely resembled a change up (though the grip might have been different...I wasn't really watching his hands) and was right around the 80 mph mark (+-) with a very slight break to it down in the zone.  It came in looking much closer to a fastball, though, with greatly reduced speed.  Saw a bunch of guys out in front of that pitch.

The other was a little faster (80 - 85) on most pitches, and the thing just dropped off the table.  Guys were swinging over the top of that pitch over and over again.

His fastball had good velocity AND movement.  

There were some "traditional" changeups that I remember (definitely fastball grip), but not as many.....

The hype doesn't bother me because it's a creation of the media, not the kid (or even the team).  We'll see how he handles it, though.

[tim_m]

I'm curious to see how he does once teams get to see him a few times. How well will hitters make adjustments. Once they have some tape to look at will they start to hit better off him? Is he mature enough yet to make the needed adjustments to stay ahead of the hitters making adjustments. We'll see, having Pudge on your team sure won't hurt. The kid can learn a lot from him.

[GeorgeSteele]

I'm curious to see how he does once teams get to see him a few times. How well will hitters make adjustments. Once they have some tape to look at will they start to hit better off him? Is he mature enough yet to make the needed adjustments to stay ahead of the hitters making adjustments. We'll see, having Pudge on your team sure won't hurt. The kid can learn a lot from him.

I really doubt it will matter.  His combination of velocity and command at such a young age is reminiscent of Doc Gooden -- and everyone's saying Starburg's stuff is even better!  Gooden was dominant early in his career until the drugs and injuries derailed him.  So long as this guy stays healthy and clean, I think we'll be witnessing a once-in-a-generation force. 

Barring injury, I'd be very surprised if this kid didn't finish this season with at least 10 wins, K per inning and a sub-3.00 era.  Next season, Cy Young. 

[Falcon]

I'll keep my Strasberg evaluation short and sweet.

It's the best rookie pitching debut I have ever seen, bar none.

It's going to be fun watching him, hopefully for a long time to come.
 

[D]

I tell u what Falcon

the way he recovered in the 4th inning after getting into some trouble showed great poise that can't be taught.

[Falcon]

I tell u what Falcon

the way he recovered in the 4th inning after getting into some trouble showed great poise that can't be taught.

No doubt about it D, amazing.

I think my most "Holy shit' moment was when he went 3-0 on someone (forgot who) and gave the guy 3 "here ya go, hit me if ya can" fastballs and the hitter had no chance..

[D]

absolutely and to respond after giving up the runs by striking out 7 straight i think it was.. who does that?

[tim_m]

Any ideas on how much they'll let this kid pitch this year? I doubt they're gonna let him get into the upper 100s or over 200. You don't wanna destroy this kids arm in less then a season.

[tim_m]

I'm curious to see how he does once teams get to see him a few times. How well will hitters make adjustments. Once they have some tape to look at will they start to hit better off him? Is he mature enough yet to make the needed adjustments to stay ahead of the hitters making adjustments. We'll see, having Pudge on your team sure won't hurt. The kid can learn a lot from him.

I really doubt it will matter.  His combination of velocity and command at such a young age is reminiscent of Doc Gooden -- and everyone's saying Starburg's stuff is even better!  Gooden was dominant early in his career until the drugs and injuries derailed him.  So long as this guy stays healthy and clean, I think we'll be witnessing a once-in-a-generation force. 

Barring injury, I'd be very surprised if this kid didn't finish this season with at least 10 wins, K per inning and a sub-3.00 era.  Next season, Cy Young. 

Might not but i guess we'll just have to wait and see. I still want to see him against a good hitting team.  It looks like he'll get a game against Atlanta and San Diego before the break. Those games will be fun to see how he does.

[pilferk]

Any ideas on how much they'll let this kid pitch this year? I doubt they're gonna let him get into the upper 100s or over 200. You don't wanna destroy this kids arm in less then a season.

They're saying 100 big league innings (he already put in 50 in the minors).  I'd say we'll see about 15 to 17 total starts out of him (and that includes the one we just saw, so 14-16 more).  Probably be with Washington, assuming they don't skip him, til the end of August...maybe VERY early September.

Then they bench him, no matter what, and send him home for the holidays (no winter ball).

He'll be back in spring training, and they expect to get 180 innings+ out of him, all in the bigs, next year.

All that depending on effectiveness and health, of course.

[pilferk]

Might not but i guess we'll just have to wait and see. I still want to see him against a good hitting team.  It looks like he'll get a game against Atlanta and San Diego before the break. Those games will be fun to see how he does.

I do too.  But looking at the rotation and the way the Nats schedule breaks down...it's gonna be awhile.

But here's something to think about:

The Pirates lineup may be aenemic.....but has any other pitcher gone 7, given up 4 hits, and struck out 14 against them this year, with NO walks?

And they've faced some good pitching this year.....

[D]

gonna check the schedule and if strasburg pitches in Atlanta im gonna go watch him... would be tempted to eve go all the way to Cincy if necessary.

[tim_m]

gonna check the schedule and if strasburg pitches in Atlanta im gonna go watch him... would be tempted to eve go all the way to Cincy if necessary.

If there are no weather delays or anything like that. He should pitch against Atlanta the next time they play eachother. The first game of the series i think.

[tim_m]

Might not but i guess we'll just have to wait and see. I still want to see him against a good hitting team.  It looks like he'll get a game against Atlanta and San Diego before the break. Those games will be fun to see how he does.

I do too.  But looking at the rotation and the way the Nats schedule breaks down...it's gonna be awhile.

But here's something to think about:

The Pirates lineup may be aenemic.....but has any other pitcher gone 7, given up 4 hits, and struck out 14 against them this year, with NO walks?

And they've faced some good pitching this year.....

Not that i can think of. It won't be that long. They have series' against the Braves and Pads coming up just after interleague play. Barring any rainouts etc he should pitch against both.

[cotis]

In the first update with Stephen Strasburg in MLB 2k10, he is ranked a 87 overall.

Higher than a LOT of other SP out there that have proven themselves year after year.

[D]

I kinda compare it to when CC Sabbathia a couple years ago when he was terrible in Cle but got to Milwaukee and had all time great numbers. when a dominant pitcher goes against hitters who have no film or ability to study, the pitcher is gonna dominate.

once he gets around the league and makes enough starts where hitters can adjust, we will really see how great he is. i think he will be great but it still is premature after one start.

kind of like jason Heyward earlier.. started out with a bang, then pitchers figured out his weaknesses and he slumped, then he adjusted.

[cotis]

I just don't think that high of a rating is justified, after one start.

[faldor]

I just don't think that high of a rating is justified, after one start.

He's possibly the MOST hyped pitcher ever.  Fair or not, after a performance like he had in his debut a high rating is certainly justifiable.

[cotis]

But when he doesn't K 14 next game, his rating should go down right?

[faldor]

But when he doesn't K 14 next game, his rating should go down right?

No, his rating should only go down if he gets hit hard, and even then it shouldn't go down THAT much.  There's a reason there was so much anticipation for this guy.  People aren't expecting him to be another Tom Glavine.  He's supposed to be the next Roger Clemens, Pedro Martinez, Johan Santana.  And his first start didn't do anything to disprove that.