04/23/24
March 21, 2010
Nationals Send Stephen Strasburg to Minors: Despite being the team's "best pitcher in spring training" according to USA Today, pitcher Stephen Strasburg was sent to the minors on Saturday by the Washington Nationals. "I'm not a believer that a player can come from amateur baseball and step right into the major leagues," Nationals GM Mike Rizzo said. "I've seen terrific prospects attempt it and the failure rate is too great. This is a prized asset." Strasburg, the top pick in this year's Major League draft, will pitch for the Double A Harrisburg Senators.
Isn't some of this decision based on not losing a year of Strasburgs's service?
posted by WeedyMcSmokey at 06:15 PM on March 21, 2010
Isn't some of this decision based on not losing a year of Strasburgs's service?
Exactly.
If he comes up, there is a specific date on the calendar where he will have spent enough time in the minors that he won't go to free agency for an extra year.
The Nationals have a fantastic rotation, they can afford to let him sit in the minors for a while.
Whu?
It's generally considered a good thing if a pitcher can average at least 2 K per BB (Shandler calls this "command", and won't recommend any pitcher that doesn't have at least 2.00). Anything less, and you are running the risk of getting beaten around by even average hitters.
Their projected 5 starters are (2009 numbers):
Lannan -1.31 K/BB ratio
Marquis - 1.44 K/BB ratio
Olsen - 1.68 K/BB ratio
Mock - 1.64 K/BB ratio
Martin - 1.54 K/BB ratio
This is a rotation that is going to get hammered by any team that shows ANY patience at the plate.
In comparison, all 5 of Philadelphia's projected starters (Halladay, Happ, Hamels, Moyer, Blanton) have K/BB > 2.00.
posted by grum@work at 08:13 PM on March 21, 2010
Your snark detector is set to Imperial units. Don't think YYM really loves DC's pitching.
posted by yerfatma at 11:03 PM on March 21, 2010
Your snark detector is set to Imperial units. Don't think YYM really loves DC's pitching.
Yes, it would seem to be broken.
posted by grum@work at 01:20 AM on March 22, 2010
Even if the decision is based on financial reasons, I think it is just fine for a team that is not going to compete anyways to send a him down. Even if he is one of their best five, it is not going to affect their place in the standings this year for him to be sent down to get some more seasoning. The fact that they are sending him down to double A instead of triple A would seem to indicate that they feel he needs more seasoning.
In double A, Strasburg will be facing many of the opposing teams most talented prospects (maybe not the most polished, but the most talented) and should he succeed there, a promotion by June is easily in his future.
posted by Demophon at 08:36 AM on March 22, 2010
Would you feel differently if you were a Nats fan with season tickets? I find this practice despicable. Like the Orioles with Wieters last year (or Tampa and David Price in 2008), they spend all off-season talking about how he's The One, then send him to the minors to save some money. I guess you could argue it'll be better for the fans in 2014 or whenever, but that's hard to swallow and assumes you won't be resigning the Greatest Pitcher of All-Time once his initial deal is up.
posted by yerfatma at 10:21 AM on March 22, 2010
As a Texas Rangers fan, I can vividly recall the way they rushed David Clyde, their best pitching prospect ever, to the Major Leagues in 1975 because they were desperate to sell tickets. They rushed him so quick, and used him so much, that he ended up with arm troubles and was out of the game five years later.
I think the Nats are doing the right thing to slow things down with Strasburg.
posted by rcade at 11:41 AM on March 22, 2010
Actually, as an Orioles fan I am elated that they did that with Wieters. The team wasn't going to compete in the AL East last year so letting him get some more seasoning while helping to hold on to him for extra time down the road was great. What is the point of winning a battle if you only end up losing the war?
Wieters development was not hurt by spending a few extra months riding the buses in the minors and I think it can only help Strasburg to see some lineups that feature nothing but professional hitters. Even the best collegiate lineups that he would have faced the last few years had 4, maybe 5 guys that would be playing after their collegiate eligibility was up. At the majors he would be facing 8 major league hitters (9 during interleague play). He may have the best "stuff" in the world, but if the best can spot a weakness, any weakness, they will exploit it. Spending some time in the minors to eliminate those issues can only help. Just look at some of the guys in the past who went down to the minors and came back to great success (Roy Halladay and Cliff Lee are two quick examples that come to mind)
Besides the results of guys who went straight to the majors without any minor league seasoning isn't exactly the most impressive. Other than Dave Winfield I don't see anyone on that list who is gonna be banging down the doors of Cooperstown.
posted by Demophon at 11:48 AM on March 22, 2010
Joe Pos on the conventional wisdom of sending players down to the minors:
"I can't imagine a team handling any pitcher more poorly than the Cleveland Indians handled Bob Feller. Right? I mean, here's a 17-year-old kid, throws impossibly hard, has no idea where the ball's going. You HAVE to send that kid the minor leagues, right? You have to teach him how to pitch. Only the Indians don't, they pitch him in relief, then they give him a start (a 17-year-old kid? Starting?) and he throws a complete game and strikes out 15. Before the year's out, he strikes out 17 in a game (and walks nine). A year later, he makes 19 big league starts. The next year, they throw him a preposterous 277 innings. And for the next three years, he goes 76-33 with a 145 ERA+ and leads the league in strikeouts all three seasons, and is one of the best pitchers ever."
The article also includes a counter-point to your list of players who skipped the minor leagues (I think the list is artificially short since it starts in the 60s): "From what I can tell, 83 players have bypassed the minor leagues . . . and eight of them are in the Hall of fame . . . and then another two dozen of them were very good players. "
posted by yerfatma at 08:44 AM on March 23, 2010
I just added up Jim Abbott's earnings, nearly $13, 000,000. I loved his guts and determination. For me he was a joy to watch. His career fielding stats of .976 and five years of 1.000 are testament to a young man who never thought he was different and he should be an example for all, young or old. I love his quote, "Some of you may know that my career statistics weren't that great. There were some incredible highlights and some agonizing low lights. The truth is, I won't go to the hall of fame. But if a career can be measured by special moments, lessons learned, and a connection with people then I would stack mine up with oneness. Maybe there is an obligation to share. To try and learn from the experiences life puts us through." - Jim Abbott The "oneness" part, I'm not sure of the meaning, but I think it is good in his case.
posted by gfinsf at 09:42 AM on March 23, 2010
Counter-point to Joe Pos and Bob Feller: The Indians didn't have millions of dollars invested in Bob Feller.
If it's back in the 1940s, then Strasburg is starting on opening day.
In reverse if it's 2010, Feller isn't even signed at age 17 and still has to be drafted. When he is, he's signed for millions and millions of dollars, and the Indians make sure he is absolutely ready when he comes up in 2011. He then proceeds to have an even better career than he did in real life (simply because he doesn't lose any time to WWII).
posted by grum@work at 11:41 AM on March 23, 2010
True. They also weren't the least bit worried if his arm fell off.
posted by yerfatma at 12:40 PM on March 23, 2010
The Nationals have a fantastic rotation, they can afford to let him sit in the minors for a while.