Online Now 3278

The Blue Board

We aren't just committed to college football; we're early enrolling in it.

On this Board 1741
Record: 7394 (2/14/2012)

Online now 3091
Record: 18710 (2/25/2012)

Boards ▾

The Blue Board

We aren't just committed to college football; we're early enrolling in it.

The Green Board

Where the madness isn't just in March.

Big Ten Board (Beta)

Reply

Stephen Strasburg's Innings Limit

  • So the Nats are in a bind. The good news is they are in first place, they have the NL's best and MLB's most hyped rookie, and they have an elite young ace. That ace, Stephen Strasburg is 9-1 with 2.46 ERA, 110 Ks, and a 1.04 WHIP. He is among the elite young pitchers in baseball--and the word young is probably unnecessary in that sentence.

    Unfortunately, Strasburg has had arm surgery in the past. In addition to that, he had thrown less than 100 career MLB innings coming into this year. Taking into account those two factors, the Nationals reportedly placed a 160 inning limit on Strasburg this year, a limit he is already half way to reaching at 84.0.

    The Nationals dilemma is how to handle his innings limit. They could it to a hard line at 160, wait to see if and when he gets there and shut him down at the end of the season when he hits 160. The problem with that is how they would justify shutting down their best player if they were in the middle of a pennant race. A second option is to let him pitch regularly until the team is eliminated from post-season contention. That could be at the beginning of September or in the middle of October. The drawback here is that if they make a postseason run, Strasburg could approach 230-240 innings pitched, way, way over his limit. The third option is to shut him down now, or soon, for about a month and bring him back for the end of the season. That would preserve him for a potential playoff push AND keep his innings down, but he may come back rusty and need time to get back in the groove. This would be bad for him and the team.

    So, what should the Nats do?

    signature image signature image signature image

    thejumper5

  • Whenever he gets arm fatigue sit him a start. Seems like a Duh thing to me.

    fsufsu ●

  • Put him in the bullpen for a stretch. Play it by ear based on how the team is doing. Pull him out for a start here and there. If it looks like they're not going to make the playoffs, put him back into the starting rotation.

    buttesnake

  • Ill laugh so hard if they collapse without him

    signature image signature image signature image

    Not guilty y'all got to feel me

    eastcoastghost

  • They need to shut him down after 160 innings. They're not winning anything this year, if they make the post season their inexperience will show.

    Look at what happened to Michael Pineda, he had a history of niggling injuries going into his rookie year the Mariners didn't really hold him to a strict limit and he wore down considerably towards the end of the year and now he is out for all or most of 2012.

    signature image signature image signature image

    Hey Trojans, LSU's 74 are better than your 75.

    UChucky161861

  • U-Chucky said...

    he had a history of niggling injuries

    racciss

    signature image signature image signature image

    Not guilty y'all got to feel me

    eastcoastghost

  • sit him every 3-4 starts. that should stretch him to postseason without getting him rusty by sitting out for a long period.

    This post was edited by theharbinater on 6/21/2012 at 9:37 AM

    theharbinater

  • they screwed up by making him the #1 starter. if he was the #5 starter, he could get skipped every couple of series and naturally kept his innings low. the should have kept him out of the all star game and shut him down a week or so prior to that to get him rested for the 2nd half as well.

    roger huerta

  • theharbinater said...

    sit him every 3-4 starts. that should stretch him to postseason without getting him rusty by sitting out for a long period.

    Yankees tried it with Phil Hughes, and all it did was kill his rhythm for the second half of the season. I think it'd be better just to cut him off entirely around 150 and then use him sparingly out of the bullpen/think about bringing him back for the playoffs if necessary.

    signature image signature image signature image

    CMXI

  • They should trade Strasburg for Jair straight up

    rolltide06

  • I understand the limit and why they are doing it but they went about it wrong. To limit innings they should have made him the 5th starter and skipped him a time or two early in the season with the off days. On top of that add a DL stint after the break and he is pitching in Sept.

    "People always ask me if I wish I were bigger. I tell them no. I always wanted to be a miniature badass." Dustin Pedroia

    El Guapo

  • The Nationals brass have been re-thinking the innings limit now that it's known that they have a winner on their hand (team in 1st place, etc..) As long as Strasburg tells them that he's feeling OK, then they will continue to send him out there. The D.C. area is ready to embrace a winner, and have been showing up more and more for every home stand.

    signature image

    BushidoNole

  • Screw it, it isn't like there is a magic number for his shoulder or elbow to fail, if it is going to fail, it will fail no matter what. Let the kid pitch through the season.

    signature image signature image signature image

    Damaged goods

    MaizeandBlue21

  • They pretty much have to go with the flow, and Stephen will be able to let them know when something is feeling funny.

    Cant really sit him at this point, imo. He and Gio are tearing it up. If they make it into the playoffs healthy, those 2 could sit alot of batters down. Maybe the best 1-2 combo in all of baseball.

    CRgator1

  • BushidoNole said...

    The Nationals brass have been re-thinking the innings limit now that it's known that they have a winner on their hand (team in 1st place, etc..) As long as Strasburg tells them that he's feeling OK, then they will continue to send him out there. The D.C. area is ready to embrace a winner, and have been showing up more and more for every home stand.

    Strasburg is never going to tell the Nats that he wants to stop pitching for the year, the team has it's core locked up for many years there is no need to rush things.

    Nats will look awesome in a couple of years.

    C - Wilson Ramos
    1B - Michael Morse
    2B - Anthony Rendon
    3B - Ryan Zimmerman
    SS - Danny Espinosa
    LF - Jayson Werth
    CF - Brian Goodwin
    RF - Bryce Harper

    SP - Stephen Strasburg
    SP - Luc Giolito
    SP - Jordan Zimmerman
    SP - Gio Gonzalez
    SP - Ross Detwiler or Alex Meyer

    That's not even taking into account the money they will be able to spend on free agents.

    signature image signature image signature image

    Hey Trojans, LSU's 74 are better than your 75.

    UChucky161861

  • U-Chucky said...

    Strasburg is never going to tell the Nats that he wants to stop pitching for the year, the team has it's core locked up for many years there is no need to rush things.

    Nats will look awesome in a couple of years.

    C - Wilson Ramos
    1B - Michael Morse
    2B - Anthony Rendon
    3B - Ryan Zimmerman
    SS - Danny Espinosa
    LF - Jayson Werth
    CF - Brian Goodwin
    RF - Bryce Harper

    SP - Stephen Strasburg
    SP - Luc Giolito
    SP - Jordan Zimmerman
    SP - Gio Gonzalez
    SP - Ross Detwiler or Alex Meyer

    That's not even taking into account the money they will be able to spend on free agents.

    Will Edwin Jackson be extended?

    CRgator1

  • BushidoNole said...

    The Nationals brass have been re-thinking the innings limit now that it's known that they have a winner on their hand (team in 1st place, etc..) As long as Strasburg tells them that he's feeling OK, then they will continue to send him out there. The D.C. area is ready to embrace a winner, and have been showing up more and more for every home stand.

    roflmao DC sports are embarrassing. The nationals stadium experience is terrible and their fans are so fair weather. I went to a game once and many left before the bottom of th 9th in a 1 run game. Freaking Northern Virginia people who can't stay up past 10:30.

    Part of the reason why I love the passion of Baltimore teams and don't root for washington.

    This post was edited by Hot Sauce on 6/21/2012 at 2:49 PM

    Hot Sauce

  • I'm not sure, he only signed a 1 year deal because he wants to prove he is an elite pitcher. The Nats have the money to give him the deal he wants but Edwin could just be looking for a payday and with some good young pitchers in the minors i'm not sure I would.

    signature image signature image signature image

    Hey Trojans, LSU's 74 are better than your 75.

    UChucky161861

  • CRgator1 said...

    Will Edwin Jackson be extended?

    I don't think so. At the start of the season, they were saying he was a 1-year rental. Who knows though?

    signature image

    BushidoNole

  • U-Chucky said...

    Strasburg is never going to tell the Nats that he wants to stop pitching for the year, the team has it's core locked up for many years there is no need to rush things.

    Nats will look awesome in a couple of years.

    C - Wilson Ramos 1B - Michael Morse 2B - Anthony Rendon 3B - Ryan Zimmerman SS - Danny Espinosa LF - Jayson Werth CF - Brian Goodwin RF - Bryce Harper

    SP - Stephen Strasburg SP - Luc Giolito SP - Jordan Zimmerman SP - Gio Gonzalez SP - Ross Detwiler or Alex Meyer

    That's not even taking into account the money they will be able to spend on free agents.

    You forgot Anthony Rendon, Tyler Moore, Destin Hood, Matt Purke, etc.

    Just saying...

    signature image

    BushidoNole

  • Rendon is in there and Purke kinda' stinks now.

    signature image signature image signature image

    Hey Trojans, LSU's 74 are better than your 75.

    UChucky161861

  • U-Chucky said...

    Rendon is in there and Purke kinda' stinks now.

    My b, skimmed through it fast.

    Purke will turn it around and make it to the majors.

    signature image

    BushidoNole

  • BushidoNole said...

    I don't think so. At the start of the season, they were saying he was a 1-year rental. Who knows though?

    Yeah, I was thinking the same. This is probably his best season.

    The Nationals in the near future could be near the 90's Braves' level, if they can keep the rotation healthy. As long as they dont go brain dead like the Marlins, and let everybody get away.

    Thats gonna be a crazy city if they keep it up this yr, and RG3 performs well.

    CRgator1

  • I am of the opinion that he needs to be shut down now and fix his mechanics, or else his arm won't last long, especially with a first Tommy John surgery already in the books. He throws so hard it puts so much strain on his arm due to the poor mechanics and needs to be fixed. ESPN had a good article about pitchers with poor mechanics that caused problems (http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7712916/tommy-john-surgery-keeps-pitchers-game-address-underlying-biomechanical-flaw-espn-magazine).

    As for a limit on innings, I think pitch count and when he starts to tire in games would be more telling of when he needs to be sat down and a skipped start here or there would do wonders to allow him to pitch throughout the season.

    signature image signature image signature image

    freernnur5

  • freernnur5 said...

    I am of the opinion that he needs to be shut down now and fix his mechanics, or else his arm won't last long, especially with a first Tommy John surgery already in the books. He throws so hard it puts so much strain on his arm due to the poor mechanics and needs to be fixed. ESPN had a good article about pitchers with poor mechanics that caused problems (http://espn.go.com/mlb/story/_/id/7712916/tommy-john-surgery-keeps-pitchers-game-address-underlying-biomechanical-flaw-espn-magazine).

    As for a limit on innings, I think pitch count and when he starts to tire in games would be more telling of when he needs to be sat down and a skipped start here or there would do wonders to allow him to pitch throughout the season.

    Can't fix his mechanics now it's too late, the Rockies tried to change Tyler Matzek's delivery and ruined him.

    signature image signature image signature image

    Hey Trojans, LSU's 74 are better than your 75.

    UChucky161861

Football Recruiting
Basketball Recruiting
Features
Resources
Connect

247Sports In partnership with CBS Sports