So, a couple of weeks ago I posted a poll about Stephen Strasburg that you guys participated in, and the majority of you seemed to think he was overrated, and I agreed, stating that he would be a major league contributor very soon, but also feeling he would not be as overpowering as many had projected.
If his first two starts are any indication, he is going to be overpowering. In 12.1 innings, Strasburg has struck out 22 batters and walked only 5 (although those 5 were all in today's start). While walking 5 in 12.1 innings is not an impressive start, a 22-5 K/BB ratio is fairly impressive.
It should be noted that the two offenses that Strasburg has faced, the Pirates and the Indians, are rather anemic, and near the bottom of their respective leagues in Runs Scored, and this could have something to do with his fast start. However, the fact remains that the line-ups he has faced so far ar emost certainly an upgrade from the AA and AAA line-ups he was facing, and he is essentially continuing to do what he did in the minor leagues.
I still feel that Strasburg will likely hit a bump in the road at some point, and there's no way he maintains his incredibly low ERA or his enormous K/9 rate. However, I do think he will surpass the expectations that I originally set for him.
Part of the reason I feel this way is because he was able to excel in his first start under what was immense pressure. He gave the Nationals their first sell out in the regular season that wasn't Opening Day since like, the park opened. He also had everyone in sports media watching him, and his team giving him a nickname like "Jesus". Strasburg was able to tune all of this pressure out, and completely and utterly dominate the Pirates. Mentally, he is tough enough for the extremely mentally tough game of baseball, and if he has that to go with the pitches he has, he is going to be very hard to stop.
Showing posts with label Stephen Strasburg. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Stephen Strasburg. Show all posts
Sunday, June 13, 2010
Wednesday, June 2, 2010
Poll Results: Stephen Strasburg
Is Stephen Strasburg over-hyped?
Yes. 7 (70%)
No. 3 (30%)
Who's Stephen Strasburg? 0 (0%)
The majority of you seem to feel that Strasburg is certainly an overhyped player, and you're probably right. With the amount of attention he has received, it would be pretty hard for him not to be overhyped, unless he manages to put up an ERA of like 2.50 for the rest of his career.
However, all signs seem to indicate that Strasburg can definitely be an immediatley serviceable major league pitcher. So far in his minor league career, between the Washington Nationals AA and AAA affiliates, Strasburg has has 10 starts. Over those starts, he has put up a 6-2 record with a 1.43 ERA. What's scary is that his peripherals indicate that his numbers could be even better. Strasburg has put up a .795 WHIP, a 10.7 K/9, and a 2.1 BB/9. Those numbers, especially the WHIP, really indicate that Strasburg is way above the skill level of everyone else in the minor leagues. While it's hard to see him posting numbers even close to that in the major leagues (starting pitchers rarely have a WHIP below 1.00), it really indicates that he is going to be a solid pitcher, even right away. I would not be shocked to see Strasburg, who is rumored to make his first start in the major leagues next week, manages to put up an ERA right around 4.00 and have a K/9 of close to 9. Those numbers may not be overwhelming, but they certainly are for a rookie who was drafted last year.
But yes, Strasburg is likely overhyped. Many people will probably be dissapointed if Strasburg puts up a 4.00 ERA during his first major league season simply because of the amount of hype he has received, and some people may be expecting far too much from him. Hopefully he can find a way to handle that scrutiny, and just let his talent carry him.
Yes. 7 (70%)
No. 3 (30%)
Who's Stephen Strasburg? 0 (0%)
The majority of you seem to feel that Strasburg is certainly an overhyped player, and you're probably right. With the amount of attention he has received, it would be pretty hard for him not to be overhyped, unless he manages to put up an ERA of like 2.50 for the rest of his career.
However, all signs seem to indicate that Strasburg can definitely be an immediatley serviceable major league pitcher. So far in his minor league career, between the Washington Nationals AA and AAA affiliates, Strasburg has has 10 starts. Over those starts, he has put up a 6-2 record with a 1.43 ERA. What's scary is that his peripherals indicate that his numbers could be even better. Strasburg has put up a .795 WHIP, a 10.7 K/9, and a 2.1 BB/9. Those numbers, especially the WHIP, really indicate that Strasburg is way above the skill level of everyone else in the minor leagues. While it's hard to see him posting numbers even close to that in the major leagues (starting pitchers rarely have a WHIP below 1.00), it really indicates that he is going to be a solid pitcher, even right away. I would not be shocked to see Strasburg, who is rumored to make his first start in the major leagues next week, manages to put up an ERA right around 4.00 and have a K/9 of close to 9. Those numbers may not be overwhelming, but they certainly are for a rookie who was drafted last year.
But yes, Strasburg is likely overhyped. Many people will probably be dissapointed if Strasburg puts up a 4.00 ERA during his first major league season simply because of the amount of hype he has received, and some people may be expecting far too much from him. Hopefully he can find a way to handle that scrutiny, and just let his talent carry him.
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