Strasburg in October..

[Obed_Marsh]

Hard to disprove something someone never said but these quotes from Federal Baseball seem pretty clear.

"I have general parameters of what I think is something I would allow him to throw," the GM said, before explaining that he wasn't, "... going to disclose it to anybody because, obviously, there's strategy that's employed in it and we don't want people to know our business. But we have a good idea of the parameters of where we want [Strasburg] to throw, and we'll adhere to those parameters. Like I said, it's nothing in concrete because we want to see how he comes to Spring Training, how he feels and how he develops throughout the season."

How many innings will they let Stephen Strasburg throw, and would they really shut him down in September if they're in a pennant race (as they expect to be)?

The answers, according to general manager Mike Rizzo: don't know yet, and absolutely yes.

Rizzo said Tuesday that while people have assumed that Strasburg will be limited to 160 innings -- that's what they allowed Jordan Zimmermann to throw in a similar situation last year -- the actual number won't be determined until later in the season

http://danny-knobler.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8590096/35019843

[PowerBoater69]

There is no magic number, it will be the eye test. [Manager] Davey [Johnson] won't decide, and ownership won't decide. It will be the general manager, and that's me.  We'll do it my way, I have the full support of ownership on this issue. It's my decision, and I've made it. There will be no going back on the decision.

Is Rizzo really that delusional?  Ownership and Davey won't have any say in the decision?  DJ, who has a World Series ring, a strong opinion on everything, and who isn't getting any younger?  Ownership who manipulated Strasmas I and II in order to maximize profits, who check off every line item expenditure, who step in for the big money decisions?  Yeah Rizz, keep telling yourself that.

[Smithian]

Is Rizzo really that delusional?  Ownership and Davey won't have any say in the decision?  DJ, who has a World Series ring, a strong opinion on everything, and who isn't getting any younger?  Ownership who manipulated Strasmas I and II in order to maximize profits, who check off every line item expenditure, who step in for the big money decisions?  Yeah Rizz, keep telling yourself that.

I don't see the part where Rizzo says he didn't allow Davey Johnson input.

[PowerBoater69]

I don't see the part where Rizzo says he didn't allow Davey Johnson input.

"Davey won't decide."  -- Mike Rizzo

[Smithian]

"Davey won't decide."  -- Mike Rizzo

He won't. Rizzo will decide. Rizzo will take his opinion under consideration when he makes the decision.

[Terpfan76]

He won't. Rizzo will decide. Rizzo will take his opinion under consideration when he makes the decision.

He's the GM and he's going to make the decision. It seems clear in the way he's saying it that he's perfectly fine with taking responsibility for the Strasburg situation. I really don't see the big deal with what he said, but some people aren't content unless they are nagging about something.

[PowerBoater69]

He won't. Rizzo will decide. Rizzo will take his opinion under consideration when he makes the decision.

Not by my reading, Rizzo made a definitive statement that it was entirely his decision, so even if Davey and old man Lerner push to keep Stras pitching Rizzo is going to over-ride their input, which of course isn't possibly true.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Hard to disprove something someone never said but these quotes from Federal Baseball seem pretty clear.

http://danny-knobler.blogs.cbssports.com/mcc/blogs/entry/8590096/35019843

this what I mean.  Rizzo does not say 160 is the max number.  he says we have general parameters, and does not even say those parameters are necessarily innings.  He says the number of innings will be determined during the season.  It's been the writers, especially lazy ones, who made 160 the number to talk about.

[Kevrock]

Not by my reading, Rizzo made a definitive statement that it was entirely his decision, so even if Davey and old man Lerner push to keep Stras pitching Rizzo is going to over-ride their input, which of course isn't possibly true.

He's just focusing all the blame/discussion on himself and protecting Strasburg and Davey (his employees) from criticism.

[Baseball is Life]

He's the GM and he's going to make the decision. It seems clear in the way he's saying it that he's perfectly fine with taking responsibility for the Strasburg situation. I really don't see the big deal with what he said, but some people aren't content unless they are nagging about something.

Yep pb will never understand the concept of standing up and taking responsibility for doing the tight thing. It's not in his DNA.

[DPMOmaha]

Maybe not October, but FWIW...

William Ladson ‏@washingnats
According to a source, it is not set in stone that #Strasburg would pitch 160 innings this year. It could go up to 180 innings

[PC]

It was never 160.  This number was pulled completely out of the media's ass.

I also don't think it'll be 180.  I've always expected it to be around 170.

[Baseball is Life]

It was never 160.  This number was pulled completely out of the media's ass.

Not completely out of...uh, the air, it was based on JZim's schedule of last year.

[tomterp]

He won't. Rizzo will decide. Rizzo will take his opinion under consideration when he makes the decision.

Exactly.  Furthermore, Rizzo's trying to make sure only he catches the heat for the shutdown decision.  Of course he's going to consult with his management team.

[Evolution33]

When Strasburg's arm slot drops into the danger zone he will be shut down. That could be tomorrow or never.

[Slateman]

When Strasburg's arm slot drops into the danger zone he will be shut down. That could be tomorrow or never.

DANGER ZONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

[GburgNatsFan]

Davey said it. Rizzo never did.

It was never 160.  This number was pulled completely out of the media's ass.

I also don't think it'll be 180.  I've always expected it to be around 170.

[Slumpbuster]

What If..........they plug Lannon into Strasburg's slot in mid/late September and he proves to be God Awful?
What then??
Do we hope he finds it? Do we give Gorzalany or Wang starts? Four man rotation? That's when the real hand wringing will begin.

[Tyler Durden]

What If..........they plug Lannon into Strasburg's slot in mid/late September and he proves to be God Awful?
What then??
Do we hope he finds it? Do we give Gorzalany or Wang starts? Four man rotation? That's when the real hand wringing will begin.

I think we just forfeit if that happens.

[wpa2629]

What If..........they plug Lannon into Strasburg's slot in mid/late September and he proves to be God Awful?
What then??
Do we hope he finds it? Do we give Gorzalany or Wang starts? Four man rotation? That's when the real hand wringing will begin.

[Slateman]

What If..........they plug Lannon into Strasburg's slot in mid/late September and he proves to be God Awful?
What then??
Do we hope he finds it? Do we give Gorzalany or Wang starts? Four man rotation? That's when the real hand wringing will begin.

We simply endure and live with it. We'd still have the other four and they're all pitching well enough to keep winning. Strasburg would have, at most, 5 starts in September. I gotta think we can win at least 2 of those with Lannan on the mound. That's really not a big deal. It's not like Strasburg is a huge innings eater.

It'll be fine. If we struggle down the stretch, it won't be due to a lack of Strasburg.

[Kevrock]

When Strasburg's arm slot drops into the danger zone he will be shut down. That could be tomorrow or never.

Does arm slot drop as a pitcher grows tired in a season? Serious question, never heard that.

[DPMOmaha]

What If..........they plug Lannon into Strasburg's slot in mid/late September and he proves to be God Awful?
What then??
Do we hope he finds it? Do we give Gorzalany or Wang starts? Four man rotation? That's when the real hand wringing will begin.

Lannan always has the potential of being very mediocre every time he takes the mound, but as Saturday so brilliant illustrated, he had a tendency to rise to the occasion.  I think if Lannan gets a shot in September/October, he'll do just fine.

[PowerBoater69]

Stras has pitched 110.1 innings, leaving him with 69.2 left, and with 19 starts he's averaging just over 5.2 innings a game, so with the 180 inning pitch count he's on pace for twelve more games. 

1 7/25
2 7/31
3 8/5
4 8/10
5 8/15
6 8/21
7 8/28
8 9/2
9 9/7
10 9/12
11 9/19
12 9/24

Leaving him one scheduled start short of the end of the season which would be on 9/29.  Lots of time between now and then, but if Stras can pitch right up to the end of the regular season I see no chance that Davey doesn't have him start at least a couple games in the playoffs.  (Unless of course Wang is back to his old self by then.)

[OldChelsea]

It won't be any good till the Nats Park concessions start serving Kronenbourg beer...brewed in Strasbourg, Alsace, France....

[can you even get it in the States anymore? It's easy to find in London pubs but I haven't seen it on this side of the pond in ages]