Strasburg in October..

[Mathguy]

Not from the Wash Post writers - or from any good season ticket holder.  The Nats are definately moving in the best direction for Strausburg

I'm glad I don't pay attention to the national (sports) media, then.  If the Nats get bounced from the postseason without Strasburg, all we'll hear for months and months is about how "they shouldn't have shut down their best pitcher."

[Lintyfresh85]

So you're a bad fan if you're upset about going into the playoffs with an artificial handicap?

[blue911]

So you're a bad fan if you're upset about going into the playoffs with an artificial handicap?

Why is it artificial if it's the medical protocol?

[Baseball is Life]

I'm glad I don't pay attention to the national (sports) media, then.  If the Nats get bounced from the postseason without Strasburg, all we'll hear for months and months is about how "they shouldn't have shut down their best pitcher."

They are going to be second guessed no matter what so might as well do the right thing.

The only way to shut everybody up is to win it without him. So that's what they'll have to do then.

Shut him down. It's the right thing to do.

[HalfSmokes]

So you're a bad fan if you're upset about going into the playoffs with an artificial handicap?

if they don't skip him he'll be fatigued and not very useful by then anyway

[Lintyfresh85]

Why is it artificial if it's the medical protocol?

Artificial in the sense that it was team mandated... and not something that was out of their control.

if they don't skip him he'll be fatigued and not very useful by then anyway

Agreed. Having said that... there was certain ways they could have massaged his innings to have kept him strong throughout the year, and into the playoffs.

[blue911]

Artificial in the sense that it was team mandated... and not something that was out of their control.

They are following the protocol established by the guy who put Strasburg's elbow back together. Sure they could ignore that advice, but would that be a smart decision?

[Baseball is Life]

I just don't buy the the theory that extending him by skipping starts or limiting his innings was the best thing for him or the Nats in the long run.

Best thing for him and the team in the short and long term was to get him used to pitching on a normal MLB routine.

[Baseball is Life]

They are following the protocol established by the guy who put Strasburg's elbow back together. Sure they could ignore that advice, but would that be a smart decision?

No, they should listen to macho dinosaurs like Mazzone who ended Steve Avery's career at 29. Don't let modern medical knowhow get in the way.

And I don't want to hear any crap about how they used to throw a thousand innings in the old days. One Mr. Koufax would tell you that we hopefully learned something.

[Kevrock]

Agreed. Having said that... there was certain ways they could have massaged his innings to have kept him strong throughout the year, and into the playoffs.

It's all or nothing for me. If you are going to prioritize his health, you listen to his doctors. If you are going to prioritize winning now, you go all-in.

I haven't read one compromise plan that looked like it wasn't risking his health nearly as much as just throwing him through October.

[blue911]

I just don't buy the the theory that extending him by skipping starts or limiting his innings was the best thing for him or the Nats in the long run.

Best thing for him and the team in the short and long term was to get him used to pitching on a normal MLB routine.

I have no idea about any of that, but I'd be willing to bet that they ran all the scenarios past Dr. Yocum and present course is what he decided was best.

I don't think anybody is happy with shutting Strasburg down. I know I'm not.  I'm not in the medical field but I do trust Dr. Yocum and the Kerlan/Jobe clinic to be at the forefront of orthopedic rehabilitation. I seems that there is a belief that Mike Rizzo is making the decision without any input from the medical community.

[Lintyfresh85]

It's all or nothing for me. If you are going to prioritize his health, you listen to his doctors. If you are going to prioritize winning now, you go all-in.

I haven't read one compromise plan that looked like it wasn't risking his health nearly as much as just throwing him through October.

If you had followed an ebb and flow system with his starts, I think you could have racked up something like 15-20 innings for the playoffs.

By this I mean a 6/5/4/4/5/6/5/4/4/5/6... type of innings work load.

I never worked out the math... but if you follow that type of schedule, he'd certainly have some innings left over for October, provided you make it there.

[HalfSmokes]

No, they should listen to macho dinosaurs like Mazzone who ended Steve Avery's career at 29. Don't let modern medical knowhow get in the way.

do the nats really care if his career ends at 29? The braves arguably got the most out of their investment in Avery

[Lintyfresh85]

I don't think anybody is happy with shutting Strasburg down. I know I'm not. 

I take issue with the fact that if you have even an ounce of doubt about the decision, you are classified as not as good of a fan as someone that happily buys whatever the Nats tell them.

It's alright to question the establishment... hell, it's fine to disagree with them, even. It doesn't make you less of a fan, as some like to say it does.

[blue911]

I take issue with the fact that if you have even an ounce of doubt about the decision, you are classified as not as good of a fan as someone that happily buys whatever the Nats tell them.

It's alright to question the establishment... hell, it's fine to disagree with them, even. It doesn't make you less of a fan, as some like to say it does.

Well that's silly. I don't think people are good or bad fans based upon this issue. There is a legitimate concern about not getting another chance and to blow that concern off as baseless is just as bad as saying the innings limit is baseless.

[sportsfan882]

Dibble slams Strasburg, Rizzo, Nationals

On Strasburg saying the decision is out of his hands

“That’s all you need to know. It’s out of my hands. I don’t want it in my hands, even though I’m a professional pitcher trying to — from spring training to the end of the season — win championships....He’s in a totally different world. Remember the Stepford Wives? He’s a Stepford Pitcher.”

On Mike Rizzo’s credentials

“The manager of the Nationals has a world championship ring, called the ’86 Mets, when he was managing Doc Gooden, who was like 20 years old. I think he knows how to handle young pitchers. He’s not gonna burn them out. And then you have a general manager who’s never won a championship. And he’s telling everybody, he knows more than orthopedic surgeons, pitching coaches, everybody. He knows the answer to how you can keep a guy from getting hurt. It’s a wonderful concept. I hope it works. And if you’re hurt, go on the disabled list. If you’re not, then pitch for your team and try to win a world championship. It’s that simple. It shouldn’t be a story. It really shouldn’t be a story. That’s the sad part, that it’s a story. It shouldn’t be. We shouldn’t know the GM’s name or this guy in Washington. Just go out and play.”

On the Lerners

“Then again, they’ve got an owner that is more like Arthur than George Steinbrenner.”

On Strasburg’s father talking to Mike Rizzo

“Do you need your dad to talk to the general manager? You know, that’s sad to me. Is Scott Boras gonna come out? If he talks about Stephen Strasburg, so help me God, I’m gonna go bananas tomorrow night, because this kid is a man. He’s 23 years old, he’s married, he’s making $4 million a year. Speak up for yourself....Nobody’s dad gets involved in their Major League kid’s career. It just doesn’t happen. But it shows you, Tony Gwynn pitched him once a week, every Friday at San Diego State. He goes to Washington, the PR people walk him to the bullpen, almost hold his hand to walk him out there. I mean, it’s just been one thing after another.”

On Strasburg not speaking up

“The one thing that is the resonating idea here is you only get one shot at that ring. And you either want to take it, or you just say, you know what, I’ll do what somebody tells me to do.”

On the J-Zimm comparisons

“What the Nationals are doing, they’re doing it on their own, and they don’t have any kind of data to back it up. And to keep on bringing up Jordan Zimmermann, I’ll bring up [this]: Jordan Zimmermann was rushed to the Major Leagues. Strasburg, rushed to the Major Leagues. Even Drew Storen, rushed to the Major Leagues. All three of them got hurt. So don’t tell me you were protecting them before they got hurt and needed Tommy John surgery. Now after the fact, oh, now we’re gonna hold them back and we’re gonna bring them along cautiously. It doesn’t hold water, the whole argument.”

On the other Nats

“It bothers me, because I could care less what Strasburg does. I care about the rest of the guys in the clubhouse. They’re busting their asses day in and day out. Guys are playing hurt, guys are playing with pain every day, there’s some guys that are probably holding off on surgery ‘til the end of the season, because they’re trying to win a championship....You don’t get second chances in life and/or professional sports. Once again, the arrogance of Mike Rizzo to think, oh, we’re gonna have this long run. Even if you have a long run of winning divisions and getting to the postseason, I’ll bring up from their own division, the Atlanta Braves.”

On Strasburg as a teammate

“If Stephen Strasburg is naive enough to think that he’s going out there by himself every fifth day, and the defense and the catcher and the pitching coach and the manager and everybody else isn’t out there pulling, trying to get this guy to win, and then he just goes out there and gets 18 outs and acts like this is the way it’s supposed to be? It’s kind of sad in a way. I feel sorry for someone that thinks that’s all it’s about, getting my 18 outs and going and taking a shower and doing it again in five days, and when I get to 160 innings then I’m just gonna sit on the bench and hope that they can do it without me. That’s sad. That’s what it really is.”

On Strasburg’s talent

“You still talk about Strasburg like he’s a phenom. He won his 14th game [Wednesday]. Look at his numbers: 225 innings pitched over three years, and he did have the Tommy John surgery, but he doesn’t have any type of numbers to back up the whole phenom thing. So for Mike Rizzo to be claiming that we’re protecting this guy? You’re getting paid to pitch, pitch the guy in the postseason if he’s not hurt. If he’s hurt, put him on the DL. I want to stop talking about it, because you know what, no one’s that special. And that got my ass canned when I was in DC, because I would just remind everybody, listen, nobody’s that special....A once in a generation pitcher that can’t even average six innings pitched a start? And now he’s gonna be shut down because he can’t pitch in the postseason?”

On Strasburg’s mindset

“You get to the point where you’re like I’m gonna go beyond my limits that I ever thought I could go and push myself, because that’s what the best athletes do. And Chris Carpenter admitted that, he said listen, if I had to do it all over again, I’d do it again, because he won his second world championship doing it. And that’s what we’re talking about here. It’s not about Stephen Strasburg. It’s about do you want to help your team win a championship? Do you want to help the guys that have been busting their ass day in and day out? Every time you make a start, every fifth day, they’re there for you. Do you want to help them out?”

On Strasburg’s recovery

“If you haven’t hurt it yet, it’s not gonna get hurt. And you’ve gotten past the threshold in your mind of ok, am I ever gonna get back to it, and Strasburg’s there. This kid’s phenomenal, he knows he can go out there and pitch. If it doesn’t hurt, it’s not broke. So to say that we’re saving you because your career’s gonna last another 15 years, it’s great wishing that and dreaming that, but it’s not realistic. Because nobody can say who’s going to last.”

By    Dan Steinberg  |  10:20 AM ET, 08/17/20

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/post/rob-dibble-slams-stephen-strasburg-and-mike-rizzo/2012/08/17/a72db602-e865-11e1-8487-64e4b2a79ba8_blog.html

[Lintyfresh85]

Cue outrage and gnashing of teeth by usual crew over what a meat head with a mic has to say.

Percentage anyone should really care... or even respond? 0%

[blue911]

Cue outrage and gnashing of teeth by usual crew over what a meat head with a mic has to say.

Percentage anyone should really care... or even respond? 0%

+1

[hammondsnats]

yeah there's no reason anyone should give a crap about what has to say.  he's bitter.

[blue911]

yeah there's no reason anyone should give a crap about what has to say.  he's bitter.

I absolutely loved Dibble's movie reviews. I thought that's where he really excelled, the rest was typical ex-jock crap, which is why Charlie and Dave are a better option.

[Kevrock]

If you had followed an ebb and flow system with his starts, I think you could have racked up something like 15-20 innings for the playoffs.

By this I mean a 6/5/4/4/5/6/5/4/4/5/6... type of innings work load.

I never worked out the math... but if you follow that type of schedule, he'd certainly have some innings left over for October, provided you make it there.

Yeah. I'm not sure on that approach. Most of the ideas I've read have involved shutdowns, moves to bullpen, etc -- things that I'd be vehemently against.

Dibble slams Strasburg, Rizzo, Nationals

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/dc-sports-bog/post/rob-dibble-slams-stephen-strasburg-and-mike-rizzo/2012/08/17/a72db602-e865-11e1-8487-64e4b2a79ba8_blog.html

Nobody gives a rat's ass.

[Baseball is Life]

do the nats really care if his career ends at 29? The braves arguably got the most out of their investment in Avery

Not if they're total dicks like Dibble or Mazzone. But they're not. And, really, at 29 he would be just getting to the prime of his career.

[houston-nat]

Wow, yeah, that guy's really a clueless idiot.

[Smithian]

FP is much cooler than Dibble.

[NatsDad14]

Not if they're total dicks like Dibble or Mazzone. But they're not. And, really, at 29 he would be just getting to the prime of his career.

Yet Boras is the saint? Boras talks out of his ass all the time and has an agenda