Stephen Strasburg Retires

[JCA-CrystalCity]

The Svrluga/Janes Q&A also had an extended discussion of contract thinking with Strasburg and Rendon. Interesting: the Nats had decided against paying much for Rendon, having seen that Rendon did not work hard to get into shape whenever he was hurt. In contrast to Strasburg, who worked harder than anyone. Rendon was a good player, but was not driven to be better...a take it or leave it attitude. Rendon, they the Nats believed, was just as happy being with his family in Texas, and hated being the focus.

nothing surprising there other than the bit about not working to get back from injuries. That's a pretty damning thing to say, tbh. It also took them until 4 years after he left to drop off that trash.

[Slateman]

The Svrluga/Janes Q&A also had an extended discussion of contract thinking with Strasburg and Rendon. Interesting: the Nats had decided against paying much for Rendon, having seen that Rendon did not work hard to get into shape whenever he was hurt. In contrast to Strasburg, who worked harder than anyone. Rendon was a good player, but was not driven to be better...a take it or leave it attitude. Rendon, they the Nats believed, was just as happy being with his family in Texas, and hated being the focus.

That smells like revisionist history. They offered Rendon 210-215 million.

[imref]

he got 7/$245M from LAA. IIRC he wanted Arenado money (8/$260M) so the Nats offer was well below market value.

[imref]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/stephen-strasburg-at-the-end/

There’s a pretty good case to be made that Strasburg, a pitcher whose most famous playoff starts are arguably the ones he didn’t make, is the best postseason pitcher in major league history. Among pitchers with at least 50 playoff innings, Strasburg has the fifth-lowest ERA, behind Mariano Rivera, Christy Mathewson, Sandy Koufax, and Eddie Plank, all Hall of Famers. No starter in the past 50 years can match him: not Curt Schilling or Madison Bumgarner. Not even Bob Gibson, pitching in the second dead ball era.

And then there’s Strasburg’s 2019 playoff run, which capped off that aforementioned legacy of playoff excellence.

With his metronomic consistency, Strasburg put a 106-win Dodgers team off the rails, then did the same to the Astros. Remember, that series was supposed to be the cherry on the top of a historic season by Houston’s front-of-the-rotation duo of Verlander and Gerrit Cole. But Strasburg held back the tide, leaving the cameras to fade out on an aggrieved and befuddled Astros team that, just a month later, would find itself embroiled in a generational scandal.

I’ll miss watching and writing about Strasburg because he was great, yes. Because he was exciting. But most of all because he was important. Baseball’s familiar abundance can make living with the sport a bit monotonous, as it’s difficult to find a reason to get up for a September game between third- and fourth-place teams with nothing on the line.

There was always something on the line with Strasburg. Every pitch he threw mattered. Sometimes because the fate of the World Series or the course of player development obviously hung in the balance. Sometimes, you couldn’t exactly name a reason. But you could always feel it.

[Mattionals]

You know, I don't think I've ever said this, but my staunch Phillies fan cousin who lives in Arlington now, got me a christmas gift of the Strasburg WS MVP bobblehead. It sits on my desk and I look at it everyday. Strasburg was what signaled a huge change for this organization, and I'm so glad my fondest memories of that guy will be the way he pitched in that World Series.

[JCA-CrystalCity]

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/stephen-strasburg-at-the-end/

figures that's Baumann. The guy is in a league of his own the way he expresses himself.  His piece of Corbin has some of the best phrasing in any baseball writing in column format I've ever read, and I've read Gammons, Ryan, Boz, Barry and Chelsea, Roger Angell, you name it.

https://blogs.fangraphs.com/dont-swallow-the-fip/

[The Chief]

Damn.

Thanks for the memories, Stephen.

[imref]

this is now as interesting as Rizzo's extension talks:

Britt Ghiroli
Developing story: Stephen Strasburg’s retirement press conference slated for Saturday has been cancelled, multiple sources say. The plan was to honor him and retire his number but the Nationals have changed course.

Rizzo on the Junkies yesterday reiterated that Strasburg still has 4 years on his contract and that Strasburg will get paid on that contract until he decides what his future is going to be (implying that if he retires, he doesn't get paid).

[UMDNats]

Incredible that Mark is out here nickel and diming Strasburg.

[imref]

Dougherty responding to Ghiroli:

Jesse Dougherty
This has been brewing since the start of the week. The Nationals and Stephen Strasburg are still hammering out details of his retirement terms, so an official announcement will come at a later date. Strasburg’s plans have not changed.

Dougherty adds:

To clarify: The Nationals were only planning to hold a press conference on Saturday, not anything to honor Stephen Strasburg on the field. There have been discussions about retiring his number next season, according to multiple people within the organization.

[GburgNatsFan]

I don't think that's the way it works, is it?

this is now as interesting as Rizzo's extension talks:

Rizzo on the Junkies yesterday reiterated that Strasburg still has 4 years on his contract and that Strasburg will get paid on that contract until he decides what his future is going to be (implying that if he retires, he doesn't get paid).

[imref]

I don't think that's the way it works, is it?

Yeah it is. Strasburg has no incentive to "retire", he can just ride out the contract on the IL.

[GburgNatsFan]

Yeah it is. Strasburg has no incentive to "retire", he can just ride out the contract on the IL.

I'm reading posts out of order. I guess they are "hammering out details."

[imref]

I'm reading posts out of order. I guess they are "hammering out details."

yeah. The only thing i can think of is that they are working out a lump-sum payment or some kind of a deferment.

[aspenbubba]

Yeah it is. Strasburg has no incentive to "retire", he can just ride out the contract on the IL.

Yes he can but I think he would have to spend the remainder of his contract re-habbing in WPB away from his family and knowing that he will never pitch again. There is an incentive for him to negotiate a mutually beneficial arrangement. It isn't like he needs the money as he has generational money.

[GburgNatsFan]

This would be the pragmatic, quasi-ethical view. 

Yes he can but I think he would have to spend the remainder of his contract re-habbing in WPB away from his family and knowing that he will never pitch again. There is an incentive for him to negotiate a mutually beneficial arrangement. It isn't like he needs the money as he has generational money.

[Natsinpwc]

I think you guys forget there is another option that seems the most likely in this case.

https://syndication.bleacherreport.com/2656726-prince-fielder-reportedly-to-retire-latest-comments-and-reaction.amp.html

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Just for the record, here is Svrluga/Janes Q&A on Strasburg's retirement:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2023/08/25/stephen-strasburg-retirement-nationals/

they don't get out of the CBT threshold hit if he retires. This is more likely dickering over the payment stream.

[Senatorswin]

It seems they could work out some kind of arrangement where he still works in the organization in some capacity. Either helping pitchers in the organization and/or doing public relations type stuff.

[Senatorswin]

With the Rizzo thing, the scouts being let go and now the Strasburg confusion, is it possible the Lerner's other businesses are tanking. Just seems strange all these things are coming at once.

[imref]

Maybe strasburg will be the new head scout and GM

[JCA-CrystalCity]

Maybe strasburg will be the new head scout and GM

not to mention pizza cook. Enzo better watch out.

[raleighnat]

With the Rizzo thing, the scouts being let go and now the Strasburg confusion, is it possible the Lerner's other businesses are tanking. Just seems strange all these things are coming at once.

Yeah - the way the Lerners do business is starting to get tiresome.  Even if they are still hammering it out, you don’t even schedule a press conference until it is done.  Otherwise you risk looking bush league. 

[HalfSmokes]

Yeah - the way the Lerners do business is starting to get tiresome.  Even if they are still hammering it out, you don’t even schedule a press conference until it is done.  Otherwise you risk looking bush league. 

Old man Lerner was cheap, but this is a whole new level. Do we even still have scouts?

[Natsinpwc]

Old man Lerner was cheap, but this is a whole new level. Do we even still have scouts?

Don’t need them. They have YouTube.