Strasburg to bullpen in August?

[rickh150]

We all have been hearing about the Nationals' dillema of pitching the recovering Strasburg 160+ innings. What would we, as Brewers fans, say if our team was the Nationals?

 

My view is that the Nationals GM has the right intentions of trying to keep his star pitcher healthy for this season and beyond. Strasburg, however, has good intentions of wanting to pitch every fifth day and help his team get to the playoffs for the first time; he doesn't want to be babied since he feels healthy.

 

My guess is that he'll miss a few starts between now and mid September. However, even with a few missed starts, he'll be at 160+ by mid September, an inning total that has been floated out there as the ceiling for him this year.

 

One option that I have not heard yet is this: put him in the bullpen in August. This would allow him to rest his arm a bit more by not throwing as many innings. They wouldn't have to pitch him consecutive days either. He could be an elite set-up man, and his innings would be in good shape come September.

 

Then, in September and October, he could be back in the rotation and pitch in some crucial games down the stretch. He could pitch normally in the postseason(if they can get in after Strasburg's absence from the rotation in Aug.) because of the rest in August, even if he did go over 160 innings.

 

Moreover, if the Nationals shut this kid down in September, I think they'll have a PR problem and a Strasburg problem on their hands, good intentions or not. The fans and Strasburg will be ticked off and in my view, rightly so.

[jerichoholicninja]

I would DL him now with a "sore arm" until September. Give him a few starts in September (depending on how close the race is) and save his innings for the playoffs. I'm as anti-pitch count and anti-innings limit as anyone can be but the kid just had Tommy John, you can't ruin his career and the future of your franchise for a handful of starts.

[TURBO]

It might be tough to stick him in the bullpen in August, then just bring him back out for the rotation in September.

 

Getting used to pitching out of the bullpen, then a month later, getting reaclimated to starting is a lot to ask from a guy coming off tommy john surgery, and in the long run, might do more damage to him physically than just skipping every 3rd or 4th start and leaving him in the rotation.

 

They knew this was coming all season, maybe what they should have done is skip at least a start a month during April, May June, and July instead of trying to come up with something else now...

 

Skipping one start in those months would have taken 24+ innings off his current total.

 

You can't just DL him for 6 weeks then expect him to be successful when it counts either...

[HiAndTight]

You have no idea where you're(the Nats) are going to be in the next 3-4 years with Strausburg. He could get hurt, Gio could get hurt, Harper could end up not being the 65 HR a year freak people assume he will be.

 

Right now they've got a rotation with 5 power arms and are clearly the best team in the NL IMO with the Phillies dealing with all their injuries. The Phillies are like the Celtics IMO. If there were more playoff spots and they got in, they might be the most dangerous team, but it isn't the NBA and they're obviously too many games out to make it likely they catch the Nats.

 

So I'd take the Nolan Ryan approach that seems to be working out well for his pitchers. They pitch and they're honest with their coaches about how they feel. If he feels good at 160, pitch him. Try to limit it obviously. Skip him a couple times, etc..etc...

 

But take into consideration the fact that this might end up being the best chance you have to win a WS. That next year Jackson is probably gone, Gio could get hurt, or Zimmerman, or Strausburg again, or Ryan Zimmerman or anyone and the Phillies could easily be back with Halladay, Lee, Hamels, Worley and Blanton healthy along with Howard, Utley and the rest of their lineup.

 

It's not like we're talking about the Pirates and just trying to get into the playoffs when they've got their best yet to come with all their great arms. We're talking about a team who has their top prospects up and has a farm system that's not very good right now. Why wait?

[brettac1]

If the Brewers had Strasburg, I would shut him down at 160 IP and tell the fans/media "deal with it". The guy is an investment and you need to protect the investment.

[jerichoholicninja]

So I'd take the Nolan Ryan approach that seems to be working out well for his pitchers. They pitch and they're honest with their coaches about how they feel. If he feels good at 160, pitch him. Try to limit it obviously. Skip him a couple times, etc..etc...

 

I agree with this. However, the difference with Strasburg is he's coming off Tommy John surgery. There's no reason to risk Strasburg's career and the future of the franchise. DL him for August and then bring him back fresh for September and the playoffs.

[Ennder]

Right now they've got a rotation with 5 power arms and are clearly the best team in the NL IMO with the Phillies dealing with all their injuries.

 

I can't agree with this at all. The rest of the rotation is coming back to reality and the offense is pretty much average at best. I still don't expect them to make the playoffs to be honest. There is no good answer with Strasburg. He has horrible mechanics, has already had TJ once and never got to build up his arm strength properly. Sticking him in the bullpen could hurt him, putting him on the DL and asking him to start it back up in a couple months could hurt him, pitching too many innings could hurt him. They should probably just shut him down completely if they plan on limiting his arm at all.

[trwi7]

The rest of the rotation is coming back to reality

 

The rotation has a 3.19 ERA, a 3.35 FIP and a 3.61 xFIP. Seems they're pitching right around where they should be.

[Ennder]

The rest of the rotation is coming back to reality

 

The rotation has a 3.19 ERA, a 3.35 FIP and a 3.61 xFIP. Seems they're pitching right around where they should be.

 

In the same way the 2005 White Sox rotation pitched where it should be. Almost everyone in the rotation having a career year at the same time. I don't think that rotation is honestly a 3.19 ERA rotation. 3.61 ERA I could buy though.