Strasburg's last start Sept. 12

[thomas35forever]

http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?...s_mlb&c_id=mlb
No playoffs for him.

[DSpivack]

Crazy.

[getonbckthr]

Clearly they don't have the best interest of my fantasy team in mind...

[Wedema]

If I was a Nationals season ticket holder, I would be pissed.

[TDog]

The Nationals need to be punished for this decision by missing the postseaon or being eliminated in the wild-card play-in game, which is pretty much the same thing.

[DSpivack]

Originally Posted by TDog

The Nationals need to be punished for this decision by missing the postseaon or being eliminated in the wild-card play-in game, which is pretty much the same thing.

As they currently have a 6.5 game lead in their division and have the best record in baseball, that's pretty unlikely.

[guillensdisciple]

Originally Posted by DSpivack

As they currently have a 6.5 game lead in their division and have the best record in baseball, that's pretty unlikely.

Aren't the reds holders of the best record?

[downstairs]

Originally Posted by guillensdisciple

Aren't the reds holders of the best record?

Not right now, Reds are 82-54, Nats are 82-52. Close, though.

[downstairs]

I still have no idea why they didn't manage his innings count to make it through the playoffs. He didn't have to pitch a regular amount. He could have skipped starts or pitched every 7-8 games or something.

Stupid.

[mahagga73]

Originally Posted by Wedema

If I was a Nationals season ticket holder, I would be pissed.

I would be done forever. Silly me, I thought winning the World Series was the goal of the game. If they really wanted to do this they should have went with a 6 man rotation, stuttered his starts, or just plain worked him in the pen for awhile. This is crazy. If I was Strasburg , I would demand a trade NOW.

[mahagga73]

Originally Posted by TDog

The Nationals need to be punished for this decision by missing the postseaon or being eliminated in the wild-card play-in game, which is pretty much the same thing.

I am actively rooting against them in the playoffs.

[Moses_Scurry]

Originally Posted by mahagga73

I am actively rooting against them in the playoffs.

Me too. I've always rooted for the Nats mainly because I loved the Expos. However I really hope this blows up in their faces. As a White Sox fan, I know all too well how hard it is to get back to the postseason. It's almost insulting to baseball fans and to Strasburg. It would not surprise me if this little move closes the door on Strasburg signing a long term extension. He can't be happy about it.

[mahagga73]

Originally Posted by Moses_Scurry

Me too. I've always rooted for the Nats mainly because I loved the Expos. However I really hope this blows up in their faces. As a White Sox fan, I know all too well how hard it is to get back to the postseason. It's almost insulting to baseball fans and to Strasburg. It would not surprise me if this little move closes the door on Strasburg signing a long term extension. He can't be happy about it.

Yeah the irony is that all this saving of Strasburg might be for naught if they piss him off into leaving their organization. If it was me , I would be demanding a trade asap.

[DeadMoney]

There are quite a few things at play here, many of which are mind boggling to me, but they are...
- Scott Boras is a big part of this decision. If he wasn't pushing so hard for it, I seriously doubt Rizzo would've went through with this exact plan (and instead would've opted for some other variation allowing his best pitcher to pitch down the stretch and in the playoffs).
- Rizzo doesn't want to mess with Boras because they have a (relatively) good relationship as Boras represents Strasburg, Harper, and Werth as well as a few of their top prospects. Other GMs have even joked that Boras is "co-GM" of the Nationals.
- Boras and Strasburg both were apparently dead set on him getting starts every 5th game (on normal rest) saying that his 'routine' (even extending to what he does between starts) was more important than taking opportunities to push him back or delay his starts.
- If Strasburg wasn't on board with this, he would be raising hell telling everyone (including Boras) that this isn't what he wants. If Chris Sale/his agent could go to KW and the Sox and overturn that decision, you bet Strasburg could do the same. Although Strasburg has said all of the right things publically (like "I'm going to fight this" just this past weekend), he obviously isn't fighting it very hard.

There are probably some things I missed, but this decision is out of this world stupid. Things in baseball are so fickle from year-to-year and the Nationals - with Strasburg - are quite possibly the best team in baseball. Taking their ace out of that formula, I'm not so sure and there's absolutely no guarantee that they'll be back at the top like they are now. Yes, they absolutely could be (and probably are) building something like the Braves of the '90s, but in this sport there are no guarantees (including the continued health of his new labrum).

[kittle42]

I agree that they should have gone with a 6-man rotation or found some way to work him less, but in the end, this is a decision driven more by Strasburg and his agent than anyone.

If the Sox had to shut down Sale right now, I would be very unhappy, but I'd get it.