(Here's the final version of my Strasburg story on CSNwashington.com, including the quote of the year from Miguel Batista. You'll have to click on the story to read it, but let's just say it immediately brought to mind Julian Tavarez's infamous Jennifer Lopez quote from last spring.)
Stephen Strasburg was a last-minute scratch from his scheduled start tonight against the Braves. Miguel Batista took his place and took the mound before a stunned, sellout crowd of 40,043 at Nationals Park that booed when the veteran reliever was announced as the starter.
Strasburg did warm up in the right field bullpen prior to the game. At some point (approximately 6:50 p.m.) he departed with a trainer and Batista took over.
The Nationals made no immediate announcement about why Strasburg was scratched.
Obviously, more to come as we find out...
UPDATE AT 7:26 P.M. -- Mike Rizzo says Strasburg was scratched because he was having trouble getting loose in the bullpen prior to this start. Rizzo said he made the decision himself and said it was precautionary. Strasburg will be examined by team doctors and will receive an X-ray and MRI. At this point, he's day-to-day and the club isn't making any declarations about when his next start will take place.
More quotes from Rizzo coming up...
UPDATE AT 7:35 P.M. -- Here is the complete transcript of Mike Rizzo's media session in the press box right after tonight's game started...
Q: Why was Strasburg scratched?
Rizzo: Stephen was having trouble getting loose in the bullpen, so I pulled the plug on it. Precautionary move. Again, erring on the side of caution. I just didn't want him going out there when he was struggling to get loose in the bullpen pregame.
Q: Had he felt anything similar earlier this week?
A: No, he had no symptoms during the week. He had a clean bullpen, he had his side and then the bullpen and played catch yesterday and was fine.
Q: What part of his arm? His elbow? His shoulder?
A: He was having trouble getting loose. There's no pain. There's no shooting pains or anything like that in the shoulder or the elbow. He was just struggling to get loose.
Q: But we're talking about the arm?
A: The arm, yes.
Q: How close to gametime was it?
A: It was as he was warming up pregame.
Q: What's the next step?
A: We're checking him out, obviously. He's being seen by our doctor and the appropriate tests will be taken.
Q: Will he have an MRI?
A: I would imagine an MRI. An X-ray, an MRI, that type of thing.
Q: How did word come to you?
A: I was up in the office and got the word from the pitching coach through the trainer to me.
Q: What's your level of concern?
A: It's a precautionary move. We're going to see what our next step is. He's day-to-day and we'll see how he responds tomorrow.
Q: He understood why you made the decision?
A: He did understand. As a competitor ... those are decisions I get paid to make. Like I said, we're going to err on the side of caution. I'll make the decisions and take the heat for it.
Q: Did he try to lobby for pitching tonight?
A: He's a very competitive person, and the decision was made by me.
Q: Given how cautious you've been with him overall, does that dictate how cautious you'll be moving forward with his next start?
A: Certainly. We're going to use common sense and be cautious like we have. This is a workload he's never seen before. We're going to take it from there.
Q: Could it be dead arm?
A: I'm not going to speculate.
20 comments:
Paging Doctor Andrews, Doctor James Andrews...
... I can't believe he's injured. But, as much as I hate to say it, I CAN believe he was traded.
Go Nats ... I guess!!
New posted:
Patterson. Chico. Cordero. Detwiler. Zimmermann. Olsen. Lannan. Marquis. Atilano. Stammen. Walker. (Have I forgotten anyone?) Now it looks like Strasburg will be joining this dubious clique. This has gone wayyyyyy beyond coincidence and "bad luck." Something somewhere is terribly wrong with the way we handle pitching. Are we doing too much? Too little?
If Stras winds up being shut down for a prolonged period, there had better be some answers coming quick.
Bring back Randy St. Claire!
Steve McCatty != Randy St. Claire
The Curse of Lez Boulez ....
Shawn Hill?
Strasburg cannot be traded. Google the "Pete Incaviglia Rule" for details. Bottom line is that a first year player cannot be traded for their first year after being drafted. Strasburg has not be a Nat for a year yet. It's close but not yet. I'm not sure if it is an actual 365 days from being signed or until after this season ends.
And as a follow-up, why can a 45 year old Cuban named Livo throw 150 pitches every day but a stud 22 year old after 5 days rest "can't get loose in the bullpen" and is shutdown 1-3+ games?!!?
I'm starting to believe that junk pitchers like Livo and Jamie Moyers are the way to go.
They have been handling SS with kid gloves. I'm not sure what else they could have done to prevent him from getting injured other than to just not play him.
That said, the way they treated Detwiler was atrocious. Pitching him on three days rest for his first start coming off of major surgery was simply inexplicable. And then setting him up for failure by replacing Zimmerman in the lineup with Harris? This team is a mess.
Day to day. Right. For about three days, and then DL.
Bote man
Contrast the performance of the Marlins pitching staff this year & last, then throw in the performance of the Nats (AA & AAA) pitching staff during RSC's Nats tenure---with the performance of an arguably much better Nats pitching staff during McFatty's Nats tenure...and if you still think McCatty and RSC are equals, you are.....
Forget the whole Strasburg thing. Congratulations Mark and scooping all of the other local outlets. Nice work!
RSC is still one of my favorite pitching coaches. That which he did during all those years with a bunch of misfits makes him St. Claire a true 'Saint'.
I think Jesus Flores is still day-to-day, since July 2009...
Doc:
Randy St Claire wasn't just a "Saint"...he was a miracle worker.
Can I just say how awful it was that the Nats "fans" booed Bautista. What did he do? Just take the ball on minutes notice. I despair that DC will ever be a baseball town.
Those weren't Nats fans booing. Those were Redskins fans using the game as training camp.
Great win!
Whatta night, Batista was terrific, and everyone else played to win one for him! AND, that horrible red tent is GONE, a casualty of Sunday's storm! There is a divine being!
I came over here after reading the Batista quote in the AP report. I am officially a fan.
Like the beer commercials from a few years ago, "here's to you, Mr. Rubber Armed Relief Man Who Embraces His Role."
Enjoy the Elvis wig, Mr. Batista.
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