Open Thread: Strasburg is teh awesome
ByBuster Olney spoke to a “longtime scout” about SDSU’s Stephen Strasburg, the consensus top talent for the 2009 Draft. The scout likes him. Like really likes him. Some quotes:
“The best I’ve ever seen,” says a longtime scout. “And it’s not even close.”
Yeah, heard he had a good fastball. Straight as a string, right? “That’s the thing,” said the scout. “Whenever you see a fastball at 100 mph, it’s always straight. No movement. But his fastball has a lot of movement, which really doesn’t make that much sense, because it’s on the hitter so quickly. His fastball cuts.”
“He’s got a plus slider, at 93-94 mph, and he’s got a plus changeup. He’s the best I’ve ever seen.”
“You could put him in a rotation right now, and he could be a No. 2 or No. 3 starter,” says the scout. “Right now, he’s better than A.J. Burnett.”
I also hear that his tears cure cancer. But seriously … take it easy, champ. Why don’t you sit this next one out, stop talking for a while.
Look, Stephen Strasburg is awesome, he’s easily the best prospect for this year’s draft and would have been last year too. But the best ever? Nope, sorry. Take Mark Prior for example. He came out of school with four plus or better pitches, outstanding command, and a superior track record at a more significant college program in a tougher conference. What happened after the fact isn’t important, Prior was a better prospect then than Strasburg is now.
Price was better as well. Top of the line fastball and slider, good changeup, excellent command, and again a better track record in the toughest conference in college baseball. Josh Beckett and Brien Taylor basically had the same skill set as Strasburg when they were drafted. And that’s just pitchers. I know it’s easy to fall in love with prospects when they start the season on such great streaks, but let’s keep things in perspective. Stephen Strasburg is not the greatest prospect ever.
Anywho, here’s your open thread for the night. The only local team in action is the new look and suddenly hot Rangers, who are down in Raleigh to take on the Hurricanes. Anything goes, just be nice.
Oh, and you haven’t voted in this week’s Fan Confidence Poll, make sure you get on it.
146 Comments»
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The Mason Williams Watch
Bern baby Bern. Bernie sighting!
Buster Olney will never live this blog post down. It’s flat out hilarious.
His Andruw Jones: Hall of Famer article is also quite hilarious, as were the subsequent articles that desperately tried to retract that claim.
162 game averages
AJ: .259/.339/.489/.828, 111+, 33 HR, 100 RBI
Player X: .297/.381/.477, 125+, 22 HR, 98 RBI
Jones, of course, was always a future HOFer. Player X–not so much. Though he was feared if you get what I mean.
Does Player X happen to hold the career post-season records for RBIs and extra base hits?
I believe he does.
Is he playing tonight in the WBC for the first time in a very long time?
Why, yes, he is!
I GOT IT!!
RAMIRO MENDOZA!!
Get. Out. Of. My. Head.
The scout also mentioned that he throws a gyroball. This kid is SO good he once struck a guy out on an intentional walk.
Was this the scout?
http://tiny.cc/php8w
Just for kicks, one day he decided to throw left handed.
He struck out the side. On 7 pitches.
Just like I said when Roy Oswalt said something nuts: “Holy overreaction, Batman!”
So I’ve made it to page seven! Progress!
“Price was better as well. Top of the line fastball and slider, good changeup, excellent command, and again a better track record in the toughest conference in college baseball. Josh Beckett and Brien Taylor basically had the same skill set as Strasburg when they were drafted.”
Not that I believe in everything scouts say, but how can YOU posibly know this??????
Beckett and Taylor had the same skill set??? What, they both threw really hard for high-schoolers? And you’re comparing Price to this kid too?
How can you knock a scout’s opinion, and then state your own as fact???
Reading this love fest today was redic….with all due respect for Strasburg I think I’ll go ahead and take Burnett for this season
When does he become a free agent?
2000 eleventy!
2000 eleventy!
Haha, he also said “We’d trade our entire draft for Strasburg”.
What this Strasburg kid get hurt.
He gets drafted by the Yankees.
that would be freakin’ awesome…him + brackman + Betances + Hughes+ McCallister/Heredia/Garcia/anyone else = 10 championships
Lets go get him drunk and tear his elbow ligaments while hes passed out.
Where’s Joba?
Please don’t tell me Joba’s in your bullpen.
two words: center field.
Francesa said today, about Joba in the ‘pen, that his 7 inning, 3 hit, 9 strikeout performance vs. Boston was not dominant.
oh shoot i forgot about Joba
matt, you’re kidding right?
Sadly, I’m not. He–and maybe John Kruk–is the only person dumb enough to say that.
Guys a moron.
No, he’s absolutely right. Joba isn’t dominant as a starter, he’s just really good, that’s all.
You wanna see dominant? Go watch Nate McLouth play centerfield. I jizzed in my pants.
Sincerely,
Mike Francesa
Jack Morris is the best pitcher ever.
Yeah, except the Yankees have lost just about all their 1st round picks until 2011.
A 94 mph slider? How do you even catch that? Ill be the first naysayer, I bet his changeup isn’t even that good it just plays off the ridiculous heat he brings. I guess it doesnt really even have to be that good when u throw 100.
I think Billy Koch’s slider got up to 96. And now he’s nuts.
Ask Daniel Bard about that.
yea and his slider is faster than most of the league. Fastballs at 92 with movement is good but a slider at 93-94 is just unhittable. The fact his, Strasburg’s WHIP should be 0.00 or he just plain sucks in Yankeeville.
The guy has a 84 to 87 slider from all the reports I read.
Isn’t there some way we could tamper with him? Screw the legality. Can’t we promise him eleventy-million dollars and have him declare that he’ll only sign with a drafting team for 10^x million dollars?
http://www.nomaas.org/images/cashsoprano.jpg
“Either your brains or your signature will be on that contract.”
You have twenty-four hours to sign the contract. And, to show you that we’re serious… you have twelve hours to sign the contract.
NAtionals should get 2 top pitchers in this draft. They should look very good in a few years.
or they could not have been assholes and already have aaron crow in their system.
I laughed so hard at that tears thing. Yes the guy is good but there are guys who don’t like his mechanics.
That, and doctors who practice sports medicine will tell you that the shoulder and ligaments are already maxed out throwing the ball at 95 MPH. Unless you’re a freak of nature like Nolan Ryan, the harder you throw, the more likely to you are to break down.
How many guys have we all seen drafted that throw the ball 100MPH that flame out due to injury in the minors?
Freak of nature, or steroid user?
I just read Olney’s blog entry.
It makes me wish that the rules permitted the Yankees to trade up for the first pick in the draft.
What would the Nationals ask for, though?
Joba?
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2k5POsgFg4
I believe that’s called a San Di-Ah-Go
In light of Ben’s brilliant turn of phrase (“He’s A-OK-Rod”), I’ve decided to help save the New York Post some time, because we all know thinking of new ARod rhyming nicknames can be a taxing, time consuming process. I’ve compiled a nice quick list of names they can use. This should cover just about everything ARod could potentially do in the next 30-odd years, so the Post can focus their creative efforts on making those awesome cartoons.
Gray-Rod (when he gets old)
Lay-Rod (when he reclines to a prone position down to take an afternoon nap)
Filet-Rod (when he takes Dorothy Mantooth out for a lovely seafood dinner and never calls her again)
Ben-Gay-Rod (when he has mild soreness in his shoulder and has a medicated rub applied by his friend Yuri Sucart)
Spay-Rod (when he takes his female dog to the vet to be fixed; may also apply to Madonna)
Weigh-Rod (when he shows up to spring training 15 pounds lighter and in great shape, ready to move to CF)
Neigh-Rod (when he and his friend Yuri Sucart buy a thoroughbred racehorse together)
Kay-Rod (when Verducci’s new tell-all book reveals Alex and Michael Kay are secret homosexual lovers)
Ray-Rod (when Verducci’s new tell-all book reveals Alex and Ray Liotta are secret homosexual lovers)
Trey-Rod (when Verducci’s new tell-all book reveals Alex and the fictional character Trey Styles from the movie Boyz ‘N’ Tha Hood (portrayed by Cuba Gooding Jr.) are secret homosexual lovers)
Pray-Rod (when he’s ordained a minister, by Chad Curtis)
Yay-Rod (when Alex hits a game winning homer run and everybody cheers; this name likely will never be needed)
Llell-Rod (when it’s revealed that Alex has been running a massive illegal cocaine importing ring through his Miami home with his friend Yuri Sucart)
Say-Hey-Rod (when he injects himself with the harvested testosterone of the now-dead baseball great Willie Mays, because he’s obsessed with injecting various types of testosterone into his buttcheeks to see what happens)
Beignet-Rod (when he goes to New Orleans and enjoys some delicious pastries in the French Quarter)
Slay-Rod (when he brutally stabs his ex-wife and her new lover in a fit of jealous rage and then hops in his friend Yuri Sucart’s white Cadillac Escalade to escape the police pursuit in a low-speed chase down the West Side Highway)
Duvet-Rod (when he redecorates his condo in a tasteful Art Nouveau style)
Bray-Rod (when he buys a new pet donkey or camel)
Obeah-Rod (when he goes to Jamaica and a voodoo woman puts a “root” on him)
Blue-Jay-Rod (when Ian O’Connor’s dream comes true and he’s finally traded to Toronto for Joe Inglett and Kevin Millar)
Foray-Rod (when he makes a sudden attack or incursion into enemy territory, especially to obtain something)
Pay-Rod for Play-Rod (when he becomes a radio DJ and starts charging artists to spin their records in an elaborate illegal scheme using his friend Yuri Sucart as a go-between)
Hey-Hey-Hey-Rod (when he buys the Fat Albert show catalog from Bill Cosby and puts it back on the air)
Malay-Rod Peninsula (when he flies to Southeast Asia to help broker a new round of peace negotiations resolving the East Timor situation)
Where My Homiez? [Come Around My Way-Rod] (when he drops a crazy phat dope CD full of illmatic gangsta rap tracks with his friend Yuri Sucart)
NCAA-Rod (when he pulls a Neuheisel and gets in hot water for betting on a March Madness office pool)
Today-Rod (when some stupid minute insignificant pointless detail in Alex’s life happens TODAY and we all must obsess about it with 10,000 word columns about nothing)
A-Roddenberry (when he shows up to a Star Trek convention dressed as Seven of Nine with his friend Yuri Sucart dressed as Worf)
A-Rodin (when he makes you think)
you’re f*cking insane bro.
Beignet-Rod (when he goes to New Orleans and enjoys some delicious pastries in the French Quarter)
this was the best one
spoke too soon:
Hey-Hey-Hey-Rod (when he buys the Fat Albert show catalog from Bill Cosby and puts it back on the air)
Haha.
can only admin embed photos?
I have a few things in mind.
I have a few things in mind.
I bet you do, you sick, sick bastard.
http://www.thisshirtrocks.com/.....m-rod.html ?
You seriously need to start a blog.
I can’t. RAB cannot be topped.
You can’t have two number ones… that makes eleven.
If your not first, your last!
That doesn’t make any sense, you can be 2nd 3rd, hell even 4th.
Second place is the first loser. Better?
Here’s a few others that The Post may need at some point.
Tina-Fey-Rod: when he makes a guest appearance on 30 Rock
Clay-Rod: When he takes up sculpture as a hobby
BJ-Rod: When he’s found in a Minnesota airport
Soufflé-Rod: When he takes up French cooking
VJ-Rod: When he hosts a program on MTV
Abe-Rod: When he dresses up like Lincoln during Halloween
A-Bod: When he becomes a male model
Ehhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh-Rod: When he hangs out with The Fonz
Curds-and-Weigh-Rod: When he reads Little Miss Muffett to school children
Obey-Rod: When he creates a mind control device and takes over the world
Gangsta-Partay-Rod: When he gets crunk
Bolay-rod
how pissed are the Mariners that they didn’t just tank a couple more games?
Very.
2nd pick? Who do I take?
Han Ram or Pujols whomever doesnt go 1
He will have Tommy John surgery in a year and a half. Count on it.
He’ll pitch lefty while rehabbing and go 32-1 with 0.97 ERA and 412k’s in 279 innings. Then he’ll come back from TJS throwing 104.
Just ask Buster Olney.
That wouldn’t be so bad. I was thinking torn labrum, myself.
Seriously, if I drafted him, the first thing I would tell him is take it down a notch, focus on location. Then I’d fine him $500 every time the radar gun hits 100.
I wonder if “longtime” scout means senile. Those are some pretty ridiculous comments.
So he’s going to be an 8th inning guy, right?
“I know it’s easy to fall in love with prospects when they start the season on such great streaks, but let’s keep things in perspective. Stephen Strasburg is not the greatest prospect ever.”
That’s right. Nails Krzyzewski is the greatest prospect ever.
No, no, no! Melvin Croussett, dumbasses.
Melvin is not a prospect. Prospect means potential. He’s already the greatest pitcher of all time.
Exactly. The doctor did a sonogram of Melvin when he was in his mother’s womb. His image was shaped like the Cy Young Award plaque.
As a toddler, Melvin was clocked throwing a jar of Gerbers Banana baby food at 83 MPH.
His pediatrician commented the jar had ‘late life’ as it exited the window.
Rumor has it that he rescued his twin brother from the womb.
By the way, I know Croussett is a real player but is is really any good? Seriously, no sarcastic jokes to this question.
No one actually knows much about him. But here is a link to his stats from the DSL.
http://tinyurl.com/djg8j7
This Netherlands @ Puerto Rico game is INCREDIBLE. A 19 year old pitcher for the Netherlands just got out of a 1 out bases loaded jam to preserve a 1-0 lead.
I love pitching duels but I like Heroes more.
I almost cried when Aviles stayed @ 3rd on that wild pitch.
Joe Mauer will have an MRI tomorrow to examine his balky back:
http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/.....id=3965542
How DARE HE get injured! What a self-obsessed, insecure, Single-White-Femalish spotlight hog! He’s clearly jealous of his more heralded teammate Justin Morneau and injured himself to be the center of attention again.
Balky back huh. Caused by steroids obviously.
If only he was more like Nails
I am SO EXCITED to see The Netherlands win the World Baseball Classic.
I want Hollanders to walk around for the next three years proclaiming themselves the Kings of Baseball.
There are two things I can’t stand: People intolerant of other people’s cultures… and the Dutch.
So can you not stand yourself?
That’s why Pot is legal in Amsterdam. They’d rather be stoned than be Dutch.
I don’t believe pot is actually legal in Amsterdam. However, its use is widely tolerated. Can’t we get that going in the U.S.?
My favorite Dutch person:
http://www.foxnews.com/images/.....n_paul.jpg
My favorite dutch person:
http://tiny.cc/Hye8M
My favorite Dutch person:
http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_v1QO.....y80545.jpg
http://www.facebook.com/people...../500044362
With me it’s Carny. Circus folk. Nomads. You know…smell like cabbage…small hands.
“There are two things I can’t stand: People intolerant of other people’s cultures… and the Dutch.”
Redundancy much?
really?
I beleive the word you’re looking for is hypocracy
I believe the word you’re looking for is “hypocrisy”.
I just came back to snark myself but u beat me to it. I’m an ass.
Pat = Epic Fail.
story of my life [sigh]
Bringing up a historical reference (particularly in respect to South Africa). Sorry for the confusion.
Pablo droppin the intelligent snark.. no wonder none of us understood it.
Ooooooh, I get it, Holy Bartender, that’s a GREAT one!!!!
But…I’m a fucking demon…
I laughed.
So wise.
This Nederland/Puerto Rico game is going to kill me.
Dutch pen is getting real thin
The Netherlands team went going to their closer in the 8th inning.
YOU STUPID DUTCH BASTARDS, YOU HAVE TO SAVE YOUR CLOSER FOR THE 9TH AND USE AN INFERIOR PITCHER FOR THE 8TH INNING!!!!!
That’s why PR took the lead: you spat in the face of the baseball gods.
Okay so I was just offered Hawpe and Glaus for Magglio. I’m thinking of countering by offering Putz and Maggs for Hawpe, Jeter, and Glaus–good idea or bad?
My current shortstop is Mike Aviles, my current third baseman is Adrian Beltre, and my other non-Magglio OFs are Manny, Milton Bradley, and Garret Anderson (he’s a bench guy).
Realistically if they repeat last years performance thats a great deal for you, without countering.
Counter is Putz for Jeter… which is obviously excellent
Yeah, I countered with what I said. The dude’s a Mets fan and has Hardy as his other SS so hopefully this’ll work.
Bad idea. I wouldn’t count on Glaus, Hawpe can’t hit lefties, and Jeter is *GASP* not that much better than Aviles in fantasy.
Yes, that was a shot at Derek Jeter.
Haha, I canceled it. I can find some other way to improve my SS position. I have Felipe Lopez on the bench which is awesome because via Yahoo! he qualifies at 2B/SS/3B/OF. Super-Sub, FTW!
I wouldn’t count on Glaus
Well he doesn’t have to trade Beltre in this proposed deal so he’s not risking that much, and while Glaus is still a little banged up, he’ll still give you power.
Hawpe can’t hit lefties
It doesn’t really matter that Hawpe doesn’t hit lefties well, how he hits righties + Coors field more than makes up for it.
Jeter is *GASP* not that much better than Aviles in fantasy.
If Aviles plays like last year then he and Jeter are similar, but he doesn’t have to give up Aviles for him in in proposed trade, so he’s not risking that much.
He’s trading Mag-Pipes & a relief pitcher, that won’t even get saves for Hawpe, Jeter, and Glaus. That trade is a no brainer.
Randall Simon has to get it going for the Netherlands…not a good sign
He’s motivated: they offered him all the sausages he could hit with a bat if he plays well.
With his contact rates, they may just want to hand him the sausages
Wow, the Jaguars signed Tra Thomas. That came out of leftfield.
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/.....id=3963930
Now what do the Eagles do? Play Winston Justice at LT? That’s going to be fun… for the Giants, that is.
Osi & Tuck can’t wait
I think they signed Stacy Andrews with the intention of letting Thomas go and moving Justice over… my friend who’s an Eagles fan, well, let’s just say he’s not pleased.
Granted, everyone the Eagles have let go this year, although they were great players, they were getting old and are probably not worth the money they are making. I don’t think the fan base is pleased, but they may be making the right moves.
In any event. I’m looking forward to the Giants line running right through this Eagles team.
Sounds a lot like a Hall of Fame I remember as a very hard throwing youngster coming up with the Dodgers…a few years ago. The kid had it all, fastball, slider and curve/change (can’t remember which)…it took him a few years to learn to slow down a bit, after (Bob Feller talked to him) that…unhittable…Sandy Kofaxs (spelling) was the guy.
The only three pitchers I saw that kept their speed (more or less), was Nolan Ryan, Sandy and Bob Feller.
I’ll believe this kids tools, when I see them…sounds like he has a big health problem in his future. I sure hope not, for his sake!
a few years ago?
Ok, so it was many moons ago! Hee, hee! I think most everyone has heard of him…few, if any, have ever seen him pitch, other then myself. All Yankees hated him, well maybe not hated but, close enough.
Koufax!
Thank you!
http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/.....id=3965039
That’s so…stupid.
It’s…the Eagles. What do you expect?
ZING!
Damn South Africa’s starter for tonights game is 19
Quick question. I remember TSJC linking to the picture of this seat a while ago, but does anyone know what stadium it is?
http://tinyurl.com/bv4gyj
The colors make me think Shea
That is correct. The seat is in Shea. If memory serves, there’s not even a discount for it, it’s full price.
Any word on how Jesus Montero is doing?
Dwyane Wade, need I say more?
http://www.veoh.com/browse/vid.....4mmpcQ7Xm#
13:15 mark.
I would say some of those comments are a little crazy, but the fact remains he can throw over 100 mph, his slider/curve is in the mid-80s, and his change up should be around his curve speed. You’re change up is good if it is located and is about 10 mph slower than a fastball. I don’t think many people have the same skill set as him, I don’t know where you see many starting pitchers hitting high 90s in the 9th inning and touching 102 mph. And from a lot of you’re comments you must all be about 16 years old, because the you’re immaturity is blatantly apparent.
I’d say it’s probably not a good idea to question the maturity of others if you don’t know the fucking difference between YOUR and YOU’RE.
You = Epic Fail.
[...] That’s a 19.40 Kper9 and a 10.57 K/BB. Remember when I said Price and Prior and all of them were better prospects? I take it back. This kid is as real as it gets, and is making a case to be the greatest amateur [...]