Sports Then and Now

With Strasburg, Nationals may contend in 2012.

Nearly a year after undergoing Tommy John surgery, Stephen Strasburg threw 31 pitches (25 strikes) and allowed 1 run on 3 hits in his first rehab outing for the Hagerstown Suns. He looked sharp and the Nationals are praising his recovery, but are also hurrying it along with the goal of having him back in the majors before the end of the season.

The Nationals have yet to make the playoffs in Washington, as the drought of 29 seasons go back to the 1981 NLCS as the Montreal Expos fell to the L.A Dodgers. Understandable, the Nationals want to build up and rise as a Major League Baseball team. But hurrying an injury like Tommy John on your future of the team, is not understandable.

At 55-59 and in an impossible NL East, the Nationals are back to their familiar state. Last place. Therefore, there should be no reason to get Strasburg back to Washington healthy and take the risk. It’s not the Nationals have any chance of making the postseason, I don’t think a team who’s 20 games behind the Phillies can win the division, but somehow, someway, the organization believes so.

Although I don’t agree with the rush, Strasburg does indeed to be back as soon as possible. I believe Washington can make the postseason with Strasburg in the rotation. Here’s why:

Only four games under .500, Washington has a fairly decent ball club. There has been plenty of bright spots for the Nationals, with slugger Michael Morse boasting a .327 average and 19 Home Runs with 67 RBI’s tearing  up pitching and becoming a go to guy for the capital’s team. Along with Morse, the Pitching Rotation has had it’s fair share of blemishes, but this year has been a little different. SP Jordan Zimmerman is a questionable 7-9, but a 3.12 ERA has shown that the lineup has not driven in runs for him. John Lannan has had an acceptable season, at 8-7 he has given Nationals fans a couple wins to cheer about.

After that, there’s nothing. Absolutely nothing. Jayson Werth has turned out to be a bust, hitting an ugly .223 and driving in only 43 RBI’s. Livan Hernandez and Jason Marquis have low 4.00 ERA’s, and have diminished the strong starts from Lannan and Zimmerman. That’s why Stephen Strasburg needs to be back. With a healthy, capable pitcher in Strasburg, the Nationals can solidify their rotation by having 3 exceptionable pitchers in their rotation. As for the hitting, Bryce Harper is the man. Everyone, even me, assumes that Harper will be brought up this season or have another chance to prove himself in Spring Training.

I’m saying it, Nationals fans. Your team will NOT be a last place team next season. But for now, the woes continue, and Nationals loyalists will continue to wear the brown bags.