Rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg will undergo Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ligament in his throwing arm. The news comes only a few days after Strasburg was placed on the 15 day DL for what was originally believed to be a strained ligament.
Can Nationals' fans ever catch a break? Talk about a punch to the gut. Just 2 weeks after signing the next big thing, Bryce Harper, a year after signing the current big thing, Strasburg, Washington fans had something to look forward to. They had potentially the best pitcher and best hitter in the game 5-10 years from now. They had the makings of a dynamic young core that could be together for years. Now all they have to look forward to in 2011 is Bryce Harper's minor league stats.
Strasburg will spend the better part of a year (or more) rehabbing his right arm. Fan favorite Adam Dunn is likely to vacate our nation's capital as a free agent. Harper won't sniff the big leagues until maybe September. How quickly things can turn sour.
But what's the reality of the situation? Will Strasburg ever be Stephen Strasburg again, or will he be another quality front end starter with limited potential? The answer remains to be seen. I could go through all the trouble of looking up statistics for pitchers pre- and post-Tommy John, but I don't have the time for that. Instead, I'll give you my honest opinion.
Eh. No biggie.
Hold up. What? No biggie? Yeah, that's what I said. In all honesty, did the Nationals have a shot in hell at competing for anything next year? 4 months ago I would've said no before the Reds and Padres convinced me otherwise. Now I'll say not likely. Strasburg would've had a shot at a Cy Young, but that's about all Nats', and baseball, fans are missing out on.
Barring any major setbacks Strasburg will be ready for the start of the 2012 MLB season, hopefully along with Harper. And let's face it. Tommy John is a big deal, especially in the short term, but in the long term most pitchers come back either throwing harder or with a reconstructed delivery that aleviates a lot of pressure off of the shoulder or elbow. His nasty curve will probably lose some of its bite due to a loss a torque, but potentially this procedure could make Strasburg even more filthy, or just more effective.
As a baseball fan, I just want to see Strasburg in the best hands available in order to come back at 100% and not a minute sooner. Strasburg is a special talent that has lived up to his billing and hype in an age where that just doesn't happen anymore. Frankly, this wasn't just a punch to the gut for only Nationals fans, but all baseball fans including myself.
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