‘Waiting for the call’
courtesy of ‘afagen’
Stephen Strasburg has a 21 1/3 scoreless inning streak playing for the Triple-A Syracuse Cheifs. He has and line that reads just as pretty, if not prettier, than a vast majority of pitchers at the Major League level at the current time.
That line reads: 3-0, 0.00 ERA, 18.1 IP, 4 H, 22 Ks, 4 BBs.
The question remains: when will his final minor league start take place?
Well sports fans, that start could be tonight. It could also be next week. Here’s the situation:
If tonight continues to be another routine outing for the talented 21-year-old, he has a shot at being called up this week. That would mean he could pitch in his hometown of San Diego when the Nationals visit the Padres in a few days. Which would be a particularly nice opportunity for a Major League debut since Strasburg played college ball for San Diego State.
If Strasburg does make the start in San Diego, that means no Major League debut on his team’s home field in Washington. Tickets sales for the projected June 4th start have been going since we all first heard word that it was even a semi-probable rumor. The buzz generated in this town about the odds of Strasburg’s first start being at home have even gone as far as to encourage District sports junkies to agree that Strasburg is one of the city’s top athletes … and he hasn’t even played here yet.
Either way, the time is coming and coming soon. There’s no way it isn’t with those kinds of numbers.
Update as of 3:33 p.m. – You can watch Strasburg’s start tonight live at 7:00 on MASN and MASN HD.
Rachel moved to DC in the fall of 2005 to study Journalism and Music at American University. When she’s not keeping up with the latest Major League Baseball news, she works on making music as an accomplished singer-songwriter and was even a featured performer/speaker at TEDxDupont Circle in 2012. Rachel has also contributed to The Washington Examiner and MASN Sports’ Nationals Buzz as a guest blogger. See why she loves DC. E-Mail: rachel@welovedc.com.
And I was thisclose to buying an infield box seat for 6/4…
Phil, if it makes you feel any better … my friends and myself have already invested in tix ;) Either way … it’s still a baseball game no matter who starts and therefore … still fun :)
You honestly think the Nationals would have Strasburg debut on the west coast in a 10:15pm EST game?
I would have to see that to believe it.
My money (and two seats in Sect 318) is still on June 4. And June 10 (Sect 316) for start No. 2.
Yeah, I’m with Ryan. Despite the San Diego Connection, I expect the Nats to let the fans of DC witness his first outing, unless the owners in San Diego agree to pay the Nats for all the extra tickets they sell in SD.
I’ll probably opt to get in the $5 grandstand line, which I usually do anyway. Great value for actual Major League Baseball!
Dan Steinberg is reporting:
“UPDATE: As of around 3 pm on Monday, the Nats site has now stopped listing any tickets online for the Centerfield Lounge, Infield Gallery, Outfield Gallery or Upper Infield Gallery.”
This, combined with the Nats wanting one more AAA home start for the Strasburg Express, (cha-ching), all points to the June 4 start at home.
By the way, I think MASN is televising live his start tonight.
Jay! You can watch the start live starting at 7 p.m. on MASN … just updated the post :)
The whole point in keeping him down was due to arbitration
Considering our SP is a laughingstock right now, we need him ASAP
He will be up the day after his 3rd year arbitration clause kicks in
OK, I broke down and got an infield box seat. Resistance is futile.