Stephen Strasburg has captured all of the headlines and imagination recently, and he should – his first outing was special in an incomprehensible way. He’s the poster child for the youth movement on the mound these days, but he’s far from the only young guy who is doing some damage against opposing teams. Young pitchers are really paying off at the betting window as well – eight of the 25 most profitable starters who have had at least seven starts this season are under the age of 25, and two more are 25. It seems like it used to take a few years for pitchers to find their stride and settle into the role of strong starter, but guys these days are just jumping out of the gates. Beyond the profitable pitchers there are young guys tearing it up – Tim Lincecum had two Cy Youngs by 25, and David Price is leading the AL in wins at 25.
Sports Betting Section
MADDUX'S WINNING PICKS
MADDUX'S LIVE ODDS
SITE FEATURES
Tag: Stephen Strasburg
You could say that Stephen Strasburg had the best major league debut of any pitcher in the history of the MLB. There were only two pitchers, J.R. Richards (in 1971) and Karl Spooner (in 1954), who recorded more strikeouts in their debut than Strasburg did Tuesday. Strasburg had 14, Richards and Spooner 15 each.
Stephen Strasburg is finally poised to make his major league debut. He made his last minor league appearance on Thursday afternoon, and barring anything unforeseen he is scheduled to join the Nationals for his first start on June 8 at home against the Pirates. It’s not an exaggeration to say that Strasburg is the most eagerly anticipated debuting pitcher in league history. Other pitchers have perhaps been as hyped, and have certainly been as talented, but the age of the internet has whipped up more of a frenzy around this one than was possible before. Strasburg’s every move has been followed since well before he was drafted, and highlights of all his minor league starts have been widely available for everyone to see. As we get ready for the arrival of the next great thing here are eight random things that are on my mind about the pitcher and the situation surrounding him:
It seems like there is no escaping the Stephen Strasburg hype. The guy has been eating hitters alive in the minor leagues (three straight scoreless outings), and any day now I expect his first major league start, likely June 4, to be named a national holiday. There is so much attention and hype surrounding Strasburg that there is absolutely no chance of betting value in his debut – or likely all year for that matter. Despite the absence of opportunities with him, young pitchers making their major league debuts can provide very attractive value to people who have been paying attention and who realize what the pitchers are capable of and what they have been doing in the minors. Here’s a look at five guys who aren’t as hyped as Strasburg, or even as much as Cincinnati prospect and recent Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman, but who we should see playing with the big boys in the not-so-distant future.
Continue reading “Young Stud Pitchers Not Named Stephen Strasburg”
Another day, another high profile pitcher making his two-inning spring debut for his new team. Unlike Roy Halladay and Aroldis Chapman before him, though, Stephen Strasburg was only solid and not jaw-dropping. The Nationals’ future ace didn’t allow any runs, but he did allow consecutive hits with two outs in the second. He threw 27 pitches – 15 of them for strikes – and he topped out at 98 mph. Two things in particular stood out when I watched the game. First he ended the second inning – his last – with a stunning breaking ball. It was clocked at 81 mph, and it looked like it was bending around a corner. That’s a serious major league out pitch. Beyond that, though, Strasburg definitely looked like a guy who is in need of some time in the minors before he hits the big time. His talent is obvious and massive, but he struggled with his location throughout his outing, and he doesn’t quite look like he believes he belongs and can dominate the pitchers he faces. It’s not like Washington is going to do anything this year anyway, so I think it would be a real mistake to rush him along. Regardless of the rough edges, though, it was exciting to finally see him pitch in the pros, and it’s not hard to see why we have heard so much about him.
I’m a big Pudge Rodriguez guy – he’s my favorite non-pitcher of all time, I think. That being said, I was really surprised by the news that he will be joining the Nationals. He has reportedly signed a two year, $6 million contract. I’m surprised that at this time in his career he’d be interested in playing in such a hopeless situation. Or at least that’s what I thought until I considered it more and came up with one big consideration in their favor – Stephen Strasburg. Pudge gets to spend likely his last two years in the league catching for the most exciting prospect in baseball in a long, long time. The Nats get to be sure that their prize star is well-handled, and they get to benefit from the veteran leadership and instant credibility he brings to the table.
This Tim Floyd situation is going to get uglier and uglier. His resignation, and the speed and seeming joy with which the athletic department at USC took it, is a clear indicator of his guilt in the alleged cash-spreading incident, and it’s not hard to imagine him being guilty of more, either. The NCAA combined their investigation into the basketball team with their one into Reggie Bush and the football team et al . That would suggest that they are taking it pretty seriously, and this just adds fuel to their efforts. It will be very interesting to see what happens here. It could end very badly – loss of scholarships or post-season eligibility or the like. This really makes you wonder if maybe Pete Carroll will find the next NFL offer too good to refuse. If he does have some blood on his hands then he’d be much better off following the example of John Calipari – get out ahead of the scandal – than that of Tim Floyd.
Betting News
Online Sportsbooks
