When Healthy, Craig Stammen Was Washington Nationals' Best Starter in 2009

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Craig Stammen pitched pretty well as a rookie in 2009, though he had not looked nearly as crisp over the last month of the season. It seemed as though opposing hitters had begun to make their adjustments once they had seen him a few times.

Certainly, that happens to many rookie pitchers who, after looking very good the first time around the league is never heard from again.

But Chico Harlan posted the following on his Washington Post Journal on Sept. 2:

“Rookie starter Craig Stammen, a member of Washington's pitching rotation since May, has been scratched from his start on Friday because of elbow soreness. An MRI, scheduled for Thursday in Washington, D.C., will determine the severity of the injury.”

"I don't really know what's going on," Stammen said of his elbow. "It's just painful. It doesn't feel good. It's kind of something that's built up over the course of the whole year.

"It's something I've pretty much dealt with over the course of the whole season. It's just kind of time to get it checked out right now."

Five days later, Stammen had surgery on that elbow and was finished for the season.

The 25-year-old is now throwing without pain and is certain he will be ready to go when pitchers report to Spring Training next February. Doctors removed a bone spur from the back of the elbow and bone chips from the front.

While Stammen said he dealt with the pain all year, it became difficult to pitch in late July when he could no longer extend his elbow.

Was Stammen’s 4-7, 5.11 record indicative of his ability, or was it tainted by injury?

Here are his numbers from his first 12 starts (through July 22) and when he said the pain became worse (July 29 through Aug. 29):

Games Started:

1st Half: 12

2nd Half: 7

Record:

1st Half: 3-5

2nd Half: 1-2

Earned Run Average:

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