Washington Nationals' Savior Stephen Strasburg's Road Back Has a Fork in It

Stephen Strasburg is certainly no secret. While most prospects fly under the radar before establishing themselves in the minors, this young phenom was a national figure while pitching at San Diego State University.

His MLB pitching debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates on June 8, 2010 showed how well he handled the hype.

In that game, Strasburg delivered a seven-inning, 14-strikeout performance in which he only surrendered two runs.  He issued no walks, becoming the first pitcher in the game's history to strikeout at least 11 batters and walk none in his pro debut.  Further, he fell one strikeout short of Karl Spooner's debut strikeout record.

August 27, 2010 rolled around, and Nationals' fans watched on in horror as it was announced that their savior needed Tommy John surgery.  Strasburg would need 12-18 months to rehabilitate. 

In the blink of an eye, it seemed that the Nationals' organization had reverted to square one.  The drafting of top prospect Bryce Harper in the 2010 draft eased the pain, but the injury remained a permanent elephant in the room. 

Nearly a year down the road now, Strasburg began to throw again just last week.  No one expected him to throw until at least September, and many speculated that he was throwing too early.

Anyone that says a pitcher doesn't know what's good for him clearly can't understand the mindset of an athlete. He's a grown man!  I applaud his heart and desire, and I have gained a much higher level of respect for him. 

Still, against many fans' wishes, Strasburg threw in a game yesterday with Single-A Hagerstown.  He pitched for an inning and two-thirds, tossing 31 pitches (25 for strikes), allowing three hits and a run.  Four of his five outs were strikeouts.

Which brings us to a conundrum. What should we think about Strasburg after his first time back?

Did he throw strikes?  Yes. 

Did he manage his ability to strikeout batters?  Yes.

Is it troubling that he allowed four hits and a run in such a short stint?  Somewhat.

I only say somewhat because I realize it's baseball and even Roger Clemens gave up a home run in a Single-A start.  However, Strasburg needs to remember one other man that recently went through Tommy John surgery.

Edinson Volquez, a former starter for the Cincinnati Reds, now pitches for their Triple-A Louisville club.  Volquez went through the surgery and lost command of almost every pitch he has (I featured Volquez in an article which you can view here).

Strasburg does not appear to have this problem, given that almost 81% of his pitches yesterday went for strikes.  This is where the fork comes in—either Strasburg will make a full recovery and continue on as people thought he would, or this surgery will ruin him. 

Many pitchers lose confidence in their arm after surgery.  It messes with their heads and they're never the same.  Strasburg managed to get his pitches into the strike zone, but this doesn't mean his command is perfect.

That only means he can throw strikes—placing his pitches in the right spots may still be an issue over time, and if it is, Strasburg needs to address it.

Given the game film I've watched, I foresee Strasburg taking the right road.  He doesn't have a feeble mind, and knows how to win ball games.  In the Hagerstown game, Strasburg displayed pitching by a man with no fear, and who only wants to win. 

Will this allow Strasburg to overcome his injury?

Time will tell, but here's a warning for batters all over—Strasburg is coming; be ready, because he's going to be baseball's next 300 game winner.