Craig Stammen's Health Assures Him Spot in Washington Nationals Rotation

Craig Stammen was all but guaranteed a spot in the Washington Nationals’ starting rotation prior to his Saturday start against the Mets.

Heading into that game, Stammen had a 1-1 record with a crisp 2.89 ERA, striking out eight while walking just two.

But after his last outing, the “all but” tag has been removed.

Stammen pitched five strong innings against New York, allowing two runs and five hits, striking out two. Here is his updated spring numbers:

Record

1-1

ERA

Innings Pitched

Hits Allowed

Walks

Strikeouts

Batting Average-Against

His 3.14 ERA is second best among the starters, behind Livan Hernandez (2.25) but ahead of John Lannan (3.78), Garrett Mock (4.50), and Jason Marquis (14.40)

But this isn’t his first success in spring training. Last spring, Stammen posted a 2.25 ERA while allowing an off-the-charts .077 batting average-against.

He started the season with the Nationals’ Triple-A affiliate and was dominant. In 40 innings, Stammen crafted a record of 4-2, 1.80, allowing just 7.2 hits and 1.8 walks per nine-innings while striking out 3.2.

He was promoted to the major leagues in mid May and started his first major league game that week.

Stammen pitched pretty well as a rookie in 2009, though he did not look nearly as crisp over the last month of the season. It seemed as though opposing hitters had begun to make their adjustments having seen him several times.

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

But Nationals’ beat writer 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 removed a bone spur and has reported several times this spring that he is 100 percent pain free, that he is again able to pitch like he once could.  

Pitching, Stammen said, was fun again.

While Stammen 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:

1st Half: 4.14

2nd Half: 7.39

Innings Per Start:

1st Half: 6.2

2nd Half: 4.2

Hits Per 9 Innings:

1st Half: 9.2

2nd Half: 11.9

Strikeouts Per 9 Innings:

1st Half: 4.6

2nd Half: 3.9

Walks Per 9 Innings:

1st Half: 1.8

2nd Half: 2.8

Opponent’s Batting Average

1st Half: .254

2nd Half: .309

Opponent’s On-Base Percentage

1st Half: .297

2nd Half: .350

Opponent’s Slugging Percentage

1st Half: .398

2nd Half: .600

Pitchers Thrown for Strikes:

1st Half: 65%

2nd Half: 55%

Those were some very impressive numbers that Stammen compiled before the elbow pain took its toll.

To give you a better feel for his accomplishments, let’s compare Stammen’s batting average-against, on-base percentage allowed, and slugging average against (prior to his injury last season) with John Lannan, J.D. Martin, Jordan Zimmermann, and Livan Hernandez:

Craig Stammen:           .254—.297—.398

John Lannan:              .266—.329—.421

Jordan Zimmermann:    .271—.332—.429

Livan Hernandez:        .295—.346—.411

Most of us wanted quick fixes last winter as the Nationals sought out additions to the pitching staff through the free agent market.

Adding Jason Marquis was great, but hopes were high for another big-name pitcher to bolster and solidify the worst starting rotation in the major leagues.

But if we’re fair about all of this (but who says fans have to be fair?), Stammen showed enough in 2009 to warrant starting the season in the rotation. He didn’t need to be replaced.

The problem for the Nationals is that if Stammen and other talented-but-unproven pitchers fail, the team is staring a third 100-loss season squarely in the eye.

And that’s not good.

Another year like the last two and the team might as well board up Nationals Park and see if the city of Montreal remembers where they put the Youppi! costume.

In the end, general manager Mike Rizzo went for a fix that made the most sense. He signed Jason Marquis for the front of the rotation and Livan Hernandez for the rear. But he still had enough trust in Craig Stammen that he didn’t sign a third free agent pitcher.

Stammen has the talent to be another John Lannan in the rotation. Here’s hoping he lives up to that ability.