Stephen Strasburg: Will the Nationals' Prized Prospect Ever Live Up to the Hype?

Stephen Strasburg took the baseball world by storm in 2010.

Selected No. 1 overall in the 2009 amateur draft out of San Diego State, Strasburg was the hottest thing since sliced bread.

He gave his team, the Washington Nationals, the breath of fresh air they desperately needed. A struggling franchise since their days back in Montreal, the Nationals needed to produce a winner.

Strasburg was their man, and he didn't disappoint.

In his first MLB start on June 8, 2010, Strasburg mesmerized everyone with a seven-inning, 14-strikeout performance. The Nationals were the talk of the baseball world, and Strasburg was the reason why.   

Strasburg had baseball fans everywhere buzzing about what he could do next. He was putting butts in seats, and the Nationals, playing in the oh-so-tough NL East, had hopes that their days of being the doormat were done.

Then, disaster struck on August 21, 2010. Strasburg was pulled from a game against the Philadelphia Phillies and hasn't pitched in a MLB game since. He had a "significant" tear in his right elbow ligament, which required Tommy John surgery.

The Washington Nationals organization and fans have been holding their collective breath ever since to see if their savior will recover from the injury.

On the bright side, Strasburg was dominant in his time on the major league mound in 2010. In 12 starts, he posted a 5-3 record with an amazing 92 strikeouts in just 68 innings.

Whether or not he'll return to his brief stint of dominance and live up to the hype remains to be seen.

MLB fans will get a glimpse of the one and only Stephen Strasburg on Tuesday in D.C. as he and the Nationals face off against Ted Lilly and the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Tuesday is the beginning of a new career for Stephen Strasburg—his career after the big injury.

The fate of the Washington Nationals franchise teeters on the fortune of their most prized possession. 

Baseball fans everywhere will be rooting for the 23-year-old to succeed, looking to be captivated once again, but will do so with a small hint of doubt lingering in the backs of their minds.