Strasburg is the Real Deal

(BOD - Marla Hooch. What a hitter!)

Some general housekeeping:

At some point yesterday afternoon, Talkin’ with Tewks received its 10,000th visitor. This is a monumental occasion and a testament to this blog’s popularity (or it’s a testament to how much I can refresh a webpage in a day).

Nevertheless, I feel like I should be standing on an aircraft carrier, in a flight suit, with a giant “Mission Accomplished” banner hanging behind me. Of course, I’m not one to rest on my laurels (that would mean I have laurels in the first place), so I will continue to keep banging out columns at my usual pace.

See you at 20,000.

There were some terrific comments and opinions posted to yesterday’s Bachelorette recap. I agreed with the majority of them, vehemently disagreed with one (Rambo, I’m looking in your direction) and, based on some suggestions, have managed to coerce Mama Tewks to watch the rest of the season with me and make more inappropriate comments.

How about that Stephen Strasburg?

His performance last night in his major league debut was nothing short of incredible. It’s not the stats that impressed me the most, it’s the fact Strasburg was able to surpass the tremendous hype surrounding his debut and completely shatter everyone’s expectations.

How big was his start? I found myself lamenting the fact I couldn’t watch the game live. Has such a sentence ever been written about a game involving the Washington Nationals and the Pittsburgh Pirates?

I am not new to the Strasburg train. Last April, I wrote a column on the kid before he exploded into the public consciousness when he was taken first overall in the 2009 MLB Entry Draft.

Back then, my adoration for the flamethrower was already burgeoning. After last night, it has reached a fever pitch. Strasburg’s stuff is FILTHY. Its one thing to dominate college kids and minor leaguers, but to make major league hitters flinch on curveballs and look plain silly on high fastballs is something maybe a handful of guys can do in the entire league.

Strasburg did this in his first start!

Let’s take a closer look at his line: 7IP, 14Ks, 0BB, 94 pitches.

At first glance, most people are going to be blown away by the gaudy strikeout total, as well they should. Fourteen strikeouts, especially in only seven innings, are extraordinary in any outing, nevermind that it was his big league debut.

Allow me to flex some insider baseball knowledge: I’m much more impressed by the walk total and the pitch count. Most pure strikeout pitchers also walk a lot of batters; the two stats go hand in hand. Nolan Ryan holds both the career strikeout record and the career walk record.

Strasburg was able to strike out a ton of batters, but also possessed pinpoint accuracy. That is a very scary proposition to the rest of the National League.

To strikeout a lot of hitters, a pitcher is going to throw a lot of pitches. It’s virtually impossible to do so otherwise. For example, I have a lot of strikeouts so far this year and I guarantee I’ve thrown over 100 pitches in each outing. It’s hard not to throw a lot of pitches when ringing up Ks.

Strasburg only threw 94 pitches in seven innings. With 14 strikeouts. That type of pitch count with that performance is absolutely unheard of.

He also struck out the last seven batters he faced and threw his last pitch of the night at 98 miles an hour. That means he got stronger as the game went on. He was only pulled from the game because he was on a strict pitch count.

Can you imagine if he has a similar performance a year from now, not shackled by a pitch count? Next June, the Nationals will probably let him stretch out to 120, 125 pitches if the outing doesn’t have any high stress innings (i.e. runners in scoring position).

You’re looking at possibly 19 or 20 strikeouts. Strasburg officially has no ceiling. He once struck out 23 in a college game. Could he do that in the Show?

After what I saw last night, I’m not betting against him.