Washington Nationals' pitcher Stephen Strasberg to make M.L. debut on June 8th...

• Leonardo

  

  ... against the Pittsburgh Pirates.
  
  What do you expect from him in his first start? What would be a good first outing?
• wes_mantooth

  

  I expect him to be on a pitch count, so I am going to say...2 runs in 6 innings and a win.
• Laley23

  

  The pitch count will do him in. The pirates will take more pitches and be able to foul some off. Id say because of the pitch count he goes 5+(but not 6) innings and surrenders 2 runs.
• Ironman92

  

  The Pirates might be the worst team ever at taking pitches.
  
  The working the count can work for Strasburg.......get ahead 0-1 every count and see how long the hitters last.
  
  Strasburg really shouldn't be up until about August of 2013.......June 8th is too soon, he's probably not a good pitch out pitcher yet.
• Laley23

  

  Ironman92;374760 wrote:The Pirates might be the worst team ever at taking pitches.
  
  The working the count can work for Strasburg.......get ahead 0-1 every count and see how long the hitters last.
  
  Strasburg really shouldn't be up until about August of 2013.......June 8th is too soon, he's probably not a good pitch out pitcher yet.

  
  Thats true, but I still gotta think they will take more than your AAA club and the same goes for foul balls.
• Benny The Jet

  

  Ironman92;374760 wrote:The Pirates might be the worst team ever at taking pitches.
  
  The working the count can work for Strasburg.......get ahead 0-1 every count and see how long the hitters last.
  
  Strasburg really shouldn't be up until about August of 2013.......June 8th is too soon, he's probably not a good pitch out pitcher yet.

  
  I can't tell if you're serious?!? You really don't think he should be up for another 3+ years?!? I mean June 8th may be a little soon, maybe you could make an argument to keep him down until September call ups this year...but 3 more years? If he's ready now, throw him. He's not some 17 year old kid who got drafted and they're rushing him, he was a Sr. in college when he got drafted. If him and the organization feel he's ready, go for it.
• Ironman92

  

  Players should be called up IMO as soon as they can make the team better.
  
  I've never been a fan of holding their hand until they are ready to let go.......put them out there in reasonable time and see how they adjust or if they even have to.......IMO the players that get called up too early and struggle and then struggle to make it back don't have the moxy to be great anyways. Few on here agree with me on this but that is fine.
  
  I'd had Strasburg pitching in game #3 this season......for the Nationals
• osu99

  Even better is he is looking at start #2 being at the Jake in Cleveland. Could be a good reason to head to a Tribe game.
• mattinctown

  One run in 6 innings, it's the Pirates for god's sake
• Heretic

  

  ^^
  As a Pirates fan, I concur...except for what could be our one saving grace. Every once in a while, they look good when I least expect them to, like when they beat Halliday a few weeks back.
• jordo212000

  

  I say he'll go 5, but not b/c the Pirates are forcing him out.... (the pitch count)
• BR1986FB

  Ironman92;374760 wrote:
  Strasburg really shouldn't be up until about August of 2013.......June 8th is too soon, he's probably not a good pitch out pitcher yet.

  
  Curt Schilling, who seems to have an opinion on EVERYTHING, is projecting Strasburg to be a "top 5" pitcher immediately.
  
  As far as Strasburg's first outing? I'm sure he'll be on a pitch count but holding the Pirates to NO hits wouldn't be a surprise. They ARE the Pirates. If it were the Tribe, I'd say perfect game.
• cbus4life

  Pirates knock him out of the game by the 2nd inning...
• darbypitcher22

  

  Fuck.
  
  I was going to play on watching this until I realized all Pittsburgh games are blacked out in this area on Extra Innings....