Strasburg out for up to 2 years... what we can learn from it.

[ChaosLex]

You just knew JTrea was going to come into this thread and puff out his chest.

[H0smash]

Then.

But they'd look pretty smart right about now IMO...

Who would you take then? I keep asking but you won't respond. Also, they still wouldn't look smart, maybe if Strasburg had torn his labrum or rotator cuff but this is TJ surgery, definitely something he can come back from.

[Mackus]

Does anyone think the Nats would trade Strasburg for Dustin Ackley today? No chance in hell. Similarly, the Mariners would make that trade in a heartbeat.

[H0smash]

Does anyone think the Nats would trade Strasburg for Dustin Ackley today? No chance in hell. Similarly, the Mariners would make that trade in a heartbeat.

I'll trade them Hobgood, and I bet the Reds would trade Leake for Stras in the offseason. I think the chances are pretty good that he comes back and dominates again, maybe he's throwing in the mid-90s instead of the upper-90s and 100s, but he can still be very successful in the mid-90s.

[JTrea81]

Based on what?

Dustin Ackley's .778 OPS?

Based on the fact they could have also passed on Strasburg and drafted Harper and Taillon in this draft.

Now Ackley would have been the best pick in that draft but the Nats could have also passed and let Strasburg go into his senior year, where he likely would have blown out his arm, and taken the #1 and #2 picks of the 2010 draft. Not to mention they would have kept bonuses down as well because Strasburg would have never got his $15 million.

They would have taken a huge PR hit, but it would have been the best LT option for the franchise. Taillon isn't as much of an injury risk as Strasburg was.

I guarantee had the Nats passed on Strasburg, people would be saying it was an extremely smart move on their part this season and probably would recognize it would have been a move that would have helped baseball.

[jcarm]

Based on the fact they could have also passed on Strasburg and drafted Harper and Taillon in this draft.

Now Ackley would have been the best pick in that draft but the Nats could have also passed and let Strasburg go into his senior year, where he likely would have blown out his arm, and taken the #1 and #2 picks of the draft.

You do understand that picks that are given for failing to sign the previous years first round pick do not have the same protection. They would never have taken Taillon with the second pick because they would have been practically forced to take someone who was much more signable. This is how the draft works in reality.

[RandyM]

Based on the fact they could have also passed on Strasburg and drafted Harper and Taillon in this draft.

Now Ackley would have been the best pick in that draft but the Nats could have also passed and let Strasburg go into his senior year, where he likely would have blown out his arm, and taken the #1 and #2 picks of the 2010 draft.

They would have taken a huge PR hit, but it would have been the best LT option for the franchise.

I am extremely sure not signing the #1 pick to draft 2 hs would have been possible. I would have loved to be whoever was drafted with the unprotected pick. Think of the leverage that guy would have had.

[Mackus]

I am extremely sure not signing the #1 pick to draft 2 hs would have been possible. I would have loved to be whoever was drafted with the unprotected pick. Think of the leverage that guy would have had.

It would have been Christian Colon. 100% guarantee. A guy with top 10-15 talent but who wouldn't hold out and demand overslot money.

Zero chance they take a guy with high bonus demands with the comp pick. Hell, look what they did with their comp pick for Crow.

I know Trea lives in the realm of the completely irrational, but he's truly an idiot if he thinks they would have taken Machado or Taillon with that compensation #1A pick.

[hatepaste]

Then.

But they'd look pretty smart right about now IMO...

They wouldn't look smart...Just like they don't look stupid now for taking him.

[whatagame]

I've wondered if young pitchers problems start way before their professional careers begin. For kids who are serious about pursuing a career in baseball and trying to get an advantage there are opportunities to play all year long, clinics, camps, personal trainers, coaches that over use them because they want to win, bad advice etc. It adds up to a lot of wear and tear and all while they are still growing and developing. A professional club will take care of them but who knows what's been happening for the previous 10 years? It probably wasn't the case for pitchers 30-40 years ago.

[JTrea81]

You do understand that picks that are given for failing to sign the previous years first round pick do not have the same protection. They would never have taken Taillon with the second pick because they would have been practically forced to take someone who was much more signable. This is how the draft works in reality.

Harper and Taillon together cost what they gave Strasburg. The Nats would have had the money to sign both.

[DuffMan]

[eb45]

Strasburg was always a ticking TJ time bomb. Just too bad it went off this early.

[TiredofLosing20]

Can you imagine the negative media attention and ridicule the Nats would have absorbed had they passed on Strasburg at #1?

This board would have crashed and burned if the O's would have had first pick and passed on Strasburg. All the naysayers would be going crazy about how cheap AM and the front office was. There would be talk of MASN money and how we aren't willing to spend what it takes to be successful. Hell, we hear that now because they took Hobgood instead of the other pitchers. How many times is Tim Lincecom brought up in threads around here..

Don't let anyone fool you here that they would have applauded the O's if they had passed on Strasburg. Those agenda driven posters would have skewered AM and PA.

The fact is that even with the TJ surgery Strasburg is still the right pick.

[JTrea81]

They wouldn't look smart...Just like they don't look stupid now for taking him.

They look extremely stupid for taking him IMO.

He's likely out of baseball for 1.5-2 years and there's no guarantee he'll be as effective or that he won't become injured again with the same delivery if he does come back.