Shutting Down Strasburg?

[Outlaw]

all year we hear the innings limit with this guy. More than likely they make the playoffs, maybe even with home field throughout the WS. Yet there will be No Strasburg they say. Unless he is hurt, they may never get this shot anytime in the near future. And without him, they will go out rather meekly, because all the focus will be on him not playing. Let alone they are no where as dangerous without him.

What goes around usually always comes around and I would not be surprised that come next year the guy gets hurt anyhow, thats how fate works.

Rizzo is an idiot for backing himself into the corner the way he did. he will be remebered for jsut that too, an Idiot.
Good luck to all Strasburg owners trying to figure when hes going to pitch now, nothing like guessing.

========================================================

Stephen Strasburg is expected to miss two to three regular season starts to limit his 2012 innings.
Furthermore, MLB.com's Bill Ladson reports that Strasburg will not participate in the playoffs once he is shut down. Nationals GM Mike Rizzo said Friday that nothing has changed regarding Stephen Strasburg's innings limit, and that there's no significance to the 180 number that is currently floating around. It had been reported that the Nationals had changed from a 160-inning limit to 180. Strasburg is 13-5 with a 2.90 ERA through 133 1/3 innings. He perhaps has five starts left before Washington will end his campaign.

[BK METS]

There is really not going to be any guessing.. When they shut him down, he will be done for good. And really, with their young team, I think it might be best to not take any chances. I do think they have a shot to make the world series and probably lose when they get there, but in the end, the guy is the best young pitcher in the majors with many years ahead of him, along with the rest of the young Nats.

[Cocktails and Dreams]

Not sure what the right answer is, but if I am GM, he is pitching in the playoffs. I would massage him a bit during this time. Possibly even give him a couple weeks off or whatever. But I want him pitching in the playoffs. You don't have chances to win it all every year, which is the goal last I knew. And when you do have the chance you pitch him in the playoffs and do what it takes to have him sharp leading up to that without overdoing it. Just saying he is done at a certain point is not how I would handle it.

[DOUGHBOYS]

all year we hear the innings limit with this guy. More than likely they make the playoffs, maybe even with home field throughout the WS. Yet there will be No Strasburg they say. Unless he is hurt, they may never get this shot anytime in the near future. And without him, they will go out rather meekly, because all the focus will be on him not playing. Let alone they are no where as dangerous without him.

What goes around usually always comes around and I would not be surprised that come next year the guy gets hurt anyhow, thats how fate works.

Rizzo is an idiot for backing himself into the corner the way he did. he will be remebered for jsut that too, an Idiot.
Good luck to all Strasburg owners trying to figure when hes going to pitch now, nothing like guessing.

========================================================

Stephen Strasburg is expected to miss two to three regular season starts to limit his 2012 innings.
Furthermore, MLB.com's Bill Ladson reports that Strasburg will not participate in the playoffs once he is shut down. Nationals GM Mike Rizzo said Friday that nothing has changed regarding Stephen Strasburg's innings limit, and that there's no significance to the 180 number that is currently floating around. It had been reported that the Nationals had changed from a 160-inning limit to 180. Strasburg is 13-5 with a 2.90 ERA through 133 1/3 innings. He perhaps has five starts left before Washington will end his campaign.

So, Rizzo is an idiot because of a report by Bill Ladson without one quote from Rizzo?
This is just more writer stuff. Nothing is set in stone and Rizzo's 'real' comments have been vague.
The Nats have been very smart with Strasburg during the season. If they keep giving him just five innings a start, he could make it to the end of the season, even with a 180 limit. Then, when/if they get to the playoffs they can decide to roll the dice.
I liken it to two best friends buying new Corvettes and betting on a race. One friend is far ahead of the other and then realizes that the last mile of the race is over 4-wheel territory.
He can win the race and possibly damage his new car or preserve the car and race another day.
Rizzo's Corvette hasn't met the rough terrain yet and his options are still wide open. The real decision will be made when the pavement ends.

[Outlaw]

What I said is, he is an idiot for backing himslef into a corner. he's never publicly said 160, 180, any specific limit as you say Dough. But the fact he has perpetuated this whole line of reasoning all year makes him an idiot. If you got a plan, keep it to yourself until you implement it. And he will be a bigger idiot if he does indeed shut him down and does not pitch him in the playoffs. I say hogwash on the whole idea, you are either healty enough to ptich or not. Give me the days of the no innings limit pitchers like Gibson, Koufax, Carlton, Seaver, Ryan... they all pitched with sore arms at one time or another.... they have taken this innings limit and pitch count stuff to a whole new level and what do they have to show for it, More arm injuires ever......

[BK METS]

This is not just a young pitcher they are babying, this is a superstar pitcher coming off of Tommy John surgery. None of those pitchers you mentioned were recovering from TJ. I just think it isnt worth the risk. Name one pitcher that has ever pitched 200+ innings coming off TJ surgery, which is what you will be asking him to do through the playoffs? I do agree that the opportunity to win the world series doesn't come every year and I think it is a strong consideration to just keep pitching him and try to win it all. I just think you are going into uncharted territory. Adam Wainwright will be a good study, since he will not have an innings limit this year, coming off of TJ surgery. He is likely to pitch close to 200 innings if they dont make the playoffs. There are others that have pitched close to 200 innings, but I cannot find one who has pitched more. Then, there is their own pitcher Jordan Zimmerman, who they kept to 160 innings after the surgery and has been great this season as well. It is crazy how many young pitchers, under 25, have needed the surgery. It is the Nats nature, to be cautious. Strasburg is probably the best young arm baseball has seen in a very long time. They have Zimmerman and Gio and Bryce and you have to put into perspective the fact that the Nats are just trying to do what is best for the future of the team. It may be the wrong decision and could cost them a trip to the world series, but this is a team that has many young studs and will likely be in the playoff race for a very long time.

[DOUGHBOYS]

Rizzo hasn't backed himself into a corner. He's only said his innings will be limited and that he will decide when that time is.
Complaining about something that hasn't happened yet is a waste of time.
The Nats have been very smart with Strasburg's innings this year.
As far as going back to the days of the 'rubber arms', we're past that. It's a different world and we have to live in it.

So far, if I have a problem with Rizzo at all, I question his usage of Bryce Harper.
Harper hit .222 in July with one homer and .179 in August.
During the last week, he was 1 for 18.
He's also taken his slump on to the field with his glove and hasn't looked good in the outfield.
His true colors are being shown with the griping at umpires and the slamming and breaking of things in the dugout.
It may be best for him and the Nats to send him back down while the Minors are still available to him.

[headhunters]

once upon a time in a land far far away- it was about winning. now, not so much. maybe dayton moore can give a talk to washington about having a ton of great young players and winning in the future. maybe he already has.

[Outlaw]

Storen and LaRoche have both spoken publicly in the past day this is not a healthy situation and there are quite a few Washington players that want the situation clarified and "fixed" once and for all. Also Strasburg is privately telling people and teamates he will be avialable for the full playoffs if they make it. This is why I said Rizzo is an idiot, players play, owners own, coaches coach and GM's, well who knows.

[MadCow Sez]

Remind you of Mark Prior and Kerry Wood? I hope they find a way to use SS to effect in the playoffs, but would hate to see him become the next Prior because they did something stupid.