Welcome to Your Everyday Fan's blog.

This blog is made to give a voice to a regular Joe, um Frank, in a Sports World of analysts and "experts" to show that the real knowledgeable one is the guy sitting in those nose bleeds, and not the one sitting in the studio. The blog will give you insight on New York sports news that I find relevant, with some national news sprinkled in from time to time.

Wednesday, June 9, 2010

Who is Stephen Strasburg?



Actually, that's a joke, because if you haven't heard of this kid by now, you must have been in a coma for the last year and a half. Yesterday was just the next chapter in what has already been a pretty interesting story for this young man. Let's recap (in a slightly over dramatic way)

It all started with a fastball. Rumor had it that it was a 103 mph fastball. 103!? I must see this. I clicked onto youtube.com, and put the name in, making sure I spelled it right. Stephen Strasburg. The names of the videos poured out like a scout's Christmas. "Stephen Strasburg: 23 Strikeout Game" and "103 MPH fastball.... Baseball's Next Big Thing." These were just two of the enormous number of videos out there about this seemingly out of nowhere player. Being the lover of phenoms, and thriving on prospects of all sports (i.e. Noel Devine's High School videos), even I was skeptical. I had to see, I had to learn more. I put on a video. Kid threw serious heat, but everyone knows that a major leaguer will time a fastball no matter what speed, so I was yet to be impressed.

However, his next few pitches may have changed my mind on what's possible in baseball up to this point. A little overdramatic, maybe, but let me explain. Up to this point, I believed that anyone who threw that hard relied only on the fact that he could blow it by someone, but also, couldn't spot it for the life of him. Up to this point, so many fireballers have proven this, and very few become actual great pitchers (look at the amount of Joel Zumayas vs. the amount of Randy Johnsons). Even Johnson wasn't that accurate. Strasburg hit spotsl ike his job. But you think to yourself, this kid's going to be a project. He'll have a fastball, but be in the minors for a few years learning secondary pitches. Next pitch, 85 mph changeup once again hitting the spot, and dipping down with fervor. OK he's got two pitches, which is good, and great, and whatever. He's still not that great. Next pitch: Slurve. Now, where I'm from, when someone has a pitch with a great amount of movement, you call it dirty. It's just an adjective that describes greatness in a single pitch. This pitch was so good, it was filthy. Add to that a regular slider with great movement that hits the gun at 88, and my do you have a molotov cocktail of talent.

And so began a media craze. He seemingly went from internet phenom to nationwide celebrity overnight, and that happened a few weeks before the Washington Nationals drafted him 1st overall in the draft. After this, he ran through minor league hitters like they were finish line tape, and punched out players like it was (and now is) his job. So that brings us to last night. Nationals vs. Pirates. Home crowd, standing room only. A 90 pitch count, but an infinite amount of expectations. The kid will crumble, he'll fold, he'll do ok, nothing special. 7 innings and 14 k's later, a legend was born. Take away a minor 2 run dinger by Delwynn Young, and this kid single handedly destroyed the already terrible Pirates. And the media onslaught ensued. ESPN and MLB Network both lusted over this kid. Both networks admittedly cared about nothing else, and to be perfectly honest, neither did I. Very rarely does the hype match the outcome, but let me tell you, he doubled it.

A couple of days before this game, the Nats drafted the "best baseball prospect in history" in Bryce Harper. Had it not been for Mr. Strasburg, this would have been the biggest buzz around Washington, heck, around the country. But add the duo of Strasburg and Harper to an already young team, and this could be the next '96-'00 Yankee dynasty. It may sound crazy, but why not? Stars put butts in the seats. Selling seats makes money. Money buys players. Players win championships. Now yes, people will say, "why are you crowning them when they haven't done anything ever as a franchise." Because like I said, I love the next big story. I'm a Mets fan, who is a Stephen Strasburg fan, and who is prepared to watch as he makes Mets hitters as well as hitters from around the country look silly for years to come. Here's to hopin the hype doesn't build his ego, and hears to hopin the expectations don't crush him. But as for now, I'll just enjoy watching one guy take hold of what could be a Hall of Fame career.


--Photo courtesy of yahoo.com

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