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It's now been 10 years since the Nationals used the first choice in the 2009 right-handed project Stephen Strasburg, whose major league debut a season later came with great fanfare. Strasburg made comparisons with the Hall of Fame shooters that preceded his initial departure on June 8, 2010, and he did not disappoint that night. The 21-year-old flame thrower showed up by stoking 14 Pirates and not taking part in a seven-run, two-run performance, hoping that such outings would become the norm and he would become a perennial contender for Cy Young. Nine years later, the case of the Strasbourg trophy is devoid of Cy Young, but that does not mean that it was disappointing in DC.
There have been tough times in Strasbourg's career, including serious injuries (he underwent Tommy John's surgery late in his rookie season, to name just one example) and the infamous Nationals decision to have it shut down during a pennant race in 2012. The Nationals have not played. t bring home a world series without Strasbourg this fall – nor did they even win a playoff series with him on his list, if you can believe it. Nevertheless, the Nats can not complain about what Strasbourg has given them since its electrifying introduction.
If a pitcher record concerns you, Strasburg has won 99 of the 154 decisions en route to a winning percentage of .643. More importantly, Strasbourg won a FIP of 3.14 ERA / 2.90 with 10.6 K / 9 against 2.35 BB / 9 in 218 and 1 308 2/3 innings, and its lifespan of 33, 1 fWAR ranks 11th among starters since 2010.
As beautiful as Strasbourg was, he took a back seat in Washington for the best Max Scherzer since the latter joined the franchise in 2015. Scherzer is perhaps what many thought became Strasbourg – a dominant battle horse with three Cy Young to his credit. But if Scherzer is perhaps the gold standard among the current pitchers, Strasbourg was not far behind him in 2019. Sustainability has not been a problem this season in Strasburg, who will soon be 31 years old, and who entered Tuesday averages nearly seven frames per start on 12 tries and placing sixth in the ninth inning (79). At the same time, Strasbourg posted the ninth best stopping rate for majors (11.16 out of nine), the 13th highest K / BB ratio (4.9) and the 22nd percentage of total ground balls (48 , 9), which allowed 3,19. ERA / 2.68 FIP.
Strasburg does not bring the same type of speed as before, as evidenced by the average below 150 km / h on his fastball, but it does not matter. His four seams and platinum have been among the best fastballs of the game this year, according to FanGraphs, who awards even higher scores to his curved ball. Strasbourg has been much more dependent on his toad and his curve than ever this season, while he has almost abandoned his slider. The batters posted a pitiful weighted average of .251 on the basis of .240 xwOBA against the Strasburg four-stack blend (it also shifts more than 18% of the time), making it one of the best more difficult beginners for the majors. 2019.
If Strasbourg continues its momentum over the next few months, it could have an important call to make once the season is over. At that time, he will remain four years in Strasbourg and $ 100 million (some of which are deferred) on the $ 175 million extension that he signed with the Nationals in May 2016. However, the contract of Strasburg has a withdrawal decision after the two campaigns 2019 and '20, which means it could get away from the guaranteed nine digits and try its luck on the open market this off season. In doing so, Strasbourg would probably be behind only Astros, right-handed Gerrit Cole on the hierarchical order of the starters of the free agents,
Strasbourg would take an incredible risk trying to play independently, although seeing a star break the $ 100 million barrier at age 30 or more is not unknown. Scherzer managed the match at the age of 30 when the Nationals awarded him seven years and $ 215 million in 2015. The Diamondbacks signed right-handed Zack Greinke a guarantee of $ 206.5 million over six years, at the dawn of its 2016 32 year season. That same 30-year-old southpaw David Price (Red Sox) and one of Strasburg's former team-mates, a 30-year-old right-handed future Jordan Zimmermann (Tigers), recorded gains for a total of $ 327 million. Law Yu Darvish He was just months away from his 32nd birthday when the Cubs signed a six-year, $ 126 million contract in 2018. And one of the current rotation companions of Strasburg, the leftist of 30 years Patrick Corbin, write a soap opera about a $ 140 million, six-year deal last winter.
Strasbourg could be inspired by Scherzer, Greinke, Price, Zimmermann, Darvish and Corbin. However, he should also take into account other accomplished runners who have not had the freedom to work for them in recent years. Law Jake Arrieta was aiming for a $ 100 or even $ 200 million guarantee starting in 2018, his 32-year season, but finally got three years and $ 75 million from the Phillies. Nowadays, as all those who pay special attention to the activity of free agents know, a 31-year-old southpaw Dallas Keuchel was unable to find a job seven months after entering the market. Keuchel wanted nine digits when he ventured into a free position, but he might be lucky to enter into a multi-year contract at this point.
The fact that Arrieta and Keuchel came up with eligible offers and an attached project selection fee helped to limit the interests when they reached the market. Strasbourg would also have a problem of quality assurance that would bother him, because the Nationals would not let him walk for nothing, and that's another thing he will have to think about. Fortunately for Strasbourg, he looks more formidable than Arrieta during his contract year or as Keuchel did during his quayside season. That does not mean that Strasbourg will refuse to withdraw – especially given the positive relationship he has with Constable Scott Boras with the nationals – but he may have a real decision in his hands in some month.
Photo courtesy of USA Today Sports Images.
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