Official Orioles and Nationals Thread 2012

[ArtMonkDrillz]

Chico, the way the braves handled Medlen does look great for them right now, but I'm not sure if it would have worked with Strasburg.
A few weeks back when Medlen pitched against the Nats the announcers were saying he's the type of pitcher that gets warmed up fast and is okay with only going a few innings, where as Stras is more about routine and settling into a start.

The only thing I wish they had considered would have been to push back his first start later into the season. Basically, I wish they had kept him in FL for a few extra weeks and then brought him up in May so that he'd be available now.

But I guess it's all hindsight.

[itvnetop]

Originally Posted by los panda

if the orioles hold 1st place at any point in september, i will buy ice cream for every orioles fan here.
pledge your allegiance to the orioles and let me know your favorite ice cream flavor

Orioles! It's been such a drought... this run is surreal.

Salty caramel, please!

[hooskins]

Originally Posted by Chico23231

Interesting take on how the Braves handled Kris Medlen's tommy john surgery innings limit:

ATLANTA -- The Braves say their spring training decision to have Kris Medlen start the season in the bullpen was based on the right-hander's innings limit in his return from elbow surgery.

That decision has allowed Medlen to emerge as the most dominant starter on the staff in the most important part of the season.

Medlen struck out a career high 12 to win his sixth straight decision and lead Atlanta to a 6-1 win over the Colorado Rockies on Monday.

Medlen (7-1) allowed five hits without a walk in his second complete game of the season.

Manager Fredi Gonzalez said Medlen had the same innings limit as Washington's Stephen Strasburg.

Strasburg has thrown 156 1/3 innings and has only two more starts. Medlen has thrown only 104 innings and will be available if the Braves, the NL wild-card leader, make the playoffs.

"It was all limits to innings," Gonzalez said Monday when asked about the decision on Medlen's role. "It was basically the number that Strasburg is facing right now, 160 to 170, because they both were coming off the Tommy John surgery.

"Where do we want that 160 to 170 to end? Do we want it to end in October or do we want it to end in August?"

Medlen appeared in 38 games in relief before moving into the rotation on July 31. He is 6-0 with a 0.54 ERA in seven starts. He spent most of 2011 on the disabled list recovering from elbow ligament-replacement surgery on Aug. 18. 2010.

Maybe the Nats shoulda done the same?

Hindsight is 20 20. Did the Nats leadership really think they would be this good?

[DynamiteRave]

Los Panda is about to owe the entire Warpath message board ice cream.

[los panda]

Originally Posted by DynamiteRave

Los Panda is about to owe the entire Warpath message board ice cream.

i said pledge allegiance!

you have to state on record that if the orioles and the nationals (or any other team) were drowning, and you could only save one - that it would be the orioles.

then you get your ice cream

[Monkeydad]

Mark Reynolds is on fire.

[Chico23231]

Originally Posted by hooskins

Hindsight is 20 20. Did the Nats leadership really think they would be this good?

if they didnt, they need to get out of the baseball industry. Still a better way to do it than pulling their ace before a playoff run. Thats flat out retarded.

[mooby]

Washington Nationals shut down Stephen Strasburg for rest of season - MLB News | FOX Sports on MSN

Stras' season is over. I can't say I'm suprised, I heard after the game last night that the stress of knowing when his season was going to end was weighing on him mentally during the game last night. Hopefully he comes back next year and has the type of season Zimmermann is having right now.

[Chico23231]

Was there any reason why Washington didnt go out and get a veteran starting pitcher, even one with playoff experience at the trade deadline? They were 10-15 options available. Really head scratching moves by the Washington FO. Would be nice to plug one in now.

[mooby]

I'm fine with John Lannan, he's been with the Nats a long time and up until a couple years ago was considered our "ace." Even though he got sent to the minors at the start of the season he performed well in the two doubleheader starts he got this season.

[los panda]

being that football takes up 99% of my sports interest/knowledge, can someone explain to me why they shut him down for the season?

[mooby]

Originally Posted by los panda

being that football takes up 99% of my sports interest/knowledge, can someone explain to me why they shut him down for the season?

Sure.

Two years ago in Stras' rookie season, he injured his throwing arm and the procedure to fix it is called Tommy John surgery, named after a pitcher back in the day who had the procedure. Research done by professionals far more knowledgeable than I indicates that in the years following the procedure, pitchers arms' have a tendency to wear down and not become as effective, and that it doesn't help that they are given full workloads after surgery.

Given that Strasburg is one of those "once-in-a-generation" phenoms, the Nats were worried about his arm wearing down post-TJ surgery in the fashion of other starting pitchers who had had the surgery at some point in their careers. So in an effort to preserve his long term health and keep his arm from wearing down they decided before the season even started to keep him on an innings limit, so that his post-surgery workload wouldn't increase dramatically and to help his career last longer.

They did the exact same thing last year with another starting pitcher, Jordan Zimmermann, (and nobody complained about it then because the Nats' weren't in a pennant race), and this year Zimmermann has been very effective and he's not on any innings limit whatsoever. So the strategy is, by limiting Strasburgs' innings now, it will preserve his effectiveness later. And I agree with that, because I am concerned about the long term for the Nats as well, not just this season. The naysayers keep saying it's crazy to shut down a healthy pitcher (who is also your ace) in the middle of a pennant race, but I agree with Rizzo and the experts who have done the actual research on this one.

[SmootSmack]

Shut him down for the long term benefit. As for acquiring a pitcher wasn't worth giving up young talent for a a pitcher when rotations are shortened anyway come post season

[FRPLG]

Originally Posted by mooby

Sure.

Two years ago in Stras' rookie season, he injured his throwing arm and the procedure to fix it is called Tommy John surgery, named after a pitcher back in the day who had the procedure. Research done by professionals far more knowledgeable than I indicates that in the years following the procedure, pitchers arms' have a tendency to wear down and not become as effective, and that it doesn't help that they are given full workloads after surgery.

Given that Strasburg is one of those "once-in-a-generation" phenoms, the Nats were worried about his arm wearing down post-TJ surgery in the fashion of other starting pitchers who had had the surgery at some point in their careers. So in an effort to preserve his long term health and keep his arm from wearing down they decided before the season even started to keep him on an innings limit, so that his post-surgery workload wouldn't increase dramatically and to help his career last longer.

They did the exact same thing last year with another starting pitcher, Jordan Zimmermann, (and nobody complained about it then because the Nats' weren't in a pennant race), and this year Zimmermann has been very effective and he's not on any innings limit whatsoever. So the strategy is, by limiting Strasburgs' innings now, it will preserve his effectiveness later. And I agree with that, because I am concerned about the long term for the Nats as well, not just this season. The naysayers keep saying it's crazy to shut down a healthy pitcher (who is also your ace) in the middle of a pennant race, but I agree with Rizzo and the experts who have done the actual research on this one.

Actually it's less about the TJ surgery and more about the org's natural growth. Generally they avoid major inning increases. Since both he and Zimmerman reached majors quickly they didn't get to grow their innings over several seasons in the minors. This is what they do with all their pitchers just usually in AA.

[mooby]

Originally Posted by FRPLG

Actually it's less about the TJ surgery and more about the org's natural growth. Generally they avoid major inning increases. Since both he and Zimmerman reached majors quickly they didn't get to grow their innings over several seasons in the minors. This is what they do with all their pitchers just usually in AA.

That's an interesting take that I haven't heard before, most likely because the media never mentioned it. I know Stras has never played a full season in the majors before and that played a part in it, but whether that was the main factor or the post-TJ surgery workload was I doubt we'll ever really know.