In response to EnchiladaT's comment:

Okay, what were the chances of that happening?  Strasburg throwing a9-inning shutout?

every pitch changes the momentum and outcome of the game. Maybe lose with your best, but stay with your best. 

In response to EnchiladaT's comment:

#1 for me is Stl. NYY are 1a.

well the nats are history...good plan guys...see you again next year

In response to Yonkersman's comment:

thanks for the link...hard to read..so many despondent folks...losing is bad enough, losing with your healthy best player not allowed to play for no reason except prevent injury is maddening...Pike should go here and see that there is angst everywhere in re to fan forums...

In response to Joebreidey's comment:

Non-sequitar on both counts.

 

 

Brady wasn't going to risk his future by throwing more passes.

Brady is not coming off of TJS.

You can't compare a WS game with a SB.  Even if you could, you have the comparison backwards.  Had the Pats lost 62-0 with Bledsoe, the the comparison would be more appropriate.  Then you could say that starting Brady over Bledsoe would not have made any difference.

Perhaps you can explain how starting Strasburg would've won the a game in which they got shut out???

 

I understand the broad view is not your strength, but you do understand that in the postseason, it is imperative to play your best players to win? Until this idiocy, i have never heard of an organization pulling a healthy, star player from an entire post season for no reason other than fearing injury in the future...it is bizarre and if MLB had any stones, they would clearly pass a rule against this...it strikes at the integrity of the game and reeks of fixing.....what a disgrace this organization is to every athlete who played hurt for their team's chance to win.....even Pedroia who is in my doghouse,would rightly have to be tazered to not be out on the field during that game....shameful and borderline crooked

In response to EnchiladaT's comment:

The decision to shut him down was a slam dunk; the DRs claimed it was a virtual guarantee he would break down permanently (and he's already lost some velocity). Of course, I wouldn't expect you to understand this. Also the team is loaded with young studs from ship to stern; IMO  it is doubtful they won't be back 

(At this point, it could be argued that this yr Gio Gonzalez is as good if not better than Strasburg, FWIW; apparently he had a case of the PS jitters, which is common among young pitchers, see Storen also, not to mention vets of such caliber as A. Benitez, Hoffman, Nathan, Feliz, J Johnson & Valverde, and likely could have occurred to Strasburg as well) 

In response to notin's comment:

Excellent point

In response to georom4's comment:

In general there's a huge difference between a position player nursing a sore limb & a potential HOF young pitcher who's a little on the fragile side recovering from TJS. And, if the best DRs medicine can buy advised Pedroia NOT to play, I doubt he would.

This post has been removed.

In response to Yankenstein2's comment:

Actually that's the first time I heard it.

In response to nhsteven's comment:

The decision to shut him down was a slam dunk; the DRs claimed it was a virtual guarantee he would break down permanently (and he's already lost some velocity). Of course, I wouldn't expect you to understand this. Also the team is loaded with young studs from ship to stern; IMO  it is doubtful they won't be back 

(At this point, it could be argued that this yr Gio Gonzalez is as good if not better than Strasburg, FWIW; apparently he had a case of the PS jitters, which is common among young pitchers, see Storen also, not to mention vets of such caliber as A. Benitez, Hoffman, Nathan, Feliz, J Johnson & Valverde, and likely could have occurred to Strasburg as well) 

[/QUOTE]

Good point.

Gonzalez is their "Ace" if you need to pick one. He was 21-8 with a 2.89 era compared to Strasburg's 15-6, 3.16 era. Granted Strasburg had 4 less starts, but still Gio's numbers are  better. Zimmerman was 12-8 with a better era (2.94)  than Strasburg.

Can't deny he would have been nice to have with you, if you are willing to take the risk, but it's not like he was carrying this pitching staff on his back all year, and he wasn't their "Ace".

 

In response to nhsteven's comment:

Me, too

Stras throws a ball where the other pitcher had thrown a strike.... get it ???? U put your best out there. Winning is everything in sports.

[/QUOTE]

And id Stras came into ST next year with a sore shoulder you'd be beetching about him not being shut down in 2012. Granted Rizzo could have handled this better by having Stras pitch every 6th start or less innings per game but that would have put more stress on the bullpen. Rizzo is looking out for the longterm health and welfare of his star player. Yes they could have won this year with him pitching but that  over work might have ended a promising career which could takes it's toll in unknown ways on a very young man. Winning sometimes in the short term is not everything. 

Hetch 

In response to EnchiladaT's comment:

To wish badly on others shows immaturity which is why Rizzo blasted other GMs who were chickensh-ts remaining anonymous and wishing that DC would lose this year and next. Pure un-needed idiocy from small minded people. Agree or not with Rizzo, he is the GM of the DC club and it's his decision to make. You can be critical, and give points of view but to wish badly on others, especially the competition when one doesn't have the balls to identify ones self speak volumes about those being critical. 

Hetch

Yes why win now, after all what is another 86 years.

THe problem was, they did it backwards.  They sould have sat him in April and May.

And yes, I said it back then...

[/QUOTE]

Possibly shutting him down early would have worked but what if Washington had gotten off to a lousy start, folks would be screaming all the same. Rizzo made the right decision based on the information from the team doctor at the time. Hindsight as said is a wonderful thing.

Hetch 

In response to EnchiladaT's comment:

Ench, your clueless. 

Sorry, 

Hetch

Nope. They can always find another Ace... pitch the one you got. Between Stras and Gio it was a lock.

In response to EnchiladaT's comment:

Yeah, just like the Red Sox have been able to find an ace. We all know how that's worked out. 

What if Stras blew out his arm and couldn't pitch again. You haveto have some feeling about how that will effect a young man and not just physically, what about how it might affect him mentally. There is something to be said for that as well. Winning is not everything despite what you think. Looking out for the overall welfare of the player is the clubs responsibility as well. 

Hetch 

What about 1924 don't you understand? That is the last time that city won a Series. They have money and tremendous player depth and thus can afford to risk Stras. 

 

In response to EnchiladaT's comment:

I understand very well and could care less about 1924. This is 2012 and I'd be concerned a young mans long term health and wellfare which you apparently do not understand. There are more important things than winning but unfortunately now a days the mentality is screw the players, they are only a slab of meat and win at all costs. 

Hetch

In response to Hetchinspete's comment:

 

I disagree.  The job of the Naionals is not to produce healthy human beings.  It is to win ballgames and titles.  The only reason to save Strasburg was foa brighter tomorrow, however, tomorrow may never come.  Next March, Nationals will be favored and everyone will love them.  But what if Gio goes down in ST?  Are they are lovable?  What if some injuries pile up? 

 

They could have kept Strasburg on a limit and had him available.  They really didn't need to strt the season with him, especially if the plan was to go a month without him.  No team uses 5 pitchers for 162 games (although the Reds came close this year, getting 161 starts from their 5-man), so Strasburg could have easily been the first guy in when someone went down.  And if everything worked out, he would have been there for the post-season.  Worst case, they fell so far behind the season was unsavalgeable, and they are whee they are now, but with 100% less criticism and overanalysis.

 

They made the decision, and it was stupid all around, and now they get to read about it endlessly for 5 months....

In response to Hetchinspete's comment:

I understand very well and could care less about 1924. This is 2012 and I'd be concerned a young mans long term health and wellfare which you apparently do not understand. There are more important things than winning but unfortunately now a days the mentality is screw the players, they are only a slab of meat and win at all costs. 

You do not risk a players long term health. If you cannot understand this I feel sorry for you. 

Hetch

 

I disagree.  The job of the Naionals is not to produce healthy human beings.  It is to win ballgames and titles.  The only reason to save Strasburg was foa brighter tomorrow, however, tomorrow may never come.  Next March, Nationals will be favored and everyone will love them.  But what if Gio goes down in ST?  Are they are lovable?  What if some injuries pile up? 

 

They could have kept Strasburg on a limit and had him available.  They really didn't need to strt the season with him, especially if the plan was to go a month without him.  No team uses 5 pitchers for 162 games (although the Reds came close this year, getting 161 starts from their 5-man), so Strasburg could have easily been the first guy in when someone went down.  And if everything worked out, he would have been there for the post-season.  Worst case, they fell so far behind the season was unsavalgeable, and they are whee they are now, but with 100% less criticism and overanalysis.

 

They made the decision, and it was stupid all around, and now they get to read about it endlessly for 5 months....

[/QUOTE]

Notin, 

You fail to understand as well. Yes titles are important but I'm sorry, to put titles and winning ahead of the health and welfare of the players or employees of the team is more important. Plain and simple. 

It is so easy for you and others on the outside to sit in judgement when you were not there and privy to the discussions between the physicians, Rizzo & his staff. 

Hetch