The Dawning Of A New Day

Natstown is Calling it Strasmas

Let it begin.

For this franchise, today begins what we hope to be a new era. The Washington Nationals organization needs a shot in the arm like no other franchise in baseball. We have been the laughingstock organization for five years and today could signal the day we finally turn a corner and move toward respectability.

In case you’ve been living in a cave, Stephen Strasburg makes his Nationals Spring Training debut today. Strasburg is so highly touted that even ESPN (the NFL/Yankees v Red Sox Network) has even made mention of Strasburg numerous times already.

This once proud franchise of Montreal became a bottom feeder; a contract-able joke worthy of ridicule as masterfully planned by Major League Baseball. Upon failing to contract the team, MLB made the Expos play a season in Puerto Rico before moving the downtrodden remains to Washington.

The only bright spot has been that the Nats got last year’s number one overall draft pick and didn’t balk at the opportunity to take Strasburg despite his representative Scott Boras. Boras held the Nationals over the fire (as he always does with his big time clients) but eventually the two sides agreed to terms and Strasburg became a Nat.

After a reasonably successful Arizona Fall League campaign, Strasburg earned a major league invite to Spring Training.

Today is the day we as Nats fans have been waiting for since last June.

“Stras” is scheduled to pitch two innings to a roster of Detroit Tigers who – presumably – will play a majority of their expected Opening Day starting lineup against him.

Nats’ manager Jim Riggleman said he is keeping his expectations realistic. In an interview on XM-175 yesterday, Riggleman talked about what he’s expecting from Strasburg: “we’re not looking at everything the fans are looking for, we just want to make sure he learns how to handle the pressure of all the hype that precedes him.”

Riggleman also asked Nats fans to proceed with caution if they expect him to make the jump immediately to the majors. “There’s a chance [of Strasburg making the Opening Day roster] but I’m betting it’s a long shot,” Riggleman said. “The plan right now is for him to at least start the season in the minors and get a mid-season call up. That can change between now and Opening Day but as of right now, he’s probably going to get a few starts against some big league clubs in Spring Training and start the regular season in the minors.”

Strasburg has a bit more pressure on him for his start today. The Nats have looked dreadful so far in Spring Training action and it’s the pitching that has suffered the most. If Stras gets shelled, Nats fans may lose hope before we even get to Opening Day.

Good luck, Steve. No pressure or anything…