“But Stras is human. He does have a life, just like everybody else. That’s what I try to do. I try to bring out the fun about baseball. It’s not all about baseball. To him, he works so hard. You don’t want to burn him out. You want him to enjoy the fruits of his labor.”
Strasburg insists he does enjoy himself on the mound, even if it doesn’t show. He loves the competition, when he makes a hitter look stupid or when he tries to learn from a mistake. His fixed facial expression, he said, is by design, a result of studying other aces.
“If you look at some of the top guys in the game, if you were to take a close-up and just show their facial expressions throughout the game, whether it’s going good or bad, you really can’t tell the difference,” Strasburg said. “That’s something I try to do.
“It’s fun to look back and it’s fun to win. At the same time, I’m more focused. I’m trying to get really focused out there. I don’t know if that makes me look like I’m not having fun out there. It doesn’t matter to me.”
Gonzalez said Strasburg reminded him in some ways of Dallas Braden, the veteran starter who served as his mentor with the Oakland A’s. Even though Strasburg is three years younger than him, Gonzalez reveres Strasburg for his advice and knowledge, the way he can break down an at-bat against a certain hitter.
“I put him way up there as one of those guys I admire,” Gonzalez said. “These guys, you want to hear him talk, because you never know how important those words coming out of his mouth could be.”
Opposite approaches
Gonzalez and Strasburg have helped each other, but they have not necessarily influenced each other. Gonzalez still yaps, and Strasburg still never changes his countenance during a start. McCatty said all pitchers have different ways to handle the pressure of a start, and Strasburg and Gonzalez represent opposite poles.
“I could never go out there and pitch the way he does, and I don’t think he could go out there and pitch the way I do,” Strasburg said. “We go about it a different way.”
Last week, the Nationals held a news conference for their all-star players. Gonzalez entered the room first and saw rows of reporters. “Take it easy on us,” he bellowed, a mock-serious countenance giving way to a grin. “We’re not going to shoot right away. We’re going to wait for Stras to get all his answers ready.”
Strasburg’s expression never changed as he walked behind Gonzalez.
As they settled into their seats, a public relations official introduced two members of the Nationals’ Wounded Warrior softball team who were on hand. The PR guy explained they had been chosen to play in the celebrity softball game during all-star weekend. Gonzalez grabbed the microphone.
“Make us proud,” Gonzalez told them. “A couple bombs, that’s all we ask.”
Strasburg stared straight ahead, content to let Gonzalez do the talking for him.
Strasburg and Gonzalez have talked about ways to hang out more often. Gonzalez suggested mini golf, and Strasburg had designs on the real thing. “I’m trying to get him lessons in the offseason so I can take his money in spring training,” Strasburg said.
Strasburg laughed at the idea, a wide grin on his face, and for just one moment, he and Gonzalez did not seem so different after all.
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