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Strasburg struggles in 2nd pro start
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Friday, October 23, 2009
ANAHEIM, CALIF. -- Stephen Strasburg, making his second professional start, dealt for the first time in years with the experience of getting rocked.
In Thursday's Arizona Fall League game between Strasburg's Phoenix Desert Dogs and the Peoria Javelinas, Strasburg went 2 2/3 innings, allowing eight runs, seven earned, and three home runs. He gave up seven hits, walked one and struck out four.
How jarring was this performance, which came in the Desert Dogs' 9-6 loss? In 15 starts and 109 innings earlier this year with San Diego State, Strasburg allowed just 16 total earned runs. He surrendered four homers during his entire junior season.
For Strasburg, the Washington Nationals' No. 1 overall pick, this appearance reinforced some basic truths. A high fastball, no matter how hard it's thrown, doesn't fool anybody.
Strasburg's fastball ranged in the high 90s -- he threw at least once that hit 99 mph -- but that pitch, as well as his breaking pitches, stayed up in the zone.
The first homer he allowed, to Russ Mitchell, came on a 96-mph, belt-high inside fastball. The next two, including a third-inning grand slam from the Javelinas' Casper Wells, came on hanging curveballs.
Strasburg faced 16 batters in the game, throwing 60 pitches and 36 strikes.
Jeter Feeling Better
NyQuil gets some of the credit. So does a well-timed off day.
By the time Game 5 came around on Thursday, New York Yankees shortstop Derek Jeter, under the weather in the last few days, was ready to go. His sickness -- either a cold or flu -- had not spread to his teammates. And, batting leadoff, Jeter was ready to go.
Said Manager Joe Girardi: "If you ask him how he feels he gives you the same answer every time: 'Great.' In that tone. So I think he is better. I think the day off probably physically helped him and kind of let him rejuvenate a little bit."
Second Interview
Former New York Mets manager Bobby Valentine had his second interview with the Indians for their managerial job.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
