Just got the following press release from MASN, advertising Stephen Strasburg's next minor league start.
MASN to Televise Strasburg's Next Triple-A Start
Prospect takes on Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees on May 29th
(Washington D.C.) -- MASN will televise Stephen Strasburg's next expected start at Triple-A Syracuse, the network announced today. The Nationals prospect will take on the Scranton/Wilkes-Barre Yankees on Saturday, May 29th. MASN will air the game on tape delay following Nats Xtra at approximately 12:00 a.m.
It will re-air on Sunday evening at 7:30 p.m. MASN has televised each of his four previous starts for Syracuse.
The highly touted prospect is 3-0 for Syracuse with a 0.39 ERA and 27 strike outs in just over 23 innings of work.
So I guess there will be another Triple-A start.
The Nationals need a starter for Saturday's game, the spot vacated by Scott Olsen going on the 15-day DL with shoulder soreness. If the Nats wanted to give the start to Strasburg, it would have been on his day to pitch.
Apparently though, the team's broadcast partner is fairly certain that Strasburg will remain in Syracuse to make his scheduled start for the Chiefs.
So much for specualtion. Sorry San Diego, you don't get to host St. Stephen's first major league start.
As it stands, if the team gives Strasburg an extra day of rest, he could pitch the opening game of a six-game homestand on Friday, June 4 against Cincinnati, and throw again versus Pittsburgh on a Wednesday or Thursday night.
Nice time of year for a couple sell-outs.
Dave - I am not surprised by the MASN television schedule as they want to promote viewership. That's smart business and you would hope they weren't doing it without team consent.
What (does & doesn't) surprise me is the Nationals are still tight lipped on the first scheduled start. You would hope out of courtesy for those planning trips and setting their calendars that Management would disclose the date as we are now 10 days away from June
4th.
With Stephen's fanbase being across the country and in such large numbers in San Diego, Syracuse, Harrisburg, and many other places around the country, I know people want to fly in for this.
The Nats will get good residual sales if he starts the 4th as people will probably stick around the weekend.
He was either gonna start 6/4 (getting 5 days rest between starts between last night and two fridays from now) or 6/8 (going on normal 4 days rest and getting an extra AAA start). It didn't make much sense to do the latter. 6/4 it is.
Actually per my notes on the MLB/AAA rotations we'll need a starter for Olsen's scheduled start on 5/27, and that is JD Martin's turn. Which works out best b/c he's already on the 40-man, he can go up and back w/o a corresponding transaction, and he merits the promotion more than anyone else (not named Strasburg) in AAA.
can't argue with anything you said Andrew.
although, I don't think the Nats can really set his date in advance. i think they would get major flack from the union if they came out and said, "we're protecting this player until we're assured he no longer qualifies for Super Two".
I am counting days. With 31 days in May, I think June 4th gives him 6 days rest. Is that correct?
Andrew, your math is correct. For Strasburg to start at home 6/4, he'll get an extra day rest.
If you believe Jim Bowden, today he said he thinks SS will debut 6/8 against Pittsburgh, keeping him on a normal five day rotation.