Strasburg Out For The Season & Perhaps 2011

Stephen Strasburg will probably not take the mound for the Washington Nationals until 2012.

An MRI revealed that Strasburg has a torn ligament in his right elbow and will likely require Tommy John surgery. He will miss the rest of this season and possibly all of the 2011 season.

It has been the best of times and the worst of times for the number one pick in MLB's 2009 Draft. Strasburg has gone 5-3 with a 2.91 ERA in twelve big league starts. In 68 innings pitched, Strasburg struck out 92 batters while walking only 17.

However, in the space of just over two months, Strasburg has been placed on the 15-day disabled list twice. In late July, he was placed on the DL due to inflammation in his shoulder. He returned to the DL earlier this week after coming out of a game against the Philadelphia Phillies on Saturday due to a strain in his right forearm.

After this second incident, Strasburg was harshly criticized by Nationals television broadcaster Rob Dibble on his daily radio show stating that Strasburg should "suck it up." Dibble, who is best known for being one third of The Nasty Boys on the 1990 World Series champion Cincinnati Reds, also said, I'm not a doctor, and I haven't read the MRI yet, but I'm pretty sure he's gonna come back fine." Mike Prada does a nice take down of Dibble here. I wonder if Dibble has broadcast his last Nationals' game.

Here's hoping Strasburg comes back stronger. But if he does there are no guarantees he'll attain the superstardom bestowed upon him before he ever threw a big league pitch. It is possible that his 14 strikeout performance in his MLB debut against the Pittsburgh Pirates last June might represent the pinnacle of his career.