White Sox vs Nationals is on at 4:00 pm PST, channel 629 Comcast-Pierce (MLBHD).

Strasburg's first two games against PIT and CLE:

• 12.1 IP
• 22 K
• 5 BB
• 6 H in 47 PA's
  
• .143/.234/.286
  
• 16.0 k, 3.7 bb, 1.46 hr
  
• 2.0 groundball ratio
  
• 2-0, 2.19

So his bid to win every start is intact.  :- )  We remember a young Fernando Valenzuela running his W-L quite a ways out in, IIRC, his rookie year, like 6-0 after six starts or something.

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Here is a discussion regarding the issue of whether Strasburg throws two different kinds of fastballs:  the straight 100 mph four-seamer and a 95 mph "one-seamer."  One fan says that he sometimes gets two-seam action on his 98-99 fastball.

David Goliebiewski says that Strasburg's changeup drops almost twice as much as the typical ML change.  His curve/slider is pretty much what Kerry Wood's used to be.

All of which is sort of like what we were thinking Felix Hernandez was going to be, back when he was in the minors, with a 98 fastball, four pitches and a slider that was supposed to be (and is) unhittable.  Comparing Strasburg to Felix puts Strasburg's phenomenon into perspective, because Felix was quite possibly the #1 player in baseball you'd have started a team with (before Strasburg arrived).

Interesting to muse about what separates Strasburg from Felix, aside from the velo.  And not that Felix isn't the Seaver / Clemens of his generation, because he is.  But Seaver and Clemens were top 10-20 all time starters.  If you turned out to be miles better than the #6 starter of all time, what would you be?

Game Day

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=== Coin of the Realm ===

BTW, one of the Three-Year Debates on SSI ranges over the pitch mix for guys with 95+ fastballs...

Strasburg, in his first two games, has thrown 63% fastballs with a robust mix of 24% curves and 13% changeups.  And it ain't like a guy throwing 98-100 mph needs to set up his heater.  :- )

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In the first inning against the White Sox, did Strasburg "establish" the fastball?  With the idea of setting up his curve and change later?

No, on the contrary, Strasburg threw 10 heaters and 9 offspeed pitches in the first inning, en route to two more strikeouts.  He pumped fastballs into the weakies Vizquel and Pierre, but then embarrassed the #4-5 hitters Konerko and Quentin by pulling the string.  First inning.  Fanned Konerko with a change and threw 4 of 5 offspeed to Quentin to strike him out as well.

When a 96 mph pitcher walks out to the mound, his fastball is "established" before he ever throws a pitch.  Big leaguers cannot stand to have a ball thrown by them.

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Cheers,

Dr D