Covering Stephen Strasburg Game Was Cool

[PaulGreco]

While I'm in Washington, I had the opportunity to cover Washington National's Stephen Strasburg's first MLB game.

I took a different angle for this article. Instead of telling the boring stats line, I wanted to look at how the media and the fans reacted to the phenom. There were a lot of wide eyed people in the stands and in the booth.

http://bit.ly/9s4WMo



--PG

[Spursfan092120]

Phenomenal article...very well written. You witnessed something that few people will ever get a chance to. Congratulations...I'm jealous..lol

[RedsLakers24]

Mike Leake is better

[Spursfan092120]

Mike Leake is better
Don't think you understood the thread...nice try though. :tu

[EricB]

Mike Leake is better


At something other than baseball possibly....

[Mikesatx]

Strasburg has only one obstacle to greatness and that is health. Leak is nothing special and once teams come back around for the second look he will get crushed.

[RedsLakers24]

Strasburg has only one obstacle to greatness and that is health. Leak is nothing special and once teams come back around for the second look he will get crushed.

Leake is a great pitcher, he has more then 5 pitches and controls all of his pitches. He reminds everyone of Gregg Maddux the way he controls his stuff. He has already faced team twice and he seems to do better the second time around, just ask the Cubs.

[Mikesatx]

The Cubs? You gotta do better than that. Teams rely heavily on tape to prep for a pitcher. Leak's advantage is a lack of video to prepare for. Strasburg has stuff thats electric which sets him apart. To compare a guy to Maddux after a couple of months is rediculous.

[RedsLakers24]

The Cubs? You gotta do better than that. Teams rely heavily on tape to prep for a pitcher. Leak's advantage is a lack of video to prepare for. Strasburg has stuff thats electric which sets him apart. To compare a guy to Maddux after a couple of months is rediculous.

Okay, take Stephen Strats start agaisnt he pirates, when Leake pitched agaisnt the pirates he was going into the 8th inning without any runs given up, one mental error cost him to give up a run, Drew Stubbs lost the ball in the air, did not see the ball at all and it resulted in a lead off triple, because of that he gave up a run, and the only run. Mike might not be as flashy as Stephen, but he's still good, very polished and is very smart.

[PaulGreco]

I've scouted both players, and they are complete opposites when you look across the board. Here are my numbers on Leake

*Scale is through 100

Control : 95
K-Rate : 69
Efficiency : 92


Strasburg
Control : 85
K-Rate : 97
Efficiency : 97

Now RedLakers, the reason why Leake is being allowed to pitch more is because he didn't pitch at the AFL. The Reds brought him in, but he sat the entire time. Strasburg on the other hand, signed late (77 secs before the deadline), missed most of the summer pitching, then went to the AFL and pitched there, so the Nats are really keeping on eye on his innings. Next season he won't have as many restrictions.

Leake is a mix it up type pitcher who throws from different arm angles. From hitters I've spoke to, they tell me it's difficult to pick up the ball.

Strasburg on the other hand, keeps the same arm slot, which makes it very difficult for batters to determine if the fastball or uncle charlie is coming.

Both are #1 picks for their team, but from watching both pitchers, Strasburg's stuff is completely filthy while Leake will quietly go under the radar because he doesn't throw as hard.

--PG

[RedsLakers24]

I've scouted both players, and they are complete opposites when you look across the board. Here are my numbers on Leake

*Scale is through 100

Control : 95
K-Rate : 69
Efficiency : 92


Strasburg
Control : 85
K-Rate : 97
Efficiency : 97

Now RedLakers, the reason why Leake is being allowed to pitch more is because he didn't pitch at the AFL. The Reds brought him in, but he sat the entire time. Strasburg on the other hand, signed late (77 secs before the deadline), missed most of the summer pitching, then went to the AFL and pitched there, so the Nats are really keeping on eye on his innings. Next season he won't have as many restrictions.

Leake is a mix it up type pitcher who throws from different arm angles. From hitters I've spoke to, they tell me it's difficult to pick up the ball.

Strasburg on the other hand, keeps the same arm slot, which makes it very difficult for batters to determine if the fastball or uncle charlie is coming.

Both are #1 picks for their team, but from watching both pitchers, Strasburg's stuff is completely filthy while Leake will quietly go under the radar because he doesn't throw as hard.

--PG

Leake did pitch in the AFL, and even did better then Stepehen, he was the best pitcher in the AFL. And Walt(GM) said that Leake is only going to throw 150-160 innnings this year, so they are watching his innings like Stephen. The reason Leake goes the distance in games is because he doesnt throw as many pitches as a strike out pitcher.

[Mikesatx]

Leake has done great thus far. He just doesn't have the stuff that Strasburg has. Doesn't make him a bad pitcher you just shouldn't compare him to Strasburg who has to this point dominated at every level he has pitched.

[EricB]

Leake has done great thus far. He just doesn't have the stuff that Strasburg has. Doesn't make him a bad pitcher you just shouldn't compare him to Strasburg who has to this point dominated at every level he has pitched.

Exactly.

Leake has been good so far, but to compare him to Strasburg is ridiculous.

Wait another year or two.