Strasburg goes to AAA

[fearofpopvol1]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5161922

Should Chapman have started off in AA then moved up to AAA similar to Strasburg?

[Caveat Emperor]

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=5161922

Should Chapman have started off in AA then moved up to AAA similar to Strasburg?

I think the better question is -- Should Starsburg have started off in the majors the way Mike Leake did?

[UKFlounder]

Chapman seems to have done fairly well in AAA. Unless I missed something, I see no reason he should have started at a lower level.

Maybe the question is "should Strasburg have started at AAA like Chapman?"

[Griffey012]

Wonder if this has anything to do with the Nats watching how good Leake is performing in the majors?

[dougdirt]

Wonder if this has anything to do with the Nats watching how good Leake is performing in the majors?

Nope. It has everything to do with bringing him up June 1st or there abouts. The plan from the beginning was a month in AA, a month in AAA and then to the majors, unless he stumbled along the way.

[nemesis]

Wonder if this has anything to do with the Nats watching how good Leake is performing in the majors?

Leake was his equal in college. Any other given year Leake would have won the Golden Spikes Award. But they are two totally different style pitchers. Strasburg is more Doc Gooden, Leake is more Mike Mussina. So I doubt it has direct relation but I would think after May 15thish he is in the Majors for good...

[fearofpopvol1]

Chapman seems to have done fairly well in AAA. Unless I missed something, I see no reason he should have started at a lower level.

Maybe the question is "should Strasburg have started at AAA like Chapman?"

To work on his control?

[sivman17]

Chapman seems to have done fairly well in AAA. Unless I missed something, I see no reason he should have started at a lower level.

He has done well, up until last night. He got roughed up quite a bit. He gave up six runs (including five in one inning) and nine hits.

Overall he's still 2-1 with a 3.12 ERA.

[membengal]

Chapman is all hype and crazy overmatched. They need to send him to Arizona and see if they can salvage something from him in Billings when that season opens in June.

[dougdirt]

Chapman is all hype and crazy overmatched. They need to send him to Arizona and see if they can salvage something from him in Billings when that season opens in June.

Yep. This is exactly how we should react when someone doesn't say he is perfect. Either he is perfect or he is the worst player we have ever had.

[Tommyjohn25]

Chapman is all hype and crazy overmatched. They need to send him to Arizona and see if they can salvage something from him in Billings when that season opens in June.

Are you serious?

[nemesis]

Are you serious?

I am super double secret sure that was 103% tongue in cheek... Kinda a microcosm of the way the board reacts when anyone has a bad game...

[OnBaseMachine]

Why should Chapman have started the season in Double-A? So he can post a 0.50 ERA? He's fine where he's at. There's no better place to work on his control than at Triple-A.

[OnBaseMachine]

BTW, I think it's pretty funny how there was a ton of excuses being made for Strasburg after his bad start the other night but you don't see any of that for Chapman. I'm reading about how Strasburg had a terrible defense behind him, a small strikezone, and gave up some cheap hits. I guess Chapman's pitching with eight gold glovers behind him and a perfect strikezone.

[11larkin11]

Dang, he would go to the Syracuse Chiefs two days after they come to Columbus.

[membengal]

Yep. This is exactly how we should react when someone doesn't say he is perfect. Either he is perfect or he is the worst player we have ever had.

Stubbs is the best!

[TC81190]

BTW, I think it's pretty funny how there was a ton of excuses being made for Strasburg after his bad start the other night but you don't see any of that for Chapman. I'm reading about how Strasburg had a terrible defense behind him, a small strikezone, and gave up some cheap hits. I guess Chapman's pitching with eight gold glovers behind him and a perfect strikezone.
ESPN and the sports media has a marketing interest in building Strasburg as Superman, if he has a bad start or slumps, they are going to downplay it to keep his superstar image alive.

If they have a phenom to push, they're going to do everything they can to build that player up to keep interest in everything he does and get ratings.

[cumberlandreds]

Nope. It has everything to do with bringing him up June 1st or there abouts. The plan from the beginning was a month in AA, a month in AAA and then to the majors, unless he stumbled along the way.

If that's the case then the Reds have a chance to face him in his MLB debut. The Reds are in DC June 4-6.

[dougdirt]

If that's the case then the Reds have a chance to face him in his MLB debut. The Reds are in DC June 4-6.

Yep. There were some people hoping that somehow the planets would align to see Chapman vs Strasburg in their MLB debuts. For a while there the two were pitching on the same day.

[OnBaseMachine]

Mike Leake vs Stephen Strasburg wouldn't be a bad matchup either. There's some people out there, albeit not many, that think Leake will have a better career than Strasburg. IIRC, Adam Foster of Project Prospect is one of those people.

[medford]

Can you imagine the hype if Strassburg was in the majors right now and off to the start that Leake is on? You'd hear all the hype about how "nerves" got to him in his first 2 starts, but since his control has returned to form, he's on top of things, he's sure to be a future all-star, many times over. Instead the national media gives us updates on Stassburg's minor league games and virtually ignore what Leake has done.

[fearofpopvol1]

Can you imagine the hype if Strassburg was in the majors right now and off to the start that Leake is on? You'd hear all the hype about how "nerves" got to him in his first 2 starts, but since his control has returned to form, he's on top of things, he's sure to be a future all-star, many times over. Instead the national media gives us updates on Stassburg's minor league games and virtually ignore what Leake has done.

Sad but true. Leake's just not as sexy of a story. MLB has been trying hard to sell the story and ESPN has been eating it up. The fact that Strasburg was the #1 pick overall is a big reason why.

[dougdirt]

Sad but true. Leake's just not as sexy of a story. MLB has been trying hard to sell the story and ESPN has been eating it up. The fact that Strasburg was the #1 pick overall is a big reason why.

Its not so much that he was the #1 pick, its because of the things that made him the #1 pick. He is viewed as far and away the best draft eligible pitcher since Mark Prior. We didn't get updates on David Price or Justin Verlander in the minors. It is because of what Strasburg the pitcher is, not because of where he went in the draft.

[fearofpopvol1]

Its not so much that he was the #1 pick, its because of the things that made him the #1 pick. He is viewed as far and away the best draft eligible pitcher since Mark Prior. We didn't get updates on David Price or Justin Verlander in the minors. It is because of what Strasburg the pitcher is, not because of where he went in the draft.

The #1 draft slot definitely plays a role in the overall picture. If Strasburg went in the 20s to the Twins, would that change the storyline? I think it would.

[GIDP]

The #1 draft slot definitely plays a role in the overall picture. If Strasburg went in the 20s to the Twins, would that change the storyline? I think it would.

I think you cant have one with out the other.

[dougdirt]

The #1 draft slot definitely plays a role in the overall picture. If Strasburg went in the 20s to the Twins, would that change the storyline? I think it would.

Not if he fell because of signability and he was still the exact same pitcher, no, it wouldn't matter one bit. The guy went #1 because he was far and away the best talent. If he fell down the boards because of signing concerns, but did sign, it would still be the same thing.

[fearofpopvol1]

Not if he fell because of signability and he was still the exact same pitcher, no, it wouldn't matter one bit. The guy went #1 because he was far and away the best talent. If he fell down the boards because of signing concerns, but did sign, it would still be the same thing.

I disagree emphatically unless he went to a major market team (a la the Yanks, BoSox, Cubs etc). I don't deny that his talent is a big reason why there is all the hype, but where he went in the draft is definitely a major part of it.

[dougdirt]

I disagree emphatically unless he went to a major market team (a la the Yanks, BoSox, Cubs etc). I don't deny that his talent is a big reason why there is all the hype, but where he went in the draft is definitely a major part of it.
Then why didn't we get updates on Tim Beckham, David Price or Luke Hochevar?

[fearofpopvol1]

Then why didn't we get updates on Tim Beckham, David Price or Luke Hochevar?

Because MLB was involved and they helped sell the story to ESPN and SI and other sports mediums. But I believe if he had dropped in the draft and went to the Twins into the 20s...we would be hearing a lot less.

[cumberlandreds]

Yep. There were some people hoping that somehow the planets would align to see Chapman vs Strasburg in their MLB debuts. For a while there the two were pitching on the same day.

That will never happen. Both clubs know when they trot out Strasburg and Chapman for their MLB debut it will be a sell out or near a sell out.
I will say Chapman will make his debut against KC the weekend of June 11th and Strasburg against the Reds the week before.

[top6]

That will never happen. Both clubs know when they trot out Strasburg and Chapman for their MLB debut it will be a sell out or near a sell out.


No way. I doubt there will be a significant bump in attendance for Chapman's first start (if it is Cincinnati). Maybe a few thousand extra walk-ups. Maybe.

[lollipopcurve]

BTW, I think it's pretty funny how there was a ton of excuses being made for Strasburg after his bad start the other night but you don't see any of that for Chapman. I'm reading about how Strasburg had a terrible defense behind him, a small strikezone, and gave up some cheap hits. I guess Chapman's pitching with eight gold glovers behind him and a perfect strikezone.

I noticed the same thing.

[TRF]

Because MLB was involved and they helped sell the story to ESPN and SI and other sports mediums. But I believe if he had dropped in the draft and went to the Twins into the 20s...we would be hearing a lot less.

I agree with this, and I think it's a good thing.

A lot of people on Redszone are looking forward to the MLB draft, but the casual fan doesn't care much. Most of those guys won't make an impact for YEARS. Strasburg is different. He was considered the best amateur player in the world at his sport subject to the draft. MLB should be hyping the hell out of him. But in that same breath, they should be doing the same with Mike Leake. Chapman too. Leake because of what he's doing at the MLB level, something neither Chapman nor Strasburg have touched yet, and Chapman because he's the international LH version of Strasburg.

Promote, promote, promote. Get as much video out there as you can, because we need kids to start mimicking and liking these future major leaguers.

[redsmetz]

Tom Boswell has a good column today on the high expectations for Strasburg, trying to temper things for the fans. A good thought for Reds fans too viz Chapman.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2010/05/17/AR2010051701443_2.html?hpid=artslot

[Screwball]

No way. I doubt there will be a significant bump in attendance for Chapman's first start (if it is Cincinnati). Maybe a few thousand extra walk-ups. Maybe.

Yeah, there were only a couple hundred on hand when the just-as-hyped Homer Bailey made his debut. :rolleyes:

[lidspinner]

I think it was Mo Egger the other night said that rumor is SS is going to make his debut when the the Nats are playing the Reds.

[flyer85]

Chapman just isn't the polished prospect that is Strasburg. Chapman will come up when he is ready. Strasburg has been ready from day 1.

[traderumor]

Even if Strasburg and Chapman are stars, I think the hype is borish when it happens prospect after prospect after prospect after prospect...

[Reds]

June 4 would be the day if we're going to see him, one would think.

[GOYA]

Strasburg's start in Rochester will be streamed on MiLB.TV tonight. Rochester normally doesn't stream video.