Scratchburg

 

(Stephen Strasburg, scratched from his Tuesday night start against the Braves. So not good. Picture via MASN/MLB.com)

"He was having problems getting loose in the bullpen, so I pulled the plug on it -- precautionary move. I just didn't want him to go out there when he was struggling to get loose in the bullpen. There is no shooting of pain or anything like that in his shoulder or elbow. He was just struggling to get loose."
(Mike Rizzo, via Nationals.com, 7/27/2010)

Now that we've had several hours to sober up a bit after drinking excessively upon hearing the words "Stephen Strasburg scratched" and watching in horror as Miguel Batista emerged from the bullpen to start in place of Stephen Strasburg Tuesday night at Nationals Park, we're ready to talk. Almost.

Over at NatsInsider, Mark Zuckerman posted the full transcript of Mike Rizzo's session with the media Tuesday night in the wake of this nightmare. We've dissected and parsed every word at least 50 times at this hour. The good news is: "there is no shooting pain or anything like that in his shoulder or elbow." But there are other kinds of pain besides shooting pain, right Rizzo?

*sigh*

Just for once, can't this team catch a break?

Maybe. MASN's Ben Goessling Tweeted a little bit of good news around 9:45 PM:

Rizzo says Strasburg passed two doctors' tests; x-ray and MRI show no damage, only little inflammation. Still day-to-day.  (via MASNBen, 7/27/2010)

So there's no "damage". Just inflammation. And panic on the streets of NatsTown.

Blame it on the Post.

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Comments

[Peanuts and Cracker Jack]

I wonder to myself -- could life ever be sane again?

[DMan]

Time to retire Screech. The real mascot should be Joe Brrxzptpx from Lil' Abner. Sorry, time throw up the full fledged panic flags. Wonder if back in Germany the Hindenberg was reported as "just a little inflammation"?