Recall that the rumored and planned retirement ceremony for Stephen Strasburg was scheduled to take place at Nationals Park this September. This officially marks the end of the 2009 No. 1 overall pick’s playing career. After multiple surgeries and a difficult recovery, 35 years proved too much to overcome. Formerly right-handed?
And it didn’t happen.
And it got a little weird when Washington’s managing principal owner Mark Lerner released a statement about the whole situation, but according to GM Mike Rizzo, it was some sort of a surprise against Strasburg. Was it misinterpreted as a challenge…or something?
Washington Post columnist Barry Svruga After several years of trying to overcome injuries and return to a competitive mound, Strasburg announced his retirement in the nation’s capital on September 9th.
Strasburg was unable to overcome nerve issues in his right arm, and the pitcher and club were hoping to recover with thoracic outlet surgery in 2021.
Since helping the club win a championship, he has started just eight games and pitched 31 and a half innings. world series 2019 (He then signed a new seven-year/$245 million contract in the winter following his win in the Fall Classic.
“He struggled with everyday tasks such as picking up his young daughters and opening the door with his right hand,” Svruga wrote at the time.
“He tried and failed to come back last summer and has gone to rehab three times.” [a] Final start in Miami — Strasburg’s hands were completely numb and he was unable to stand for long at times. To cope with it, he would lie on his side and press his hand against his chest. ”
When the retirement ceremony didn’t happen, Lerner released a statement lamenting that the private discussions had become public.
“Stephen Strasberg is and always will be an important part of our world. washington nationals Franchise,” Lerner wrote.
“We support every decision he makes and will ensure he receives what he deserves.
“It is unfortunate that private discussions have become public through anonymous sources attempting to negotiate through the media. We are following the process set out in our collective bargaining agreement, but behind the scenes, behind the scenes, private discussions have become public. Preparations had begun. However, such events were never confirmed by the team or publicly promoted. It is unfortunate that external leaks by the press misrepresent the nature of these events. is.
“Out of respect for all involved, we request that ongoing conversations remain private.
“Until then, I look forward to seeing Stephen when he reports to spring training.”
Rizzo, D.C.’s general manager and director of baseball operations, downplayed any controversy when discussing the situation after signing a multi-year contract extension in mid-September.
“I don’t think it was a big deal,” Rizzo said. “I think it was an unnecessary controversy.
“It started with a lot of misunderstandings and a lot of misinformation,” he explained. “So I think it’s unfortunate and I think it was unnecessary. But it’s the players who retire, teams don’t retire players, players retire and how these things play out.” Both parties know what to do.
“If there is a player on the 40-man roster who is contemplating retirement, they must follow the protocols set forth in the CBA before making an announcement or taking any next steps.”
He elaborated on the situation in an interview with DC’s Sports Junkies’ 106.7 the FAN.
“Well, this might be the most misunderstood and misunderstood non-issue of the season,” Lizzo reiterated. “Stephen Strasburg – a pillar of the Nationals and a legend in Nationals lore – Stephen will be treated with the respect and admiration he deserves. There is no one who has protected him, he will be respected, protected and admired by everyone.
“For players who are on the 40-man roster who are considering retirement, there are protocols that must be followed and that is the player’s decision, not the team’s.
“The CBA has written protocols that must be followed before a retirement is made, announced and, of course, a press conference is held.
“Unfortunately, there was some misinformation going around that Mark Lerner expected Strauss to pitch in spring training. That’s new. Not long ago, he never led that team. Never. He said he wanted to see me in spring training. So do I. I mean, whether he’s retired or not, whether he can throw or not, he’s our young We’re looking forward to him playing there because he’s going to be a big inspiration to the players. He can teach these young players that great changeup grip that he’s always had. It’s going to really enhance the learning curve for our pitchers. So I’m looking forward to seeing him, but he’s going to be treated with the same respect and dignity that we’ve always had. I Our intention is for him to be a big part of our history going forward and become one of the Nationals’ legends in the near future.”
As Rizzo tried to clarify, the line about looking forward to seeing Strasburg when the team reports to spring training was not a question of whether to retire or pitch again.
“That’s right,” he said, “I love watching him in spring training, I love watching him there, but obviously I don’t think he’s going to throw in spring training or throw in spring training. I don’t even believe he’s ready. We just want to see him there, see him, interact with the players, be around and be a part of the Nationals family. [Ryan Zimmerman] It’s just the same [Livan Hernández] It’s — they come to spring training, they put on their uniforms, they teach them how to grip a baseball, they teach them the mental aspects of pitching in Game 6 of an elimination game. world series. That’s all good information to know and something we would really welcome to pass on to our young pitchers. ”
As for how Strasburg was doing health-wise, just in terms of day-to-day life, Rizzo said he didn’t know because he hadn’t seen the pitcher much lately.
“I haven’t seen him enough to know what his health is like and how he can live his day-to-day life, things like that,” GM said. further explained.
“And that’s one of the reasons why it would be great to be able to get in touch with him and see him in spring training and find out how he’s doing.”
Nearly three months later, there has been no further update on the situation, although during the winter meetings earlier this month, when asked about the possibility of adding Strasburg to the club’s 40-man roster for the 2024 campaign. , Lizzo basically spoke or refused to speak. It will be started if there is no solution before then.
“I don’t want to get into a situation like Strasburg,” Rizzo said.
“Would it be a shame for him to have a spot on the roster? Yes, it’s a shame. But these things are above your or my pay grade,” he told a reporter who asked.
“We’re going to let the players’ association and Major League Baseball resolve this matter.
“The bottom line is that Stephen Strasburg is ours too. He’s a pillar of the organization.
“His name will be on the Ring of Honor one day. And I love the guy. So I’ll leave it there.”
