That Stephen Strasburg’s big league debut will come not against the Reds next weekend, but against the Pirates a few days later, has some fans — and more than a few ticket brokers — gnashing their teeth. Having counted on June 4 as the magic date, tickets for Friday’s game at home against Cincinnati had been going like the original Tickle Me Elmo.
Those fans who somehow believed they were entitled to know the precise date of number 37’s coming out party feel cheated, as if the tickets they bought for Friday night are somehow worthless now.
Didn’t I see you folks at church on Christmas?
Strasburg’s debut game figures to be the hottest non-playoff, non-Opening Day ticket in the history of Washington sports. Ticket brokers — or just simple short-term investors — coast-to-coast had been buying up seats for Friday’s game based on pure speculation. The online auction sites have been selling those tickets at a premium for the last couple of weeks. One thing for certain: the announced attendance Friday may not be reflected by the actual number of fannies in seats. Suggestion for those folks who’ve not yet been to Nats Park: there will likely be a lot of deals available on tickets priced below face value for that date.
Remember when Cal Ripken Jr. broke Lou Gehrig’s record for consecutive games played? Sept. 6, 1995. You could plan your whole summer around it, since, barring multiple postponements earlier in the season, you actually knew before Opening Day when it was likely to happen.
Years later that game was voted one of the game’s greatest moments ever, despite the fact that there was nothing spontaneous about it. To me, a “moment” has to contain a certain amount of spontaneity. The Ripken game was an event, certainly, but not a true moment. Strasburg’s debut is the same thing. It’s an event that you want to say you attended. It would become a moment if Stephen does something spectacular. If he gets shelled and is taken out early, not so much.
But hey, does anyone remember Walter Johnson’s debut? Not many alive do, but on Aug. 2, 1907, Johnson made his first appearance, a start against Detroit in a 3-2 loss. He finished the season an unremarkable 5-9, with an ERA of 1.88. He allowed only a single home run that year, an inside-the-park shot by Sam Crawford in that first game.
Strasburg should fare better than Johnson his rookie year. The 1907 Senators went 49-102 and furnished Walter with barely 2 runs per start. The 2010 Nationals are competing, and if his minor league experience is any indicator, Strasburg — whoever he faces in his debut — should be a difference maker in the second half if the season.
Phil Wood is a contributor to Nats Xtra on MASN. Contact him at [email protected].
