Even though you are getting the sleek, new Ferrari back on the road, why do you have to junk the classic old Cadillac? Sure, the Ferrari is the state-of-the-art model, coming out of the repair shop still fast and powerful. But the Cadillac has been a good car and sometimes is just as fun to drive.
Sometimes you can’t take your eyes off either of them.
So even though the Nationals are saying hello to Stephen Strasburg for the second time, why are they talking about saying goodbye to Livan Hernandez?
You want the Ferrari and the Cadillac. You want the 99 mph fastball and the 62 mph fastball.
Strasburg, coming off Tommy John surgery for torn elbow ligaments and a successful minor league rehabilitation, is scheduled to make his major league return Tuesday night at Nationals Park against the Los Angeles Dodgers, weather permitting.
His return comes two days after what most accounts have deemed the last performance of Hernandez, one of the smartest and most lively pitchers in baseball over the past 15 years.
Hernandez finished the season with an 8-13 record and 4.47 ERA, but he was more effective than that and remains entertaining. He was the first player to throw a pitch for the Washington Nationals in 2005 and started three Opening Days in two different tenures with the team.
He is out of the September starting rotation, but at the age of 36, Hernandez has made it clear he wants to come back next season — he is currently on a one-year contract. He reportedly would be willing to accept a long relief role.
After Sunday’s 6-3 loss to the Mets, Hernandez told reporters, “I say thank you to the fans for all their support this year. Let’s see what happens.
“It’s not in my hands,” he said. “I know what I want and [am] asking for something, and I can’t do nothing. I got to wait and see what is the answer, and it’s not in my hands. But what I’m asking is not too much.”
He may accept a long relief role, but he is smart enough to know that sooner or later during a season, he will be called on to start and will be back in the mix again.
You don’t let a guy with his smarts and desire to stay with the Nationals get away.
It’s hard to forget what Barry Bonds once said about Hernandez, who was his teammate in San Francisco. Bonds raved about Hernandez, calling him one of the smartest pitchers he had ever seen and saying he would love to have him as a teammate anytime.
Bonds may not know much about testifying before a grand jury, but he knows hitting.
Hernandez is still smart. Hernandez is still a good teammate. Hernandez still should be with the Nationals next year.
Examiner columnist Thom Loverro is the co-host of “The Sports Fix” from noon to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday on ESPN980 and espn980.com. Contact him at [email protected].
