Nationals right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg gave reporters an update Tuesday on his rehabilitation progress from Tommy John surgery last Sept. 3.
The 22-year-old has been at the team’s extended spring training complex in Viera, Fla. for weeks. He began throwing off a bullpen mound for the first time on May 23, but is still taking things relatively slow. He’s up to three bullpen sessions a week with about 30-to-40 fastballs each time. No breaking balls yet – though Strasburg said “I’m sure it’ll be soon. I’m at a little past nine months [from surgery] now.”
The plan is to increase that workload a little bit every week. Strasburg isn’t throwing with maximum effort yet, either. You gradually increase the stress on the repaired ulnar collateral ligament. Proper mechanics is the most important aspect of his recovery for now. Once that goes well and his timing is back Strasburg can start preparing to pitch in minor-league games. No word on exactly how much longer Strasburg will be in Viera. He says that’s up to the Nats, who aren’t exactly broadcasting their timeline – probably with good reason. Strasburg doesn’t need that extra pressure.
“I’ve been on schedule. Everything feels great and that’s all I can really focus on right now,” Strasburg said. “The Nationals are going to have to make a decision at some point on when they want to send me up. It’s going to be their call.”
Some pitchers recovering from Tommy John surgery note the frustration of lacking feel for the ball – it doesn’t always come out of their hand the same way it did before and they have to re-learn that touch. Strasburg hasn’t noticed anything like that yet even though he was told it would likely happen.
Strasburg wasn’t that into discussing the one-year anniversary of his 14-strikeout debut on June 8, 2010 against the Pittsburgh Pirates. One of the great days in D.C.’s sports history is nothing but a hazy memory for Strasburg: Pitching coach Steve McCatty tipping his hat as he and Strasburg walked out towards the bullpen for warm-ups; the noise and electricity of the sellout crowd; the shaving cream pie to the face afterwards.
“It was an amazing experience, but it’s kind of foggy right now. I’m really focused on living in the now and I got a lot of work to do and I got a lot of work ahead of me. So my goal right now is to get back to 100 percent and go out there and fill up the stadium like I did on that day.”
Strasburg says he now fully realized what teammate Jordan Zimmermann had to go through last year as he rehabbed from Tommy John surgery and it helps to see “that now [Zimmermann is] being rewarded.” He’s also spent plenty of time around pitcher Chien-Ming Wang in Viera. The veteran pitcher has been rehabbing from a career-threatening shoulder surgery for two years now and Strasburg watched closely to see how Wang dealt with a mental challenge even greater than the one he’s facing. In the weight room, on the field, you have to take every aspect of rehab seriously. There are no days off.
“It’s not so much he physical rehab. A lot of it is mental,” Strasburg said. “When you first start throwing you kind of got to realize that everything’s good inside you and you just need to let it happen. And now it’s just trying to stay sane down there in Florida when you’re pretty much doing the same thing every day.”
One way to do that when there’s so much down time in Viera and no games to fill it: Fishing. Movies. Golf. There’s not much else. Strasburg took that advice from McCatty during spring training and it is at least a small part of his journey back to the big leagues. He’s done some fresh-water fishing, some salt-water fishing and hopes to go off shore before he leaves Viera for what he hopes will be the last time until spring training starts next February.
“I think that’s why I keep going out there,” Strasburg said. “I keep catching things.”
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