So much of the Nationals’ hopes for the 2012 season — and beyond — rest with right-handed pitcher Stephen Strasburg.
Slowly but surely the 23-year-old is ticking off one milestone after another as he tries to recover from Tommy John surgery last September. The latest? A simulated game thrown in Viera, Fla., on Monday. Washington manager Davey Johnson told reporters in Houston this week that the organization’s prized pitcher was throwing in the mid-90s. Washington general manager Mike Rizzo didn’t want to get that detailed. But he, too, is happy with the progress Strasburg is making.
If he can get through a few more simulated games without any setbacks, it’s possible Strasburg could make an honest-to-goodness minor league rehab start within the next month. There won’t be much time before the minor league season ends, so the timeline is tight. But pass those tests and Strasburg could still get some major league innings in September.
That’s good because who knows what the Nats’ rotation will look like in a few weeks. Before the July 31 trade deadline there will be serious interest in veteran starter Jason Marquis, who has plenty of playoff experience and shook off a bad start July 3 to allow four runs on 11 hits in his last 14 innings. We already know Jordan Zimmermann is heading toward a 160-inning limit and may be done by Sept. 1. Chien-Ming Wang (shoulder) must be recalled from his rehab stint in the minors by next week, so that would fill an initial hole if Marquis or even veteran Livan Hernandez were dealt.
Certainly Ross Detwiler could get a shot to stick in the rotation. But Washington also could turn to minor leaguer Brad Peacock in September to see what it has there. Peacock has had a breakthrough year at Double-A Harrisburg and Triple-A Syracuse with 133 strikeouts to just 25 walks in 103 innings. His knuckle-curve has baffled hitters at that level. Will it do so in the majors? Peacock appeared in the Futures Game during Major League Baseball’s All-Star weekend and is popping up on top 50 prospect lists all over the place, including Baseball America and ESPN. Strasburg isn’t the only young pitcher Washington is waiting on.
