Stephen Strasburg Pitching Machine

We're all wondering what the phenom is going to do. I mean when you hurl like that what else is in store? You're definitely going to face some serious competition. Who isn't facing competition is what sports is all about. Stephen Strasburg, plays baseball with a purity that only comes to natural athletes. What can we do at that point? Baseball and pitching are two of the hardest things to do in the world. If you could do one thing and do it well then you might understand what someone like Stephen Strasburg feels like. He just steps up to the plate and throws fireballs at batters. We'd all like to be able to do something with ease. To have the awe and envy of others simply for being born with an ability.

Stephen Strasburg is that person, except that he had to work really, really hard to go from throwing high 80 low 90 mile an hour fasballs to throwing 100 plus miles an hours. Lifting weights and doing various exercises for hours and hours until your muscles ache and burn and you don't think you could do another moment. Other than that he's done nothing to be great at what he does. Well, he's also watched thousands of hours of footage on other pictures and then spent hundreds of hours perfecting his mechanics but other than that all he does is watch video games and play movies or, er, vice versa.

Sure some people are born with a natural talent but if they end up well known then they did more with their talent, they put in some hard work. Stephen Strasburg has one of the best arms baseball has ever seen. He throws fast, really fast. But that doesn't mean he is where he wants to be. It doesn't mean he's ready to mow down major league pitchers. But he might be, and he could be ready to really do something if he's willing to learn what he can do and how to do it. That means work. He may not be ready for work.

All of us need to be ready for him to fail or succeed as luck and his will would have it. But watching one with so much talent is amazing in itself. Because talent is so rare but persistence is even rarer. Let's hold on and see if Stephen is ready to take the stage as the greatest pitcher in Major League Baseball history or if he's going to just going to be another footnote. Only time will tell but until then join me in looking at something phenomenal, a pitching arm that throws a ball at one hundred plus miles an hour on a regular basis.

Baseball could use a special story about a hero who transcends the game, about a guy who seems like he was made by the gods to throw baseballs. I don't know if Stephen is that guy but he has a chance to be. What more could I, as a baseball fan, ask for?

Stephen Strasburg - Fastest Pictcher Ever

When you throw a baseball down the gut of the strike zone the batter's eyes will narrow with concentration, his muscles will tense... he will anticipate hitting that ball. It is, after all, how batters move up the ranks. In fact it's how baseball works. No matter how good your are at any other aspect of baseball, the best short stop of all time even, if you can't hit the ball you're of no use. And you rise up the ranks will stop at some point.

Now imagine a baseball rocket up the gut of the strike zone and hit the catcher's mitt before you realize it has passed you. Imagine realizing that you just have to swing and hope your reflexes do the job your mind once did. That is scary. But that's just what 103 miles per hour looks like when it is thrown by Stephen Strasburg.

Baseball is going to experience the only player who has ever thrown multiple 103 mph pitches.

Get ready world...

Stephen Strasburg

Stephen Strasburg the number 1 draft choice in 2009 for the Nationals.
Born July 20, 1988 in San Diego California.
6'4" 240 lbs.
13-1 in 2009 at San Diego U. with a 1.32 ERA
Top Fastball Speed: 103 mph.
'08 Olympics: 1 -1 with a 1.67 ERA


What's so great about Strasburg?

In college Strasburg struck out 55% of the batters who made an out while facing him. That is a ridiculous number. To put that in perspective... that would be like Kobe Bryant averaging 50 points a game. It's an amazing amount of natural talent and skill coiled up in one arm that hurls at 100 miles per hour.

He's had a 23 strike out college game.

Has a devastating slider.

Has a pretty damn good curve.

Has performed against MLB talent in international competition and has never had an ERA over 1.85

Most star players are drafted right out of High School. Why wasn't Stephen drafted out of high school?

In high school Strasburg threw in the high 80's. That's good but nothing too special. He was also overweight, more than 40 pounds heavier than he is now. That's quite a bit and usually heavy pitchers suffer from injury more often. They also have trouble with their control at times.

Since high school Stephen has lost 40 pounds mainly from a rigirous yoga routine the San Diego pitching staff put him on. Yoga has proven time and time again to prevent injury and push athletes into a flexible in shape speciman. With the loss of weight and the gain in strength throughout his body thanks to the yoga Stephen now throws in the high 90's consistantly. This has turned him into a power thrower that the whole world has taken note of.

Stephen Strasburg has hinted that he would like a multi year contract in the 40 million range. Huge numbers and obviously a gamble for a right-handed pitcher that could blow his arm out any day. And guys who throw 100 mph often do just that.

Stephen Strasburg - Right-hand Pitcher - #1 Draft Choice