Our favorite Kentucky senator is apparently calling out Stephen Strasburg for missing a start due to shoulder shortness. What say you:

 

Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Bunning mocked the manhood of rookie Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg after the 22-year-old phenom was scratched from his scheduled start Tuesday night because of shoulder soreness.

 

“Five hundred twenty starts, I never refused the ball,” Bunning, a Kentucky senator who hurled a perfect game in 1964 and struck out 2,855 batters in his major league career, told POLITICO. “What a joke!”

 

http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0710/40377.html#ixzz0v2VVujAy

Sounds iffy to me as well. The Nationals placed him on the DL today, but removed from from the start because he couldn't get loose and they didn't want to chance anything. I honestly doubt they do this for any pitcher other than Strasburg and I also believe that many pitchers pitch without being fully loosened up to start so yeah I believe Strasburg needs to man up!

I highly doubt he refused the ball...

I highly doubt he refused the ball...

 

Now I doubt he refused the ball but if he wanted to start I'm sure he could have. I believe it was more of a front office move than a player move. They protect their investment by pulling him over the tiniest thing.

Now I doubt he refused the ball but if he wanted to start I'm sure he could have. I believe it was more of a front office move than a player move. They protect their investment by pulling him over the tiniest thing.

 

The Nationals are already on record as saying they only want to use Strasburg for a certain number of innings. He's already made several successful starts, and he is almost a guaranteed 6-7 innings per outing. Knowing their team is basically eliminated and he's not going to be pushing them into a postseason appearance, could they be giving him some rest, protecting their investment, while also setting him up to start several games down the stretch to assure big crowds (and money) when the organization couldn't expect more than 10,000 without him?

I'm guessing due to him being a local guy that we've got Bunning supporters and/or Bunning family on here so I'll be cautious with my remarks.

 

He needs to stay away from microphones and writers. I'll leave it at that.

Now I doubt he refused the ball but if he wanted to start I'm sure he could have. I believe it was more of a front office move than a player move. They protect their investment by pulling him over the tiniest thing.

 

Right. So how is that on Strasburg? He can demand the ball all he wants, but isn't getting it if management says no...

I'm guessing due to him being a local guy that we've got Bunning supporters and/or Bunning family on here so I'll be cautious with my remarks.

 

He needs to stay away from microphones and writers. I'll leave it at that.

 

The guys on MLB Network this evening said one reason many pitchers can pitch more is the number of innings they accumulate in the minors. Guys like Strasburg aren't getting those innings. In fact, he's only thrown 55 non-major league innings in his career. On the other hand, Bunning was a grizzled veteran before he got to the majors, throwing over 700 minor league innings. He was more prepared for his professional role than Strasburg could hope to be and therefore he was able to pitch more. And of course he has to realize that it was a completely different time. It's very hard to compare anything between 1960 and 2010.

Bunning may have never "refused the ball" but this is a totally different game in 2010. When players make peanuts they are treated like peanuts, when they are making millions you have to be cautious about even the slightest of injuries.

Bunning may have never "refused the ball" but this is a totally different game in 2010. When players make peanuts they are treated like peanuts, when they are making millions you have to be cautious about even the slightest of injuries.

 

Your exactly right. Bunning should worry about his own job and not Strasburg.

My thoughts exactly on the above 2 posts. If you are the Nationals who have been awful why in the world would you roll the dice and risk ruining him? Smart move IMO.

Bunning is often an embarrassment ...

Bunning is only saying what many others in NKY are saying as well lol.

With total respect to Mr. Bunning, he should "refuse to take the mic", it will only lead to greater injury .

Bunning is only saying what many others in NKY are saying as well lol.

On many things I feel Senator Bunning is off the rocker. A lot of people do not know that Bunning was an accomplished Hall of Fame player so I do not totally dismiss his credibility on this subject.

 

A lot more is at stake now with Strasburg and a team is building an entire franschise around him. I believe Bunning was calling out the whole pampered culture of pitchers. We have almost gone overprotective to the point where it is equally as detrimental to a guy's career if he is never put in a situation to fight through the aches and pains. And really that is all Starsburg was enduring.