Hope his welcome to MLB includes getting rocked. The Pirates don't rock many pitchers.

Delwyn Young go boom, 2-1 Pirates.

7 ip 2 er 4 h 14 k

No rockin', Milto!

Man, he was flat out nasty and a lot of fun to watch.

14K in 7 Innings, jeezie peezie...Pirates or not.
When you are talking pitching prospects or in O's lingo young arms, this is what ready means.

Stanton is the call-up I am monitoring tonight.

Looks serious to me. He is going to be a hellian for a while.

Trade him for prospects.

Haven't seen a breaking ball like that in a long time. It's unhittable in my opinion.

He's for real.

EDIT: By the way, watch out for the Nats in the second half. Strasburg has arrived, and they get Wang in July. Drew Storen also got called up and he just adds to an already good bullpen. They are also apparently in it for Roy Oswalt, although probably still a longshot. That lineup can produce enough runs. To top it all off, they are in a very soft part of their schedule over the next 6 weeks.

Not only do I think they will retain Adam Dunn, I think they may be in position to actually be looking to add power to that lineup and maybe a starting pitcher in July. I think they can make an earnest run at the NL East this year.

Was more enjoyable than watching the O's pitching staff make seven runs meaningless. Makes me almost think of switching allegiances....almost.

I do look forward to seeing Strasburg face more potent offenses. The Pirates are like, well like facing the Orioles (I dread that game if it happens next go round in interleague).

I don't know about allegiance. I can't remember not being a Orioles fan.

Don't see why one couldn't cheer for both. I guess there would be a conflict of interest 6 times a year, but that's not so bad.

The Pirates are a poor-hitting club. Even worse than the O's. Nonetheless, most of those guys are major league quality hitters.

I've always had a warm spot in my heart for the Nationals, hell I drank the beer for years in college. But seriously folks, before the coming of the Baltimore Orioles there was the Washington Senators, not much to cheer about around here in those days…"Washington, first in war, first in peace, and last in the American League."

Before 1996 the Baltimore/DC area only had one team in each of the major sports (O's, Skins, Caps and Wizards). Once I acknowledged the joy and importance of rooting (and more importantly sticking with) the teams I started with, it is damn near impossible to switch. The Ravens arrived ironically while I was in college at Towson, and yet the Redskins are the team I've rooted for the longest (dates back to the Theismann days) and would not switch. I moved to NY in December of '04 and the Nationals arrived in DC a month later. So in a way they can never be my hometown team since I was never living there while they played unless I move back.

It won't happen to me (or any of us I am sure) but I see a lot of baseball fans in the area switching allegiances. Can't say I blame them, and well at least they didn't switch to the Yankees.

It'll probably be a bandwagon thing for me at best if they made the playoffs or something. I will say I've been to a couple of Mets-Nationals games here in NY and rooted for the Mets because I can't justify rooting for the away team if I don't really care. I live in Queens and adopted the Mets as a secondary team, or my NL team to compliment the O's. I'd be there in black and orange this weekend if the O's-Mets series was at Citi Field though.

Can I just state how frustrating this is?

It's so hard to watch a team that's been just as miserable as us finally receive attention and why? Mostly because of a couple lucky draft spots. If the Orioles had been just that worse, would fortunes be reversed right now?

Things hardly, if ever, seem to go the Orioles way these years. If we could have traded up for Bryce Harper or Strasburg, I wish we would have. Maybe I'm speaking too soon on Haper, but it hardly seems fair that teams like the Pirates or the Orioles miss out on two "can't miss" prospects two years in a row, just because the Nationals lost 5 or 6 more games in those years.

Sigh. Well, here's hoping that Matusz or Tillman will do something to rival Strasburg, hell even being mentioned in the same sentence would be nice.

As I tell people whenever the topic comes up - I've been an O's fan for 30 years and a Nats fan since 2004.

Hey guys, long time no "talk."

I just thought that I would duck my head in and see how everybody is doing...

I will tell you that the Orioles this year feel like the Nationals the last couple of years and I would know first hand. There was a legitimate buzz at the ball park Tuesday night and, apparently, it was an appropriate reaction. Last night things were back to normal and while the Nats are going to be more competitive this year they were REALLY bad the last two (nay three, years.)

I have struggled with the split allegiances myself and while I want to see the Nats do well I can't help but love my Birds. Granted it is an abusive relationship but I love them none the less.

The Nationals doing well, in the long run, is good for the O's as the get to see some of the TV money. If it gets reinvested into the team, now we are talking (big if, apparently.)

PUMA

Hey Puma, duck in more often.
Don't worry about split allegiances.
Publicly apologize like Spitzer and Woods, pretty soon everything is alright! :lol:

5 walks in 5.1 IP today. Maybe he has DNA after-all. He fanned 8 and only allowed 2 hits, including a long ball served up to Pronk. He had no control problems in the minors, must have been a bad chemistry day.

Yeah, the 5 walks are surprising. Fortunately, only gave up 2 hits and the guys behind him can play a little defense, so the walks didn't end up hurting him today. Given that one of Strasburg's pluses is his control, I'd guess today was just a spike in the readings.

No knock on Strasburg, but Arrieta's debut ws more impressive.

First, it was against the Yankees, not the Pirates.

Second, the Os offense is miserable and they are the worst team in baseball. The Nats have some pop and are winning.

If these two guys are remotely similar in success in the next five years, we can be happy.

MASN's numbers would be off the chart if Strasburg and Arrieta matched up during the June 25 to 27 series With the Nats.

Arrieta had a nice debut, but I gotta disagree with you Andrew. I think Strasburg's debut of 7 IP, 14 Ks, 4 hits, and 2 ER was pretty unmatched. The Pirates aren't the Yankees, but their lineup has some pretty good hitters who have seen major league success. The Nats score more runs than the O's, but frankly, their lineup really shouldn't strike much fear in anyone either. Like the O's, they probably could use another bat in the middle of their lineup.

I still think Strasburg's spike breaking ball is like nothing I've ever seen. It's as though it were being yanked down on a string. In addition to his stuff (which already sets him apart from everyone else), he can locate, seems to have good poise, and seems to have a pretty good idea on how to pitch. With all due respect to Arrieta, I think Strasburg's potential ceiling is much, much greater.

Perhaps you are right. Still, Arrieta faced two future HOFers, and the Pirates lineup is made up of guys who know there is a hall of fame, but they can't find the state in which is it located on a map.

My comments weren't to take anything away from SS, or to overstate JA. They are probably not equal in talent or upside.

Tonight I am going to see Tillman face Sanchez. BOth with losing records, but both fine young pitchers. I can only hope the Os score some runs. Neither of these guys is a strasburg, though Sanchez does have a no hitter from last year and his era is below three.

In Strasburg's second start, the Nats scored more runs than the Os managed in half the Yankees series and all of the Mets series.

Yeah, I understand you. None of them are Strasburg, but if the O's could see Matusz, Arrieta, and Tillman all become what they could be, I believe the rotation would rival what the Braves had through the 90s. Then, there's guys like Zach Britton still waiting for his opportunity too.

Is there anything more frustrating in baseball than talking about things in the theoretical and the potential? I don't think there is.

Only one thing is more frustrating, and that is talking about the Os in reality.

I would have a tough time trash talking a good college team. Not sure what my opening smack down would be. Perhaps: You call THAT a major? Or: You call that a mascot? The Univ Of California Santa Cruz Fighting Banana Slugs got you whipped. . . . Yes and it is true. Mythbusters confirmed a slug can cross the sharp edge of a knife and not get cut.

Pretty lame, I confess. Any thoughts?

Depends on the team, I think.

I have a few buddies who went to Michigan. Nothing shuts them up, or alternatively, gets you a punch in the chest faster than putting your hands together to signal "time out" a la Chris Webber.

Another good rule in sports. Funny thing is, when you call time out and you don't have any, you get your time out. Only the price you pay is the other team gets the ball.

I remember that play.

But the worst thing that came from that team was the basketball shorts down to your calf.

He was having major problems slipping on the mound and after three straight walks they pulled him from the game.

He had the mound worked on twice, yet you could see his foot slipping violently when he landed. He kicked at the ground numerous times, and the mound was so bad they were afraid he would injure himself.

He gave up two hits, one a blooper and one a low changeup that left the stadium by Hafner.

He pitched well overall, but looked worn out in the 6th. He threw 95 pitches overall...but really didn't have trouble with control despite the five walks. He got booed for having the mound fixed twice.....but he was correct in having it adjusted, though the grounds crew never did get it right.

What a shame for a major league mound.

On a day he might not have had his best change, he still only gave up two hits and was obvioulsy dominating the batters.

Cleveland used 5 pitchers. Did they have trouble with the mound?

.............and we all know that has never, ever happened to a major league pitcher before.

In this case, he should have had the confidence to shorten his stride and take a little off the fastball, maybe go to the curve more. Wait until he has to pitch to major league hitters in the rain.

The thing is, the big-league season is loooonnnnnggg, and a field is not always going to be in the best shape, and a pitcher is not going to come with his best stuff every time out. He's going to have to learn to make these adjustments, and soon.

OK, Strasberg has more impressing stats as he beats the Pirates and Indians? Arrieta beats the Yanks at home and SF on the road. Both winning teams. The Pirtes and Indians are not winning teams.

He won't win the AL player of the week, but two better wins. We can only hope (and know it won't happen) that Jake will continue this measure of success. But if he contnues with steady results, that will be good enough. Jon Miller, in wrapping up tonight's broadcast for the Giants, commented on Strasberg and said that Jake has basically matched him.

Jake has 11 percent of the Os victories.

Statistically, Arrieta has indeed matched Strasburg and he looks pretty good.

I think the carnival atmosphere that surrounds Strasburg right now is probably attributable to his status as 2009's Best Amateur Player I Have Ever Seen. The Paul Bunyanesque tales that are told of his college career probably help in that regard too.

Take nothing away from Arrieta though, he was a very accomplished amateur pitcher and is a good prospect in his own right.

Is Arrieta's wife's name Marg?

Yes, Huff and Strasburg were both landing in the same hole, which is why it was addressed the first time.

Another starter has now complained about the same mound in Cleveland and if it's not fixed properly (which i would think it will be since the league is aware) they will risk forfeiting the game.

Apparently, this Strasburg has some pull after all....just kidding. This mound literally fell apart and was a risk to both teams pitchers and both sides complained. I'm not sure which team complained to the league the following series, yet I doubt the Indians would go to the league to get their own mound fixed....what a joke.

Normally this is true, but in this case the mound literally fell apart and after the first rush job to fix it failed they had to delay the game and still didn't get it fixed well enough for a major league game.

Now that the Mets complained the mound is being "redone" before the next homestand.

A manager shouldn't have to threaten to pull has players off the field in order to get the mound in condition to both teams liking. Even the left handers were complaining because it wasn't just a hole in the mound, it had caved in all around it. It almost looked like it was so wet that the clay wouldn't stay put which is weird to try to explain...all I can say is, it's the worst I ever saw a MLB mound when I watched the Nats/Indians game, with a mound so dangerous the lefty and righty couldn't stay away from the damage.

When I was a kid they didn't have mounds. :lol:

So, what happened when you didn't feel like a nut?

Snickers or a Milky Way

...go straight to the Hershey Bar. Then head down to 5th Avenue to buy some Krackle.