On This Date...

...in 1917, Grover Cleveland Alexander of the Philadelphia Phillies pitched complete games in both games of a doubleheader, defeating the Dodgers 5-0 and 9-3.

When asked about the recent news regarding Stephen Strasburg, "the Cleve" said, "What a sissy!  Back in my day, we just called that [a torn tendon] 'fatigue.'  If only Rob Dibble was around to show that kid the ropes."

Strasburg Can't Suck It Up, Dibs

In response to Rob Dibble's relentless badgering about playing through the pain, Stephen Strasburg is going to be shut down for the rest of the season.... and most of 2011, with Tommy John surgery.  Turns out that strained flexor tendon is a lot worse than initially thought.  That cry you heard in Washington, D.C. was not the petty arguments going back and forth across the aisle on Capitol Hill, it was both of the Nationals' fans realizing that 2010 and 2011 would be wasted years.... again....

Pretty soon, we may be seeing Strasburg on the Mark Prior/Kip Wells comeback trail.

Dibs Hates Strasburg

Rob Dibble, former MLB pitcher and current talking head on MLB Network Radio, blasted Steven Strasburg for skipping a start following a twinge in his throwing arm.  In case you haven't heard....

During the fifth inning of a game against the Phillies, Strasburg threw a pitch and afterwards was seen shaking his throwing arm.  Turns out, he strained the flexor tendon in his right arm - not a serious injury (he was seen playing catch with teammates the next day), but not something that you take lightly with a man who you are paying $14 billion dollars per pitch.

Now that you have the back story, click here and check out Deadspin's Barry Petchesky's point-counterpoint article.  Great stuff.