Ron Paul, Rick Santorum Suggest Foul Play From Romney Campaign
WATCH: Whitney Houston's Biggest Interview Moments
Anybody going to be in Altoona on April 8? If so, you'll probably have a chance to watch the Washington Nationals' best pitcher this spring open his regular season. Stephen Strasburg was optioned to Double-A Harrisburg Saturday morning, mere hours after another dominant showing in his third and final Grapefruit League appearance for the Nationals. Harrisburg opens its season at Altoona, and it's a good bet Strasburg will be on the mound beginning a couple months of final seasoning before he moves to Washington for good.
That Strasburg will open the season in the minors is hardly a surprise; the Nationals had hinted at such an outcome throughout the spring. Still, just about everyone who watched the right-hander's work this spring was left with the impression that he would likely be successful in the majors right now.
Strasburg allowed two runs in four innings Friday night against the Cardinals, striking out eight along the way. For the spring, he worked nine innings, allowing two runs on eight hits, while walking just one and fanning 12.
For Strasburg's part, he said Saturday morning that he felt like he had a fair shot to make the team out of spring training -- which he almost certainly didn't. Now that he knows the plan, he can move on.
"It's a business," Strasburg said. "That's all I got to say. It's not the perfect situation. But it's their decision."
And a pretty easy one. Because the Nats won't be contending for a playoff spot, there's no need to field their absolute best team from the beginning. This way, they can be absolutely sure Strasburg is ready and oh-by-the-way keep his all-important service-time clock from starting. By delaying his recall from the minors a couple of months, the Nationals could control Strasburg's rights for another year toward the latter end of the decade.
About the only party likely to be disappointed by the Nationals' decision to send Strasburg to Harrisburg is Washington's Single-A Potomac affiliate, which had already rolled out a marketing plan designed around Strasburg potentially opening the season with the team that makes its home about 30 miles from Nationals Park.
Adele Wins Album Of The Year
Greek Protests Continue As Lawmakers Debate Severe Austerity Measures
2012 Grammy Awards: Celebrities Remember Whitney Houston
Mystery Disease Kills Thousands
Country Considers Bills Lifting Gay-Marriage Ban
Updates On Whitney Houston's Autopsy
The Week's 5 Juiciest Apple Rumors
Michael Smerconish: A Response to Sean Hannity
Blogger Faces Possible Death Penalty For Tweets
Costa Concordia Video Shows Crew Reactions To Cruise Crash
GOP Bill Would Strip Workers Of Overtime, Minimum Wage Protections
Mitch McConnell Not Accepting Obama Compromise
Syrian Forces Rocket Homs As Arab League Meets In Cairo
Paul Ryan On Obama's 'Accounting Trick'
Sarah Palin 'Not Convinced' Of Romney's Conservatism
Mitt Romney Once Backed Provision He Now Decries
Some States Using Funds From Foreclosure Deal To Close Budget Gaps
Rick Santorum: GOP Race A 2-Man Contest
WATCH: Nasim Pedrad As Arianna On SNL's Weekend Update
Mitt Romney Wins Maine Caucus
