Former "Nasty Boy" Rob Dibble's comments about Washington Nationals phenom Stephen Strasburg were apparently too nasty for the club to handle, as it announced Wednesday that it had severed ties with the former Cincinnati Reds reliever. Dibble, a color analyst on Nationals games, criticized Strasburg during his Sirius XM Radio show last month for not pitching while hurt, as the Washington rookie had two stints on the disabled list with arm ailments.
"So for me, a little bit has to be put back on Strasburg here," Dibble said. "OK, you throw a pitch, it bothers your arm, and you immediately call out the manager and the trainer? Suck it up, kid. This is your profession. You chose to be a baseball player. You can't have the cavalry come in and save your butt every time you feel a little stiff shoulder, sore elbow. ... Stop crying, go out there and pitch. Period."
Those comments were delivered before Strasburg was diagnosed last week with a ligament tear in his elbow, which will force him to undergo Tommy John ligament replacement surgery Friday. The surgery and the subsequent rehab will likely keep Strasburg, the first overall choice in the 2009 draft, out for 12-18 months.
The Nationals had brought Strasburg along slowly, limiting his innings to build up his arm strength. Dibble's comments came two days after Strasburg was pulled from a game, complaining of soreness in his elbow. It was the last time he would pitch this year.
Dibble, who formerly worked at ESPN Radio, had been shelved from the booth last week after making sexist comments about two women having a conversation while sitting in the stands. Ironically, Dibble was criticized in a Washington-area magazine for being a homer during telecasts, frequently saying "we" when describing game action. Dibble will be replaced at least temporarily by former New York Mets third baseman Ray Knight, a pregame analyst on Nationals telecasts.
Reds manager Dusty Baker joins the The MLB Hour to talk about Aroldis Chapman and the NL Central. Click below to watch:
LIVE: NBA Finals Game 6
Michael Hastings Dies In Car Crash At Age 33
House Passes Major Anti-Abortion Bill
Banks Caught In How Many Mortgage Settlement Violations?
House Committee Advances Immigration Bill Over Dem Objections
4 U.S. Soldiers Killed In Attack On Afghanistan Air Base
'I Know Four People Who Have Been Shot'
Google Is Using The First Amendment To Push Back Against The NSA
Official Claims White House Wasn't Involved In IRS Scandal
REPORTS: Patriots TE Questioned By Police In Murder Probe
Young Adults Want Health Insurance, Which Is Good News For Obamacare: Survey
Serena Makes Inflammatory Remarks About Steubenville Victim
Major City Closes In On Plastic Bag Ban
WATCH: 'Daily Show' Skewers Evangelical's Claim That Gays Bully Christians
U.S. To Start Talks With Taliban
Huge Savings Predicted From Immigration Bill
Fineman: Bachmann's 'Got A Point' On Syria
Congressman To Challenge IRS In Court
Same-Sex Couples Face Significant Housing Discrimination, Historic Government Study Says
LOOK: Iran's New President Makes Important Statement In New Tweet
U.S. Companies Lobbying Furiously To Save Tax Loopholes
Hadiya Pendleton's Parents Discuss Addressing Chicago Gun Violence
BREAKING: Tornado Touches Down Near Denver Airport
Study: The Minimum Wage Is Worth $2 Less Today Than It Was In 1968
Dem Rep: 'However Inarticulate, I Think Miss Utah Was On To Something'
Walmart PAC's Political Spending Revealed
Mika Admits 'Hypocrisy' Over NSA Scandals
PHOTO: Brazilian Officer Pepper-Sprays Female Protester In The Face
The Next City To Legalize Weed?
Cameron: WWII Bomb Found At G8 Summit
Anti-War Bomber Says Obama Should Be Tried For War Crimes
