Capital Punishment

Twenty-two-year-old rookie pitcher Stephen Strasburg was the most hyped draft pick in the 2009 Major League Baseball Draft, and he soon began living up to his four-year $15.1million contract with the Washington Nationals. His signing contract was the biggest in baseball history, a record once held by pitcher Mark Prior with a contract of $10.5 million back in 2001.

Washington is now experiencing a nightmare losing its rookie for the remainder of the season and all of next season after only three months of playing professional ball.

The Nationals announced Aug. 27 Strasburg would have season ending Tommy John surgery to repair a torn ulnar collateral ligament in his pitching elbow. Strasburg was removed from a game against the Philadelphia Phillies Aug. 21 with what looked like a strained ligament in his right forearm.

It was later announced Strasburg tore the ligament. Strasburg, the Nationals and baseball as a whole felt the blow. The injury occurred days after Strasburg returned from the disabled list with an inflamed right shoulder.

Tommy John surgery was named after a pitcher who had the surgery successfully completed on his pitching elbow in 1974. A tendon from another part of the body is used to replace the torn ligament. The tendon is most commonly taken from the forearm, hamstring, knee or foot. The surgery takes roughly one hour, and chance for complete recovery is estimated to be between 85 to 92 percent. Full rehabilitation takes 12-18 months, with full motion coming back in about two months and weight training for the next four. With the rehabilitation process being so long, and the surgery being so sensitive, it's estimated Strasburg will not pitch again until the 2012 season.

Reasons for the injury can come from a variety of factors, but a pitcher's throwing mechanics is normally the number one cause. Another factor that could have contributed to the injury is the constant high velocity on a pitcher's arm. Sliders and curve balls are hard on a pitcher, and Strasburg throws both, as well as a two and four-seam fastball. Both of his fastballs have been reported to reach over 100 mph.

In his first major league start 34 of his 94 pitches thrown reached 98 mph.

The injury could not have came at a worse time for the Nationals, who were starting to play good baseball. The team has played subpar since Major League Baseball moved the Montreal Expos to the nation's capital in 2005. The Nationals played their best baseball in 2005 going 81-81 that season. Since then, the team has finished below .500 every season and have not placed higher than fourth in the competitive National League East Division.

The Nationals needed every advantage they could after losing 100 games in consecutive seasons, and their division did not help their chances. The Phillies and Atlanta Braves continue to battle for the top spot, while the New York Mets continue to be a dark horse in the division. Strasburg not only brought an edge, but he also brought in millions of dollars worth of revenue from merchandise and ticket sales. Many National fans believed Strasburg was worth the $15 million the organization was paying him, and they showed it, with thousands of fans cramming into the park to see him pitch.

Strasburg did not disappoint.

In his first major league start against the Pittsburgh Pirates June 8, Strasburg struck out 14 batters, and gave up only two earned runs. He struck out every batter in the Pirates line-up at least once and did not walk a single batter in seven innings.

Strasburg's second and third starts were as impressive. He struck out eight in the second game, and 10 in the third. Strasburg's first three games allowed him to set a major league record with 32 strikeouts in a pitchers first three Major League starts.

Strasburg finishes the season at 5-3, with a 2.91 ERA, 86 strikeouts and 17 walks in 68 innings pitched.