2009 MLB first round draft pick,Stephen Strasburg is set to make his major league debut tonight as the Washington Nationals play the Pittsburgh Pirates. Strasburg signed with the Nationals for a record $15.1 m 77 seconds before the contract deadline.
Strasburg had an impressive college career at San Diego State where he played two seasons, including one no-hitter, before being drafted in the first overall by the Nats.
Strasburg pitched 9 innings and allowed three hits during Spring Training for the Nationals. This season, Strasburg has spent in the minors going 7-2 with a 1.30 ERA, 65 strikeouts and only 13 walks in 55 1-3 innings. Strasburg has impressed the Nationals enough that he will make his major league debt tonight at 7:05pm.
How big is tonight’s game? For starters, 200 media credential passes were requested and the game is expected to gross more than $1.5 million for the Nationals.
An Ohio man who shares the same name and home state of the umpire responsible for blowing Galarraga’s prefect game is having a case of mistaken identity. Jim Joyce of Toledo had to disconnect his phone because of angry phone calls from Tiger fans, but they had the wrong guy.
“Everybody was pretty irate quite honestly,” Joyce said, describing the calls. “A lot of them are vulgar things. Some of them were funny about me needing new glasses but then they’d follow it up with vulgarity as well.”
Too bad for this Jim Joyce is a Tigers’ fan!
Galarraga may have not gotten the perfect game, but he did get a corvette. After seeing Galarraga get robbed of a perfect game, GM’s North American President, Mark Reuss, honored Galarraga with a $53,580 corvette.
Reuss is an acquaintance of Tigers owner Mike Illitch and said, “It’s only fitting we help give back for all the Illitches have done for Detroit and to celebrate Armando’s pitching and sportsmanship during one of the most captivating evenings in Tigers history.”
Reuss is making reference to the Comerica Park Fountain in which GM sponsors. GM had sponsored the fountain since Comerica Park opened in 2001. But during the 2009 season, GM could no longer sponsor the fountain because of the finical woes that hit the auto industry. However, Illitch kept GM’s name on the fountain while adding Chrysler and Ford. GM got to keep the fountain, and Galarraga got a vette.
The missed call that cost Armando Galarraga a perfect game….
After the game Galarraga told reporters, “Nobody’s perfect.” But Galarraga could be perfect, if Bud Selig thinks he is. The MLB commissioner has the power to reverse the umpire call. Selig is likely to consult his top advisers. Meanwhile, Joyce is supposed to umpire tomorrow’s 1:05 Tigers game.
Update: Bud Selig will not reverse the call. In his statement, Selig did not directly address the call but instead said the MLB will look at expanded replay and umpiring.
Jersey Chaser of the Month: Samantha Steele- December 2012
ESPN sideline reporter Samantha Steele is engaged to Minnesota Viking QB Christian Ponder earning her the honor of December 2012 Jersey Chaser of the Month. Share It
2009 MLB first round draft pick,Stephen Strasburg is set to make his major league debut tonight as the Washington Nationals play the Pittsburgh Pirates. Strasburg signed with the Nationals for a record $15.1 m 77 seconds before the contract deadline. 
An Ohio man who shares the same name and home state of the umpire responsible for blowing Galarraga’s prefect game is having a case of mistaken identity. Jim Joyce of Toledo had to disconnect his phone because of angry phone calls from Tiger fans, but they had the wrong guy. 
Galarraga may have not gotten the perfect game, but he did get a corvette. After seeing Galarraga get robbed of a perfect game, GM’s North American President, Mark Reuss, honored Galarraga with a $53,580 corvette. 