Rising above adversity
STRASBURG: HE HAS KNOWN THE HIGHS AND THE LOWS AT THE NATIONALS
Washington Nationals pitcher Stephen Strasburg says winning the World Series Most Valuable Player Award is sweeter because of the adversity he has overcome in his Major League Baseball career.
The 31-year-old US right-hander, who needed tendon replacement surgery only a few months into his 2010 rookie campaign, has won twice in the World Series for the Nationals, who beat Houston 6-2 on Wednesday to clinch the best-of-seven series 4-3.
“You learn just as much from the downs as the ups,” Strasburg said. “Everything happens for a reason. I’ve become a stronger pitcher for all the adversity I’ve gone through.”
Strasburg became the fi rst pitcher to go 5- 0 in a single play-off run and was named the first World Series MVP pitcher since San Francisco’s Madison Baumgartner in 2014.
In game two, Strasburg struck out seven while allowing only two runs over six innings. In game six he gave up only two runs while striking out seven and scattering five hits and two walks with the Nationals facing elimination.
The Nationals went 5- 0 in playoff elimination games, rallying from behind to win every one.
“It’s almost like we’ve done it so many times we have to get punched in the face to wake up,” Strasburg said. “We never quit during the season despite everybody saying we were done.”
The Nationals began the season 19-31 and were written off by many, given only a .01% chance of winning the title by the oddsmakers.
Strasburg has been defying the odds since he was the first pick of the 2009 MLB Draft and pitched for Washington in 2010 before being shut down in August for Tommy John tendon replacement surgery and a year of rehabilitation.
“Through all the adversity I’ve learned a lot about myself,” Strasburg said.
“I’ve really learned to focus on the things I can control. I’m a control freak. The one thing you can control is your approach and how you handle your work off the field.”
After battling back to play again in 2011, he was forced to sit out the end of the 2012 season as a precautionary measure to rest his arm, watching in frustration as his team lost to St Louis in the play-offs.
“It was so long ago,” Strasburg said. “You try not to look at the past and you try not to look at the future. It’s a challenge not to try to see how it’s going to all play out. You have to stay in the moment.”
This year, Strasburg led the National League statistics with 18 regular-season wins and was the most dominating pitcher in any play-off run.
And the usually reserved Strasburg admits enjoying the free spirited feel of a team that dances in the dugouts and hugs unreservedly.
“It’s the camaraderie. It’s the brotherhood that’s the most satisfying,” he said. –