Sportsbook attention is going to be on Washington Nationals starting pitcher Stephen Strasburg. It is only a matter of when. The first round draft pick by the Nationals is a superstar in the making and the only question is when he makes his impact at the online sportsbook.
Sportsbook odds should have the Nationals improved this season even if they don’t have Strasburg right away. Not many players go straight from college to the Major Leagues without some time in the minor leagues. Strasburg might have the talent to start the sportsbook year with the Nationals but they may want to ease him into things and start him in the minors. Sportsbook had Manager Jim Riggelman saying that they have not made any decisions as to where Strasburg will start the season. “We’re open-minded. Everybody’s performances will determine where they end up,” Riggleman said. “[Strasburg] could pitch real well down here, but we still may feel like the development process is to be respected.”
Strasburg is not concerned about where he starts this season. “They have a plan for me,” he said. “I trust that they’re going to handle me the right way. You just got to worry about what you can control — and that’s going out there and trying to help your team win a ballgame.”
Online sportsbook had Washington general manager Mike Rizzo saying that Strasburg is in the team’s plans for this year at the Major League level. “If he’s the player we think he’s going to be, we feel he’ll have some impact in the major leagues in 2010,” Rizzo said.
Many at the sportsbook who bet baseball are anxious to see Strasburg. He is a pitcher that so dominated in college baseball that many people at the online sportsbook are excited. And Strasburg is only going to get better and impact sportsbook results. Minor league catcher Derek Norris, who caught Strasburg, said that he is already vastly improved. “His fastball’s always got a lot of life,” Norris said. “One thing that stuck out in my mind was his two-seam — his sinker has a lot more action that it did about five months ago. It’s incredible. It’s almost like a lefty slider. From where he’s progressed since October, his two-seam is just phenomenally better.”
Washington is still not considered a World Series contender at the sportsbook but they should be better than last year. And if Strasburg delivers as the top pick they could be even better vs. online sportsbook odds.