Nats should learn from pitching past

Along with the No. 37, and Strasburg across the top of the back of his uniform, Washington phenom Stephen Strasburg should wear a label, cautioning, ``Handle with Care.’’

He received the largest bonus ever for a draft player last August after the Nationals made him the No. 1 player selected in the draft last June, and he has been declared to be on the fast track to the big leagues.

Strasburg makes his spring debut, his first matchup with big-league hitters, in Tuesday’s game against Detroit in Viera, Fla. It’s a big enough deal that it is the only Tuesday game that MASN, which has the television rights for the Nationals, will carry this spring.

The Nationals are trying to balance hopes and expectations for the short term with what is best long term, both for Strasburg and the franchise.

And manager Jim Riggleman sounds as if he is committed to letting Strasburg idle in the minors, at least to open the season.

``It's going to come down to more of a philosophical decision more so than a performance decision,’’ Riggleman said earlier this spring. ``We anticipate he's going to throw good. It's going to come down to, what do we think is best for Stephen Strasburg as an organization? I've been very impressed, and I'm anticipating continuing to be impressed.

``I'm not trying to dodge the question at all, but I think we're going to be impressed with a lot of guys. Some of them aren't going to make the club.’’

History suggests the Nationals would be wise to take slow road with Strasburg.

Ten pitchers who have been selected in the draft, which dates to 1965, have gone directly to the big leagues. The game hasn’t been kind to many of them.

Burt Hooton, the top pick of the Cubs out of the University of Texas in 1971, is the only one of the 10 to compile a winning career record, and his debut was a bargaining concession. Hooton signed quickly, got the nod on June 17 against St. Louis, allowing three runs in 3 1/3 innings, and was shipped to the minors.

He was 7-5 with a 1.68 ERA at Triple-A Tacoma, rejoined the Cubs in September, when he was 2-0 with a 1.00 ERA in three more starts, sending him on the way to a 151-136 record in career that stretched through 1985.

Mike Morgan, the top pick of Oakland in 1978, was the only other one of the 10 with an extensive big-league career, and that was more testimony to his determination than anything else. Signed by the A’s during the daffy days of Charlie Finley, Morgan, along with Tim Conroy, who also was a 1978 draftee, came right out of high school and went to the big leagues.

Morgan wound up spending 23 years in the majors, appearing with a record 12 different teams. It wasn’t until 1991, when he made the NL All-Star team, that Morgan had a winning record (14-10) for the first time.

Morgan was the victim of Mark McGwire’s 61st home run in 1998, He was 141-186 in his career.

Tim Conroy went to Oakland with the 20th selection of the first round, 16 spots after Morgan, but came to the big leagues along with him. Conroy appeared in 135 games in his seven-year big-league career, going 18-26, and was 52-51 in a minor-league career that spanned all or parts of 10 seasons.

Darren Dreifort was the Dodgers’ consolation prize in 1993, going second overall in the draft after Seattle took Alex Rodriguez, whom the Dodgers wanted, with the first pick overall. Prolonged negotiations delayed Dreifort’s debut until the following April. His big-league career spanned 11 years, but resulted in only a 48-60 record and a 4.36 ERA. Dreifort was hampered by injuries and recently underwent his 22nd surgery since leaving Wichita State to go pro.

Jim Abbott was the focus of national attention not only because he went directly from the campus of Michigan to the big leagues with the Angels in 1989, but because he also did it despite being born without a right hand. Abbott was an early sensation. He was 40-37 his first three big-league seasons, including being slighted in Cy Young voting (he finished third) when he had 18 wins and a 2.89 ERA in 1991. However, he went 47-71 the rest of his career.

David Clyde was a victim of then-Texas owner Bob Short’s desperation for a draw at Arlington Stadium. The hard-throwing Clyde went right from Westchester (Texas) High School to the big leagues. Unable to handle the lifestyle at such a young age, Clyde was done in five years, during which he was 18-33 with a 4.63 ERA.

Eddie Bane came out of college in 1973, the same year Clyde signed, and Minnesota owner Calvin Griffith wasn’t about to be outdone by longtime nemesis Short. As a result, Bane went directly from Arizona State to the big leagues. He pitched parts of only three seasons in the majors, going 7-13 with a 4.66 ERA.

Steve Dunning made 50 appearances in the big leagues, going 12-23 with Cleveland, before making his minor-league debut in 1972. His career spanned nine seasons, ending with a 1978 stop at Triple-A Hawaii.

Pete Broberg was Washington’s No. 1 pick in 1971 off the Dartmouth campus. He never had a winning record but also never spent a day in the minor leagues, going 41-71 in eight big-league seasons.

Mike Adamson was the first pitcher to make the jump, going from the USC campus to the Baltimore Orioles in 1967. His career consisted of 11 games spread over three seasons. He was 0-4 with a 7.46 ERA.