The "Pop" Heard Round the World

(AP Photo. There's Stephen Strasburg in happier times, with both knees still intact.)

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!

Strasburg scratched from Saturday's AFL start after blowing out twisting his knee effectively ending his career shagging fly balls.

It's a good thing the Nats are "in the market for big name pitching."

Admittedly, it's been touch and go around NatsTown since news started spreading Thursday night that Strasburg hurt his knee shagging fly balls during BP.

Baseball Prospectus' Kevin Goldstein Tweeted about an 'ugly pop' heard by a teammate:

"#Nationals uber-righty Stephen Strasburg injured knee in BP today -- teammate said he heard an ugly pop, but no real info yet."

Uh oh! Ugly pop!? That doesn't sound good. Dave Sheinin of the Washington Post reported that Rizzo won't return his calls (okay, he didn't say that exactly), and that the Nats have placed a gag order on the AFL squad:

Nationals General Manager Mike Rizzo did not immediately return voice and text messages seeking additional information, and players and coaches in Arizona were instructed not to discuss the injury with the media.

But Ben Goessling of the Washington Times reports that the team doesn't consider the injury to be serious, although serious enough that he won't pitch on Saturday, and he'll fly back to DC:

An MRI showed inflammation on his left knee, but the team said the injury is not considered serious. Still, he will be flown back to Washington on Friday so team doctor Wiemi Douoguih can put him through a precautionary exam.

But, MLB dot com's Bill Ladson says Strasburg will see Lewis Yocum out in Los Angeles:

The injury is not considered serious. Strasburg reportedly hurt the knee while shagging fly balls. An MRI showed inflammation in the knee. As a precaution, Strasburg is scheduled to be examined Dr. Lewis Yocum in Los Angeles on Friday. 

So, exhale, NatsTown. For now. Strasburg will be flying from Arizona to either LA or DC to get his knee checked out. You know, either the East or West Coast. For precautionary reasons. Nothing to worry about. He's flying...somewhere. It''s okay. We should probably start getting prepared to suffer like this for every hangnail, owie, and stomach ache that may arise during the Stephen Strasburg Era. Let's hope it's worth it.

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Comments

[jeff]

Just imagine if Straburg gets swine flu. Look out!

[The Nationals Enquirer]

Who is this Straburg you speak of, Jeff?

We figure it'll probably be this way until the day he retires (and hopefully after a long, fruitful career) ...

[ckstevenson]

"King of Pop"

[The Nationals Enquirer]

Well played, Mr. ckstevenson. Well played!