Nationals top draft pick Stephen Strasburg may have had a good first start in the Arizona Fall League, but his second appearance shows that he is human. He allowed 8 runs in 2 and 2/3 innings the other night, including 3 home runs. I’m afraid that Strasburg might lack the arsenal of pitches to get out of trouble on nights when his famous 90+ mph slider isn’t working or when he’s having trouble getting the ball down. Without a “plus” changeup, Strasburg is going to find it hard to keep hitters off-balance.

As much as I want Strasburg to succeed and be the Nationals ace next season, I’m very skeptical at this point. I frankly don’t trust hyped baseball prospects, and the fact that he’s a hyped Scott Boras client makes it an even more expensive gamble for the Nationals. He might represent some of the top names in baseball, but he’s also got a long list of clients who have been complete busts, along with many more that never managed to play up to their huge contracts.

Tags: arizona fall league, scott boras, stephen strasburg, washington nationals