Stan Kasten Praying for a Rainout June 8?

 

(Stan Kasten in the rain circa 2009. Photo from Getty Images via picapp.)

"Along with Spin Williams and pitching coach Steve McCatty, we had a plan in place since Spring Training [for Baseball Jesus]. We believe he is ready to go. We like that Stephen could bounce back from tough outings."
(Mike Rizzo, via Nationals.com, 5/31/2010)

At long last, Baseball Jesus is ready (*wink* *wink*)

Stephen Strasburg to debut June 8 at Nationals Park*. The Pirates to play the role of sacrificial lamb.

Plenty of good seats still available...if you're willing to pay a pound of flesh on Stubhub, Craigslist, etc.

Dan Steinberg has every angle of Strasburg ticket mania covered. The game is "sold out": does this mean should we should expect to see as many empty seats at Nationals Park on June 8th as there were seats full of Phillies fans on Opening Day?

Meanwhile...tons of seats still available for June 9: According to anonymous sources with no knowledge of the situation, Stan Kasten is doing a little rain dance right now in his office on South Capitol Street.

Taking a quick peek at the schedule for June, if June 8 sticks, Strasburg is lined up to make just two of his first five starts at home, assuming no rainouts:

June 13 @ Cleveland
June 19 vs. Chicago White Sox
June 25 @ Baltimore
June 30 @ Atlanta

Hey, for that Friday night start in Baltimore, do the Orioles trot out Ben McDonald to throw out the first pitch?

*Barring rainout, injury, etc. And depending on Pudge Rodriguez's timely return from the DL?

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Comments

[Shoshana]

Rainout would likely mean a double-header on June 9th. The question would be if they would start Strasburg in the make-up game in the afternoon (when few people would be able to make it) or in the evening (which would be on the June 9th ticket). I think people would be very angry either way. Rizzo did say that the start is contingent on weather, injuries, etc.

[kungpow12]

Right now, just a 10% chance of rain on the 8th with highs in the mid 80's so we'll have to see about the rain out probabilities.

I'm going to count Baseball Jesus's start in Baltimore as a home game because in all liklihood, you're going to have way more Nats fans at Camden Yards than O's fans given the two teams' seasons thus far. I know, as a Baltimorean and Nats fan since '05, I'll be at probably all three games no matter what.

[Mark]

Are u sure about that 6/19 date against the White Sox? Barring any rainout along the way, wouldn't it be 6/13 @Cleveland, 6/18 against the White Sox?

[The Nationals Enquirer]

@Mark: looks like we screwed it up. Adam Kilgore posted this yesterday on Nationals Journal:

"If Strasburg pitches every fifth day to start his major league career, he'll pitch June 8, 13, 18 and 23"

I'd go with that.