Bert Blyleven

The Washington Nationals have decided to have Stephen Strasburg start his career in the minor leagues. They didn't seem to come to the decision easily, nor do they seem all that excited about it, which is understandable.

On one hand, they have a pitcher with tremendous talent, a player who has breezed through his spring training appearances with ease, a No. 1 draft pick who they’ve lavished with a record $15.1 million contract.

This is a franchise that has struggled mightily, losing 205 games over the last two seasons. Attendance has been poor and the play on the field even worse. The Nationals need some hope and an identity, so the temptation to rush their prized, young arm to the major leagues must be great.

But this team is not built to win just yet, as there are still many pieces to be put into place. So they are also tempted to treat Strasburg with kid gloves. To bring him along slowly until they are certain he is ready.

Should the Nats rush Strasburg to the majors and risk putting undo pressure on his young arm and his confidence, or should they play it safe and move him slowly? It’s certainly not an easy question to answer. But if they deem him ready physically, and provide the proper support around him, I believe they should take the chance and give Nats fans a reason to come to the ballpark.

ARE YOU READY FOR THIS?
It’s a question every young player must answer, and the younger the player, the more urgent the question.

I entered the majors with the Twins with a June call-up in 1970. I was only 19 and had only spent 1½ seasons in the minors, but even though I was young, I knew I was ready for the leap to the bigs both physically and mentally.

It doesn’t happen often, but every once in awhile a player rises to the majors without any minor league schooling at all. John Olerud did it in 1989 and had a long, successful career, never playing in the minors until his attempt to hang on with the Red Sox in 2005. Jim Abbott (1989) and Pete Incaviglia (1986) also went straight to the majors and didn’t play in the minors until late in their careers.

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And Dave Winfield (1973), as exceptional and versatile an athlete to ever play the game, put together a brilliant, Hall-of-Fame career without playing a single day in the minors.

But there are also cautionary tales as well, including two pitchers — David Clyde and Eddie Bane — who went straight to the majors the same year as Winfield, 1973.

Bane pitched for us with the Twins, and was a soft-tossing left-hander who didn’t quite have what it took to stick in the majors. He ended up going 7-13 with a 4.66 ERA over parts of three seasons.

Clyde was the youngest of them all, as he came straight out of high school to the Texas Rangers. He actually pitched against us in his first start, allowing two runs in five innings to earn the victory.

Clyde had a great arm, and Whitey Herzog once said he was “one of the best young left-handed pitchers I’ve ever seen.” But it takes more than a great arm to succeed. And perhaps rushed too quickly, Clyde saw injuries derail his career. He went 18-33 with a 4.63 ERA over parts of five seasons.

IT’S ABOUT MORE THAN TALENT
Physical issues aside, a young player needs plenty of help on the mental side of the game as well. That’s where not only your coaches, but your teammates come into play.

I was fortunate with the Twins, as my team was loaded with good veteran players who were willing to help out a young kid. And I was more than willing to listen. As a rookie, the smartest thing to do is keep your mouth shut and your ears open, and learn the game of baseball from those around you.

Luis Tiant, Jim Perry and Jim Kaat helped me out, and about half of our pitching staff had a lot of time under their belts by the time I came in, and those veterans were willing to show me the ropes and guide me through my rookie season.

I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to have veteran help. It probably accounts for about 90 percent of a player learning the mental side of the game. Every young player, no matter how talented, needs help.

In addition to your teammates, you also must have a good relationship with your position coach, in my case my pitching coach. He must understand what you’re going through and become something of a father figure.