Stephen Strasburg Breaks Washington Nationals' Strikeout Record But Is Still Underrated

When Stephen Strasburg struck out Atlanta Braves pitcher Bud Norris last night in the third inning, the 27-year-old became the Washington Nationals' all-time leader in strikeouts. His 904th strikeout surpassed Jordan Zimmermann's previous record.

Check out his record-setting K below:

However, despite the achievement, Strasburg is still somehow underrated and overlooked.

The former No. 1 overall pick owns a 55-37 record with a 3.08 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 905 strikeouts in 133 starts (782-2/3 innings), and yet Nationals fans somehow aren't up in arms that the club has still yet to sign him to a contract extension. He'll make $10.4 million this year before he hits free agency in the offseason.

And then, there are people like this:

And let's not forget about the other socialites who have nothing better to do than worry about his haircut instead of his new slider/cutter, which, by the way, was more successful in its debut than 75 percent of people on Twitter are in their lives.

Maybe Strasburg "lacks soul and personality" because he was too busy getting lambasted by a bandwagon fanbase last year. His 3.46 ERA in 23 starts wasn't good enough while he battled injuries, as the silly expectation of winning a World Series was engraved in the fans' brains because the media declared the Nationals as the favorites.

Well, guess what Nationals' fans (and other critics)? He doesn't seem to care, based on his postgame comments.

"Yeah, it's pretty cool," he said of the new strikeout record. "I don't know how long it will last. But yeah, it's cool to get the ball and add that to the collection."

That's right. He doesn't know how long it's going to last because it doesn't look like he'll be back with the team next year. His debut was one of the most electrifying performances in MLB history, but as we know in sports, it's "what have you done for me lately."

"He is derided, if not outright disdained, by the fan base that once viewed him as a beacon in the abyss," Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post wrote last year.

"Strasburg throws with less menacing velocity than his rookie season, but he led the National League in strikeouts last year. He carries a reputation for fragility, yet he made every start and logged 215 innings last season. His outward demeanor makes it a challenge for fans to adore him, but he is a devoted husband and father. A statement of facts feels like both a defense and an excuse. There is a caveat to every compliment, an exception to every discredit. Always a complication."

Always something. Now it's his haircut. Go figure.

Tags

Washington nationals, Stephen strasburg, Record, Baseball, Jordan Zimmermann